Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1913-07-23
AFTERMATH OF
YESTERDAYS
FIRE
LIST OF DEAD IN OVERALL FACTORY
YESTERDAY GROWS TO ABOUT
FIFTY....TOTAL, may never Be
kNOWN..MANY MORE EINTERESTED.
BINGHAMPTON WILL
HOLD PUBLIC FUNERAL

Binghamton, N. Y, July 23-The
exact number of persons who perished
in the fire in the factory of the Bing-
hamton Clothing Company may never
be known The list of employees is in
the ruins. Only half a 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 Ill. OF these
only So are known to have been saved
Six dead have been identified, fifteen
bodies charred beyond recognition, are
at the morgue; seven injured are in
the hospitals, forty-siX, several slight
ly injured, are safe at their homes.
Eleven have been reported by relatives
as missing and 26 others are unac-
counted for.
Mrs. Ida Prentiss, who suffered ter
rible burns about the head, died to-
day, and Mrs. Mary Benny, another
of the injured is not expected to re-
cover
City officials estimate the death roll
at fifty but admit it may reach sixty,
and 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 watch
ed the men at work in the debris un-
der the direction of Mayor Irving.
Charred bits of human flesh were
picked up here and there and shortly
before noon a body was recoI cred,
burned beyond recognition.
District Attorney Meager announced
today that thorough investigation
would be made as to the cause of the
disaster and to determine the RESPONSE
bility, if any, for the loss of life.
Mayor Irwin will issue a proclama
ton calling on the citizens of Bingham
ton for general observance of day |
to be set apart for the funeral of the |
victims. AS many of the bodies are
a public funeral will |
be conducted by the city and the un-
known dead will be buried in plot
on which shaft will be erected.
Frank s. Ash of Binghamton, an in
spector for the state labor department,
said today that the fire escapes on
the buildings were of type approved
by the state regulations.
At daybreak big force of city EN-
ployes began the search for the dead
entombed beneath the smoldering
ruins of the overall factory of the
Clothing Company
Conservative estimates place the
number of dead at more than fifty. I
About 1875 employees, mostly women
and girls, were trapped in the burning
walls OF these only forty-one are
known to have escaped.
Sixteen charred bodies as yet un- t
identified were recovered last night. 5
The identified dead are: y
NELLIE CONNOR.
SIDNEY DIMMICK. +
MARY CREGAN.
MISS FULMER.
LOUISE HARTWELL.
MRS. ALVIN WHITE. s
MARY PRYOR. +
The list of the 1874 employees of the c
company who were on the pay roll G
some of whom were on va
cation, is in the safe under the ruins,
making the task of compiling the list h
If dead difficult one. The loss by
ire and water to the buildings and n
stock of five concerns is estimated at
more than 100000, largely covered by S
insurance. J
The heavy loss of life is believed to
lave been largely due to the fact that |
he employees, believing that one of S
he frequent fire drills was being held, c
we're slow in leaving the building '
even when it became known that the S
building was on fire, many returned to
lressing rooms on the upper floor for G
clothing and valuables. t
The flames spread with lightning a
ike rapidity and the intensity of the
leat prevented the firemen from get a
ing within fighting range of the build Ii
ne until rescue was impossible. Wo- il
nen and girls, too weak to go fur
her, dropped exhausted on the single T
ire escape in the rear of the building fl
md literally roasted to death, por- 4
ions of the bodies dropping into the v
streets. Others jumped and were b
zilled a
Half a dozen of the panic-stricken o
.irls rushed into the elevator, which e
vas standing on the fourth floor A r
minute later all dropped to their "
leath.
Volunteer firemen employed in the e
hops along the line of the Erie rail- 8
oad, who were in the city for their Fl
annual tournament, aided the local
iremen. In holiday clothes they as h
;isted in rigging lines of hose to the S
ops of the buildings that were threat "
med.
Reed B. Freeman, president OF the II
Clothing Company, es- "
mates there were about 125 en- tt
,loyes in the building when the fire o
tarted. Eighty per cent of the girls II
Employed nsfl.- ;.
1T isn't ey ioas ci the business G.
hat overco ms hs said today, Il
but it is Il though those girls, ltl