Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-23

said Miss Crotty, II jumped from my
chair and started for the stairs, but
when 1 reached them they were so
crowded with the other operators that
could not get down. and in another
instant the whole story was ablaze.
Miss Crotty jumped from q window.
Mary McDonough was on the fourth
floor when the fire broke out The
a fire drill at that time and mar
shaded in line slowly. When the flames
burst upon them many tainted and
panic ensued.
The fire burst upon us. There was
period Of great confusion. I do not
know how 1 got to the street but
think 1 tainted and was carried out
by some one unknown to me-"
Vernon Wilbur, superintendent Of
Lynn Dibble and l ran to the fire es-
cape and climbed up our ladder. We
dropped two girls to the men below. They
We're standing five or six deep in each
window. with the flames waving directly
behind them. They were mad with pain,
and the sound Of their cries was as IL the
wind were bowling in our ears"
Esther Raskin, nineteen years old.
jumped from the second story, sustaining
compound fracture of the leg: She
also was badly SCARED by the flames.
which burst upon her in the stairway. In
broken English she told her story.
Girls Driven Back by Fire.
when the fire alarm was sent in ev-
erybody thought they were fooling' US.
because they did it two weeks ago. But
when 1 heard everybody shouting fire
and saw them running I ran down the
stairs. When l reached the third floor I
found the stairs afire. but ran quickly
down them to the second floor Here q
dozen girls driven
back by the fire into the stairway. Every
thing was on fire about me, and couldn't
breathe. 1 managed to get to a window
and Jumped: How long lay don't re-
member. The next thing I knew it
seemed as though the ground all about
me was af1re and would roast to- death.
tried to get up. but fell back. when q
dozen or more men rushed over, picked
me UP and put me in an ambulance. That
was the first time In my life I had so
many fellows" and she smiled bravely.
Mrs. Ida Prentice did her best to get
the other woman employees to flee when
the alarm first sounded believing the
danger great. She stayed in the burning
building directing the girls until the last
minute. Then, wrapping a large sheet
of awning material about her. she jumped
from a fourth-story window.
When the fire alarm sounded the
girls hesitated," said Mrs. Prentice. Il
turned and called to the operators that
the alarm had rung and all must get out
as soon as possible. Then the flames
burst upon us. L was nearly smothered.
and. hanging to the steam pipe. was
barely able to make my way to the
window. Here 1 wrapped awning
about me and jumped. Before 1 jumped
1 looked back and saw scores of girls.
There must have been many left to burn
alive
brought out in statement by Mr.. Free
man.
Statement by Mr.. Freeman.
Il was in the offices when Mrs. Free
man called to me that there was a
fire." said Mr. Freeman. Il ran out on
the main floor and saw flames coming
out from under the open stairway.
Some of our employees are so addicted
to cigarettes that as smoking is for
hidden in the building they went out
into the alley every hour or so for
puff / believe one of these. on re-
turning to work, threw his cigarette
under the stairway.
Soon the flames had begun to sweep
throughout the ground floor like
fash
Mrs Freeman in the office. had the tele-
phone receiver down. trying to call the
central fire station So swift was the
rush of flames that she had to drop 1t.
LAS we ran out the bodies Of girls
began to drop from the upper floor
windows. They seemed more like sacks
of -four than human beings. 1 saw
three girls jump from windows.
1T being a comparatively warm day,
all the doors and windows were open,
and this provided a terrific draft
IF the facts ever become known
believe it will be found that the heads
of the departments showed splendid
heroism in sticking to their posts and
directing the girls. Under the rules of
the fire drill they were so instructed
and i believe all stayed at their posts,
some to perish in the flames"