The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-07-25

on December 23, 1908. Mr.. White
was a molder in the employ of Swim
ton & Co.
Mrs. White was 80 years of age
and was the daughter of Amos Tyler
and Sarah Anderson Tyler, of Co.
checton, Sullivan county, N. Y. She
formerly lived on Orange street"
Honesdale Girl in Factory.
Among the number were Miss
Anna Reed, daughter of D. Duane
Reed, Of this place. Miss Reed wir-
ed her father Tuesday evening that
she was safe. She was a stenograph-
er in the office.
Description of Fire. 4
Binghamton's worst disaster is
now over with, but there are other
sorrowing chapters still to be writ
ten. They were written Tuesday up
on the streets of Binghamton, in
many homes and at the scene of the
fire.
There is nothing in the ruins of
the fire but the ruins of the build
ing. There is nothing there to sug-
gest the terrible catastrophe of few
hours ago.
The most appalling feature of the
tragedy rests in what might have
been accomplished had the girls en-
ployed on the four floors of the fac
tory realized their danger when hero
Alfred Decker sounded the factory
fire alarm. The employees believed
it was ringing the signal for a fire
drill and they hesitated about get
| ting their clothes. The finish of
| N,1y Co. fhn 10, 1Yy L.
of hours away and they answered the
ringing of the bell with no alacrity
and with remarks of disapproval.
Quietly they walked into the room
| to get their clothes preparatory to
showing that in case of fire they
could easily leave the building. Then
came the sweeping, savage flames,
licking their way through the open
spaces. Aghast at the sight of the
death threatening blaze and by the
cries of Decker, who continued ring
ing the bell while the flames shot
over his head, the girls and men
ceased to be everyday humans. They
screamed and shrieked and dashed
toward the doors. Someone showed
them the fire escape; instant on
the top of two floors the landing of
the fire escape was choked with
shrieking, excited, helpless girls and
men.
Now comes a rush from the second
floor. They have their chance to es-
cape, it is much better than is that
of the screaming horde on the upper
floors, but they are also mad with
fear and excitement. Escape is only
a matter of a few steps and yet they
hnln1nCC II iG nnf tolyinoy n,
for the flames to enYelop and burn
the building. They sweep the fac
tory as if eating their way through
oil soaked paper and sheets of fire
shoot over the heads and around the
bodies of the crowd on the fire es-
cape, the only one and located on the
northwest side of the building.
Some manage to make their way
down the last row of the iron rings
scattering as they reached Division
street and screaming for the others
Just when it appears as if death is to
be stayed, there comes the muffled
report as if some strange cooped Ut
explosive has been ignited, the walls
are torn apart and down they come
with resounding crashes. The dis.
aster has been accomplished and
many of the 125 employees have met
death in an instant. Others in the
, raging furnace are the girls and mer
who had their chance on the fire es
! cape but a minute before.
Firemen Handicapped.
: When the firemen arrived in re
, sponse to the telephone alarm they
. were unable to get within 200 fee
l of the burning building and the end