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| photo credit, Monroe County Library System and Rochester Public Library |
The Cortland Democrat, Friday, November
16, 1888.
DEATH BY FLAMES.
Frightful Loss of Life by Fire in Rochester-The
Steam Gauge and Lantern Works Destroyed by the Flames.
ROCHESTER,
NOV. 10.—Fire broke out about 7:35 P. M. yesterday in the Rochester Steam Gauge
and Lantern company's works, which resulted in the death of at least ten of the
employees. The works are in a seven-story building on the bank of the Genesee
river at the falls, and the first outward indication of the fire was two men jumping
from a third-story window into the river. One of them recovered himself and
escaped, and the other is thought to be buried under the wall which fell a few
minutes later. About forty people were at work in the building, mostly on the
third floor. The smoke was very dense, and the men could not reach the fire
escapes and were forced to jump from the third-story window. Fourteen jumped on
the west side of the building and were frightfully injured, six of them dying
within an hour.
Those who
died soon after making their escape were Joseph Dorner, John Gremour, Joseph
Webber, Henry Schneider and John Gale. Several others never made their
appearance and are supposed to be buried in the ruins. Among these victims is
supposed to be a girl.
William
Devlin jumped from the third story to the pavement and was picked up insensible,
but was resuscitated later. His left leg and left arm were broken and he was
considerably burned. He says that the first intimation of the fire was a loud
roar of flames bursting up the elevator well. Everybody made a rush for the
window, pushing him against it and when told to jump, he did so. That was the
last he knew till he found himself lying in a shoe factory.
At 11 A.
M. eight bodies had been recovered and twenty-six were reported missing. Five
of the dead men have been identified as follows: John Gall, Joseph Danzer, Joseph
Webber, Henry Snyder and C. A. Ochs. The other three bodies are charred and burned
beyond recognition.
Three
charred and mutilated bodies were taken from the ruins of the works this morning
in addition to the five bodies recovered last night. They have not been identified.
There are undoubtedly more bodies among the ruins.
Among
those who are missing and whose bodies are probably under the smoking debris is
Alonzo Stone, whose wife was murdered by the tramp Deacons a year ago last
August, and for which crime Deacons was hanged.
The
building in which the fire was confined was six stories high. About sixty men
were working on the three upper floors. The factory was built on the high bank
of the Genesee river and was difficult for the firemen to get at, owing to one
side being entirely closed to them. The scenes at the fire were heartrending,
and prominent figures among those who were present were three priests in their
surplices, who administered spiritual comfort to those who were in a dying
condition.
The total
loss is estimated at $235,000 with an insurance of $179,000.
The cause
of the fire is a mystery. The men went to work after supper and all seemed right
then. Soon afterward Jacob Ziehl the night watchman, while making his usual rounds,
discovered flames making way up through the floor. He had barely time to give
an alarm, when he was surrounded by the flames, but he succeeded in making the
danger known to the men on the fourth, fifth and sixth floors,
ROCHESTER,
N. Y., Nov. 11.—Friday's fire was the worst that ever occurred in this city. At
least twelve lives were lost and twenty injured. The pecuniary loss will amount
to $250,000. The Union and Advertiser this morning started a
subscription list for the benefit of the fire sufferers with $100. In an hour
$1,200 had been subscribed. The Republicans who intended to have a parade in
honor of Harrison have decided not to have it but to donate the money such a
celebration would cost to the sufferers. Several men who won on election have
offered half their winnings for the benefit of the injured and the families of
the dead.
Three
more bodies have been taken from the ruins of the lantern works' building. They were burned to a crisp so that it was impossible
to recognize them.
A gang of
forty men was set to work this morning excavating in the debris of the Steam Gauge
and Lantern works fire of Friday night. At six o'clock this evening another
gang was set to work. About nine o'clock this evening two more charred bodies
were taken from the ruins, making eleven so far as known to have been killed.
The
killed are John Gall, John Dauser, C. A. Oaks, John Martin, John Greenover, four
unknown. There are so far twenty one known to be missing. In blowing up the
walls with dynamite this morning about twenty five feet of double fire wall
toppled over on the adjoining building and crushed the roof and the six floors
into the sub-basement. The walls were left standing. The damage will amount to
about $25,000.
LATER—Up
to Thursday morning thirty-four bodies had been taken from the ruins.
WHITECHAPEL MURDERS.
Another Woman Found Dead and Brutally
Mutilated.
LONDON, NOV.
9.—Another horrible murder has taken place in the East End. A woman's body,
hacked and cut into pieces, was found this morning in Dorset street. The police
are endeavoring to track the murderer with bloodhounds.
The body
was mutilated in a manner similar to the bodies of the women previously murdered.
The victim of the Spitalfields murder was, like the rest of the Whitechapel
victims, an abandoned woman. She had a husband who was a porter, but she lived
with him only at times. Her name is believed to be Lizzie Foster and she was nicknamed
Mary Jane [Kelly]. As she entered the house where she lodged by means of a latchkey,
probably no one saw the man who accompanied her. Hence it is doubtful if the
murderer is ever identified. The man might easily have left the house at any
time between the hours of one and six without attracting any especial
attention.
The
physicians who viewed the corpse reserve their statements for the inquest which
will follow. The appearance of the remains is frightful, and the mutilation was
even greater than in the previous cases. The head had been severed from the
body and placed beneath one of the arms. The ears and nose had been cut off.
The body was disemboweled and the flesh was torn from the thighs. The forehead
and cheeks had been completely skinned and one hand was pushed into the
stomach.
Recommended:
GenDisasters: http://www3.gendisasters.com/new-york/4588/rochester,-ny-steam-gauge-lantern-works-fire,-nov-1888
Whitechapel Murders: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitechapel_murders
Monroe County Library System: http://photo.libraryweb.org/carlweb/jsp/DoSearch?databaseID=716&count=10&terms=2666&index=z
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