The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-11-19
ALL THE FIRE ESCAPE
DOORS WERE LOCKED
This Prevented the Escape
of Those Who Lost Their
Lives, Some of Whom
Were Seen Ctinging to
the Iron Grating Whcn
the Floors Were Burned
Beneath Them-Many rs
cape by Climbing Through
the Sky Lights.
SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL.

! SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL.
Mariana, Nov. 1s.-BuildinR No.
| Of the Florida State Reform School.
or the Florida Industrial School Tor
boys, was destroyed and ten boys and
men burned to death in the building
by fire at an early hour this morning.
The fire was discovered only after it
had gained great headway and no:h-
Ing could be done to stop it's progress.
1t is supposed to have originated In
the office on the first floor OF the
building, from which 1t Crept to the
upper floors.
The building was occupied by about
one hudnred white boys. besides Sup
erintendent Bell and several guards
All sleeping apartments were on the
second and third floors. The building
was Of brick, so by $50 feet with
two wings so feet in length. II was
finished inside in pine all partitions
and floors being Of wood. This had
recently been painted and the oils In
the paint made the wood burn rapidly,
so that it is said that within thirty
minutes after the fire was discovered
the building was In ruins.
FIRE ESCAPES LOCKED.
When superintendent Bell was
awakened the stairways were IN
flames. The two fire escapes being
locked, he could only make his escape
through the roof and this he did.
Climbing to the tower he jumped to
the roof and from this to the nre
escape Grcm which he reached tho
ground and tried to enter the Office
to obtain the keys to the fire escape
The office being in flames ne pro-
cured an axe and with the assistance
OF Mr.. Allen, one Of the guards, he
climbed to the landing OF the fire
escape at the second floor, where three
men We're trying to make their escape.
He succeeded in breaking tho locks
of the barred grating to the window,
but was unable to get the metal frame
out OF the window. In the meantime
the floors gave way and the wretched
inmates were hurled to their doom.
The men at the window were H. r.
Evans, a carpenter, G. NJ Evans, his
son, a guard, and one other who was
an inmate The seven others who
persisted are supposed to have been
suffocated before they were burned.
as their charred bodies were found on
the bed springs OF their beds. All
were in the same ward in the north
wing OF the building
A representative OF The Journal VS.
tied the scene OF the fire this after
noon and gathered the facts as nearly
as possible, from the Mortified guards
and inmates who made their escape.
TWO HEROES PERISH.
From Mr.. Allen, a nephew Of Mr..
X. =. Evans, who with his son per-
lshed In the flames, he learned that
the death of both was the result Of
the heroism that each displayed IN
trying to save the life OF tho Other.
Mr.. c. NJ. Evans, a guard, had in
company with Mr.. Allen and most ~
the boys, made his escape by tho
before they were burned, but
upon reaching 4 place of safety hD
discovered that his father had not
got out Of the building. He imme-
diately rushed back up the burning
stairs and found his rather who was
for his son in the building.
BY this time the stairs were burned
Town and 80 tho only escape was to
be made by way of the fire escape
It the rear OF the building. Reachlrg
this they found II locked and, az
above stated, escape impossible. 50
together father and son held onto
he bars until the floor fell from un-
Ter them and the flames licked cut
heir lives.
The State Reform School IS three
niles west Of Mariana, on a fine hiu,
urrounded by the best farm land in
florida. A magnificent avenue OK
rees leads to the white school build
ng from the national highway a 'lalf-
nile distant.
A GRUESOME SIGHT.
The approach to the burned building
low presents an aspect Of somo
uined castle with it's crumbllng walls
nd fallen roof and tower.
The charred bodies OF tho unfortu-
late victims Of the awful holocaust
we're dragged from the bed OF GOALS
nd ashes inside the walls OF Jh5
,urned building and placed under
rec at the rear OF the building that
Iad been killed by the fire. Or most
Il the bodies nothing remained but
haired Jumps Of flesh and bone rep
esenting the bodies and organs that
ad been roasted to an unrecogniza blo
,lackened mass. Two OF the larger
mes, however retain the shape OF tho
uman body with all the vital organs
exposed. In none was there the slight
st sembIance of possibility OF rec