Evening star., 1934-03-25
U. S. Relief investigator Ab-
solves Transient Bureau
Management.
POLICE CLAIM STAIRS
PROVIDED SAFE EXIT
IA Burned to Death, 72 Injured
Men Jump to Street as Flames
Sweep Home for Jobless.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LYNCHBURG, Va. March "a
Those responsible for the management
of the Federal Transient Bureau here
we're held blameless tonight by Alan
Johnstone, Federal relief investigator,
in the fire which swept the building
with toll Of IA deaths and u in
jured
JohnStone and the police blamed
the high toll in part to the panic OF
the men after the alarm of fire" was
sounded. Had more OF the men picked
their way out of the building deliber-
ately. police said. the casualty list
would have been much smaller.
The toll was raised also because
firemen could not enter the place until
they had subdued the flames, almost
a half hour after the fire apparatus
arrived. When firemen entered they
found only charred bodies. Those
who survived jumped or scaled their
way out or went down the narrow
stairs.
Boards Block Escape.
The men were slowed in leaving the
building by windows closed against
the bitter night air. In many cases
broken windows had been replaced
with boarding. which the panic
stricken tranSients tore of with diff
flculty.
One of the men said he did not
awaken until the flames scorched
his feet He awakened a buddy" and
the two escaped.
One of the dead was Jack Alex
ander Green. IA. of Charlotte. N. c.,
who was to have been sent home Fri
day but was detained on account Of
the bad weather
Relief work, already well under way
under the direction of local authorities,
was turned over to Federal officials to-
night, with Johnstone in charge.
U. S. to Bury Victims.
Il believe that everything was done
that could be done, before, during
and after the tragedy Johnstone
said. At an informal hearing he
heard the story of those who wit
messed :he tragedy and of those who
conducted the home.
11C Sdld lA1C NOAAO
stand for the care of the injured and
their transportation home, as well
as for the burial of those who died.
Half of the dead were white and
half colored. Twenty of the injured
were white.
James w. Phillips. assistant commits
sioner of public welfare for the State,
previously had reached the scene un-
der orders from Gov. Peery to render
all available State assistance. T. c.
Walker, colored, conSultant on Negro
affairs for the Federal Emergency Re-
lief in Virginia, pushed identification
of colored victims.
Probe to Be Launched.
Meanwhile, relief authorities en-
deavored to compile an official list OF
the dead and injured.
1t was indicated that an investiga-
ton would be started as soon as iden-
tification details are disposed of.
The fire. which spread rapidly after
gravy boiled over on the kitchen stove,
swept through the building shortly be-
fore dawn as the men slept above.
Approximately 100 escaped unin-
jured and scantily clad into frigid
atmosphere and Snow-covered streets.
The dead, addresses unavailable,
included:
Jack Alexander Green. Jack Swift,
Howard Lloyd. James Lowe, James
Roberts, Walter H. Moore and one
unidentified
Colored-James Miller. william
Lewis, Willie Williams, Willie Brooks
and Frank Stuart.
1t was the worst disaster in Lynch
burg's history.
Tear Down Barricades.
Trapped inmates in the old build
ing became panic stricken as the cry
fire" echoed through the structure.
Some tore down high board wall
which surrounded the windows Of
their sleeping quarters, and others
leaped to the streets. Is feet below.
Others swung down by sleet-covered
wires. Several suffered broken arms
and legs jumping to safety.
Floors at the rear of the building
collapsed within 10 minutes after fire
trucks arrived.
Fare Chief Rapp said that the first
alarm was turned in at SOS am. and
that at the same moment a telephone
alarm was received. AS soon as fire
equipment reached the building a sec
ond alarm was turned in. William
Rasch, the cook, said the fire started
at ASS.
The Transient Bureau was under the
direction of Mrs. Mary Jane Outten,
directress, and Mrs. Hugh M. VOL
folk, a Government relief director. 1t
was organized last Summer to care for
homeless men.