Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-23
VICTIMS ARE PLACED
AT MORE THAN FIFTY
About Ill Employees, Mostly Women
and Girls, Entrapped Within
the Burning Walls.
CIGARETTE BLAMED FOR BLAZE
President Freeman of Clothing Com
pany Thinks Lighted Stump Was
Thrown Among Waste-Loss
Exceeds 100000.

exact number of persons who perished in
the fire in the factory of the Binghamton
Clothing Company yesterday may never
be known. The list of employees is in
the ruins. Only half dozen of the
bodies recovered have been identified.
a careful estimate today places the
number of those in the building at the
time the fire started at Iii. OF these
only fifty-three are known to have been
saved. Six dead have been identified;
fifteen bodies. charred beyond recogni-
tion are at the morgue; seven injured are
in the hospitals: forty-six. slightly in
jured. at safe at their homes. Eleven
have been reported by relatives as miss
ing and twenty-six others are unac-
counted for. Mrs. Ida Prentiss. who suf-
fered terrible burns about the head, died
today. and Mrs. Mary Benny, another of
the injured, is not expected to recover.
City officials estimate the death toll
at fifty. but admit 1T may reach sixty.
Physicians expressed the belief that the
bodies Of several of those lost in the
center of the building would never be
found
Crowds gathered about the scene of
the disaster today and silently watched
the men at work in the debris under
the direction of Mayor Irving. Charred
bits OF human flesh We're picked up
here and there, and shortly before noon
body was recovered burned beyond
recognition
oMcials to Investigate. -
District Attorney J. A. Magher an
nounced today that a thorough investi-
cation would be made as to the cause
of the disaster and determine the re-
sponsibihty. IL any, for the loss of life.
Mayor Irving will issue a proclamation
calling upon the citizens of Binghamton
Tor general observance of day to be
set apart for the funeral of the victims.
AS many of the bodies are unrecogniz-
able, a public funeral will be conducted
by the city and the unknown dead will
will be erected.
Frank S. Ash of Binghamton, an in
spector for the state labor department
said today that the fire escapes on the
building were of a type approved by the
state regulations.
At daybreak big force Of city en-
ployes began to search for the dead en-
tombed beneath the smoldering ruins.
About Ill employees, mostly women and
girls were trapped in the burning walls.
OF these fifty-three are known to have
escaped.
List of Known Dead and Missing.
A revised list OF the dead and missing
reported up to noon was as follows:
Mary Pryor. wilkes-Barre, Pa
John E. Shoemaker. Philadelphia
-. Marguerite Diamond.
Mrs. Thomas Doran.
Ida Golden.
Nellie Gleason.
Mrs. Anna Gleason.
Louise Hartman.
Lena Kennedy.
Louise Schelpf.
Catherine Sullivan.
Mrs. Fillmore
Louise Hartwell
Mary Smith.
Nellie Connor.
Sidney Dimmock.
Bessie Ray.
Mary Sullivan.
Miss Creegan-
Catherine Grove.
John Schermerhorn.
MrA Hattie Freemen
Helen Westler.
Mrs. Sarah Doran.
Miss Button
Mrs. T. r. Lakey.
Mrs. Ida Prentice.
The injured include:
Esther Raskin. Mrs. May Leig hton,
Benny. Charles Contesse. Mrs. Ida
Houghtaling. Jared Orr and Mrs Mar
garet Quick.
List of Employees in Ruins.
The list Of the 1S4 employees of the com.
pany who were on the pay roll Saturday
safe under the ruins, making the task
of compiling the list OF dead Difficult
one.
Ths loss by fire and water to the build
ings and stock OF five concerns is esti
mated at more than $4,000 largely GOV
cred by insurance. r.
The postoffice. built about twenty year:
ago. was baby damaged. but the mail.
were saved temporary office has beer
established inSj nearby garage.
The loss of the Binghamton Clothing
Company, of which Reed Il. Freeman /:
president. Is estimated at about $4,000
all covered by insurance. This does no
include the building. which was rented.
The heavy loss OF life is believed tt
have been largely due to the fact tha
the employees, believing that one of tn,
frequent fire drills was being held, wer,
slow in leaving the building. Even wher
II became known that the building wa.
on fire many returned to the dressing
rooms on the upper floor for clothing an(
Valuables.
The flames spread with lightninglike ra
pidity. and the intensity of the heat pre-
vented the firemen from getting With,
lighting range Of the building until rescu,
was impossible Women and girls, to,
weak to go farther. dropped exhausted OF
the single fire escape in the rear of tn,
building and literally roasted to death
portions of the bodies dropping into tn
street. Others jumped and were killed
Meet Death in Elevator
half dozen of the panic-stricken girl
rushed into the elevator. which wa
standing on the fourth floor momen
later all dropped to their death
Only the efficiency OF the BinghamtoI
CONTINUED on Ninth Page)