New-York tribune., 1913-07-25

the insistence OF the Factory Commits
sion. which prohibits such accumulation,
but so far there is nothing to show by
legal evidence that the fire actually start
ed In that way.
Waste Material Accumulated.
The probable cause OF the fire was
brought out in the testimony Of Fulmer.
the first witness whose wife was one
OF the victims OF the fire. Fulmer de-
scribed In detail how the pile Of 'unpro-
tected waste material was allowed 20
accumulate at the foot Of the back stair
way from the first floor, where 1t was
liable 10 be set ablaze at any time from
the discarded cigarette butts OF the men.
who were not allowed TO smoke inside
the factory.
Johanna Casey. one q the girl operators
who escaped from the fourth floor testl-
fled that when the alarm FIRST began 10
rng she had believed it TO be another fire
drill. but as she reached the head of the
stairs a gust Of smoke brought home the
terrible reality OF the horror 10 her She
marched out, she said. together with a
column OF her fellow workers. and they
reached the street within a few seconds
after the alarm began to ring. She testi-
fed that there had been no disorder or
panic In the group with which she es-
capped.
During former fire drills. the witness
said, no attempt was made to use the hre
escape Oh the rear. the girls marching
down the front stairway.
Each witness at the inquest testined
that smoking was strictly prohibited.
Mrs Reed Il. Freeman. wife OF the
president of the Binghamton Clothing
Company said that about fifteen years
ago another concern than Mr.. Freeman 4
used parts Of the second and third floors
and that a small private stairway was
put In between these two floors. Some
years later Mr.. Freeman needed the whole
building and the partitions were taker
out and the small private stairs closed
up. leaving the building as 1t was built
She said this was the only change In
staIrways she knew Of.
Representatives OF three different state
departments are here attending the in
quest IL Is the intention to allow these
state representatives TO participate IN
District Attorney. Fred Meagher, 80 as
TO have the one inquiry produce the gen
eral result OF fun and broad investisa-
ton into every phase OF the disaster
State Officials Present.
George +. Roesch Deputy State Fire
Marshal; William c. Rogers. Acting State
Labor Commissioner and B. L. Shientag
counsel with James i. Whiskeman, en-.
glneering expert OF the Wagner State
Factory Commission. were the state Of.
ilcials present to-day
Roesch. after an examination OF the
burned factory declared that the fire
escapes had been built smaller than re.
quired by law. Whlskeman, who was
District Attorney Whitman's engineering
expert in the investigation OF the Triangl,
! fire In New York. found evidence In tho
local factory which disclosed that AT
exit stairway had been removed entirely
to make more room for. the work car.
ried on there.
Whiskeman. after an examination OF
the BinShamton Clothing Company s
plant to-day. declared that a stairway
which would have aided In the escape OF
TO make more room for the machines.
1T is another case" said Whiskeman
''of dollars and cents being put above
human life"
Whiskeman expressed the belief that
Binghamtons disaster disclosed greater
aspects OF criminal carelessness than he
found I'm New York City
Governor Suffers attempt to lay the
blame for the disaster on the fact that
the Senate had refused to confirm his
appointment of Labor Commissioners
was ridiculed by both Whlskeman and
Shicntag. who declared that any defects
in the physical condition OF the factor
could have been remedied as well by the
acting Labor Commissioner as by a fully
| confirmed and regularly appointed sue
ccssor to John Williams, the man ousted
by Suzer.
Requirements Lived Up To.
Mr.. Rogers, the acting head of the La
Dor Department after his examination
OF the plant to-day. said that. so far al
IL preliminary examination disclosed. IN
| factory had been living up to the re
quirements OF the Labor Department.
| Rogers had no comment TO make upor
the Sulzer criticism OF the Senate for IT.
lack OF confirmation OF the Labor Com
missioner appointment. and added tina
| he intended 10 talk the case over with
| Williams. the former head OF the depart