The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-07-26
WASTE ALLOWED
TO ACCUMULATE
In the Binghamton Factory, Where So
Many Lives Were Lost Earlier in
the Week-Taking Testi-
mony in the Case.
mony in the Case.

Binghamton, N. Y, July 26.-Reed B.
Freeman, president and general manag
er of the Binghamton Clothing CO., where
many lives were lost by fire Tuesday
afternoon, gave highly important testi-
mony at the inquest yesterday in 1.-THE
courthouse at the hearing conducted by
Coroner r. A. Seymour and under cross
examination by Dist. Atty. Meagher.
Representatives of the various state and
civil bodies investigating the fire were in
attendance Mr.. Freeman testified that:
The only means for fighting fire in
the factory were "about nine pals of
water to each floor"
He had never read section S3-C of the
factory laws, which provides that '.all
waste materials, cuttings and rubbish
shall be entirely removed from the fac
tory building at least once each day"
That cuttings, ETC., were sent to the
cellar in shutes, where they were bagged
and stored for some time before being
sent away.
In his opinion, if there had been
standpipe and hose on the first floor, the
fire might have been controlled when
first discovered.
Sidney Dimmock. who lost his life try
ing to save the girls, had charge of the
details of fire drill and fire alarm in the
factory.
While on the stand, Mr.. Freeman's
eyes filled with tears as he told of see
ing the girls burned before his eyes as
he watched the fire, after narrowly es-
Gaping the flames. He had never inves-
tigated the merits of automatic sprink
lers or chemical extingrishers. He had
always considered that if fire destroyed
the staircase leading from the fourth
floor to the third floor, the girls on the
fourth floor could escape by way Of the
roof as the fire escape had been con-
tinued up to the roof especially to pro-
vide for such an emergency.
Freeman's attention was called to the
fire when his wife screamed and ran
to the telephone Freeman then ran to
investigate and ordered men to throw
water on the flames. He said the flames
seemed to come from some place under
the shelf previously mentioned as the
place of the origin of the fire. He gath
cred up some inhammable raincoats to
get them out Of the way. When he re-
turned from the next room a few sec
onds later. the flames drove him back
and into the street.
The evidence given by Reed B. Free
man and by Frank Freeman mot related
to Reed would seem to indicate that
the fire did not start on the shelf men
toned so many times by others; but
that it started on the floor beneath the
shelf and appeared to originate on the
shelf because there il first burned its
way through 10 the sight of observers.
From the questions asked by District
Attorney Meagher, it would seem that
he has in mind bringing out testimony
tending to show that the fire originated /
in the cellar in the bags of cuttings,
One More Body.
1t was developed that only $4,000 in !
surance was carried on the stock. $1,000 |
on the fixtures and equipment of the fac
tory, and $4,000 on the building.
One more body was recovered yester-
day The debris in the cellar has been
pretty well sifted and it is not thought |
any more bodies will be found. 1t is |
the belief of some Of the searchers that |
some of the bodies were completely de-
stroyed. reduced to unrecognizable ashes |
by the intense heat.
Mayor j. J. Irving last night asked the |
Associated Press to correct an erroneous /
statement that had been published broad
cast to the effect that the unidentified |
dead will be buried in one common grave
at the coming public funeral. Even
though the remains be charred beyond /
human resemblance" said Mayor Irving,
each will have a separate cssket and
be buried with appropriate ceremonies.
The local relief fund has gone over
the 100000 mark. No contributions are
sought from outside Binghamton and its
suburbs.
The Wagner Smith factory investigat
ng commission will meet in Albany aft
er the inquest to arrange for an inde-
pendent inquiry into the fire.
The public funeral and memorial sery-
ce for the unidentified victims will be
ield in Stone opera house Sunday after
1onn