New-York tribune., 1913-05-16
ReSCuerS Batter Down Doors
and Bring Out 25 Children
Imprisoned by Parents
Away at Work.
WOMAN FORGETS ONE BOY
Police Establish Identification
Bureau in East 74th Street,
as Anxious Fathers and
Mothers Search for
Offspring

twenty-five small children. whose
parents had left them in the building
while they went out TO their days
work. were rescued from locked rooms
and dragged through windows 10 safety
when fire broke out on the fifth floor OF
the seven story brick tenement house
at No. 40 East Iith street late yester-
day afternoon. The spectacular nature
Of the fire and the excitement caused
by the rescues made II necessary 10
call several squads Of police reserves 10
keep the crowds in check.
Two fircmcn were cut and burned so
badly that the department surgeon or
dered them taken 10 the Reception Hos
pital The fire started in the kitchen
Of Mrs. Mary Michmiowsky's fiat. She
was painting the floor in the front
room. when she heard frightened cries
from her two children. who were play
ing in the kitchen. Then she saw
smoke and flames coming from the
room. She picked up her little girl.
Angeleno. and ran downstairs shouting
Fire
The other child. Michael. three years
old. was forgotten in her excitement.
but h. cried so vigorously that Freder-
ick Schinsky. who lives on the sixth
floor. and has three children. stopped In
on his way down and added Michael
10 his burdens. Meanwhile Patrolrnan
Short. Of the East 9th street station.
had heard the cries Of Mrs. Michi-
owsky and turned in a FIRE alarm.
IN most Of the families in the house
all the grown-up persons work. and
the children are left 10 their own de-
vices during the day. A favorite scheme
on the part Of the parents is TO lock
them in. go that they cannot wander
into the streets and come 10 mishap.
This made the work OF the firemen
dangerous and responsible. Lieutenant
Dougherty. of Truck IS. got ladders up
and sent his men through the smoke
filled halls. with orders 10 batter down
every door and search every apartment.
Twenty-Five children were carried out
and in many cases they were In locked
flats.
Mrs. Michiowsky was badly burned
and had been placed in an ambulance
when she suddenly remembered that
she had left Michael in the blazing
L,,chen She struggled to free herself
from the grasp OF the doctor and rush
hack into the building. At that mo-
mont her husband returned from work,
and he. too. had TO he restrained from
,iskine his life. Fortunately Angeleno
,ried her brother in the crowd In the
arms Of Schinsky. and peace was re-
stored TO the Michiowsky family.
Excitement in the neighborhood grew
as anxious parents hurried home from
work and as their children were scat
tered about in the crowd. many fear "a
their babies were dead. The press OF
excited women grew so great the re-
serves vere summoned by Patrolmen
Gamble and Short. Of the East 6ith
stree, station. With the coming OF the
policemen a temporary bureau OF iden-
,ihcation was formed and thither all
tho children in the crowd were brought.
Al this rendezvous the parents gath
cred and picked out their own with
unfailing accuracy. N,ne was missing
and none was left over. though II took
an hour or more TO complete the 1p-
portionment.
I,eu,enant Wise was cut BY broken
glass and John Leamy, Of Engine NO.
80 was bruised about the arm. The
6re tho origin Of which was not dis
covered. caused damage OF 5000.