The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-07-24
DEATH LIST MAY
Be THREE SCORE
Number Of Victims Of Binghamton
Fire 1ncreased-Only Fifty
Three Saved
Is CHARRED BODIES FOUND
Estimate Shows Number Of People In
Building To Be Ill. Many Near
Death

DlukuaMton, N. Y, July 24.-Ine
exact number of persons who persisted
in the fire In the factory of the Bling.
hamton Clothing company may never
be known. The list of employees is in
the ruins. Only six of the bodies re.
covered have been identified.
A careful estimate places the mum.
Der of those in the building at the
time the fire started at Ill. OF these
only flfty-three are known to have
been saved. Fifteen bodies. charred
beyond recognition, are al the morgue,
seven injured are in the hospitals, for.
ty-six less seriously hurt are at their
homes. Eleven have been reported
by relatives as missing and twenty.
six others unaccounted for.
Mrs. Ida Prentiss, who suffered ter.
rible burns about the head, is dead
and Mrs. Nary Benny, another of the
injured, is net expected to recover.
The belief was expressed that the
bodies of several of those lost in the
center of the building would never be
found. The death list is estimated as
high as sixty.
District Attorney Frederick J. Mea-
CHER announced that thorough in.
vestigatiOn would be made as to the
cause of the disaster and to determine
the responsibility, if any, for the loss
Of life.
Monetary Loss Over 100000.
The list of the 1874 employees of the
company who were on the payroll
Saturday, some of whom were on va
cation, is in the safe under the ruins,
making the task of compiling the list
OF dead more difficult. The loss by
fire and water to the buildings and
stock of five concerns is estimated at
mor-- .than 100000, largely covered
by Insurance.
The postoffice, built about twenty
years ago, was badly damaged, but
the walls were saved. A temporary
ONCE has been established in a near.
by garage.
The loss Of the Binghamton Cloth
ing company, of which Reed B. Free
man is president. is estimated at about
$4,000, all covered by insurance. This
does not include the building, which
was rented.
The heavy loss of life is believed to
have been largely due to the fact that
the employees, believing that one of
the frequent drills was being held,
were slow in leaving the building.
Even when it became known that the
building was on fire many returned
to the dressing rooms on the upper
floors for clothing and valuables.
The flames spread rapidly and the
intensity of the heat prevented the
firemen from getting within fighting
range of the building until rescue was
impossible.
Women Drop Exhausted.
Women and girls too weak to go
further dropped exhausted on the sin
gle fire escape in the rear of the build
ing and literally roasted to death, por-
IlOA6 VI Iuc pOulCS luLO Tic
street. Others jumped and were
killed.
Half dozen of the panic stricken
girls rushed into the elevator which
was standing on the fourth floor.
A moment later all dropped to their
death. Only the efficacy of the Bing-
hamton fire department prevented
the spread of the flames to business
blocks lining Water street, between
Court and Henry streets.
In the building occupied by the Nc.
Allor Drug company was a large
amount of highly explosive chemicals.
Steel doors and shutters prevented
the fire from reaching this building
Volunteer firemen employed in the
shops along the line of the Erie rail.
road, who were in the city for their
annual tournament, aided the local
Aremen.
In holiday clothes they assisted in
running lines of hose to the tops Of