FATAL FIRE AT AN AMERICAN NEWSPAPER OFFICE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2471, 12 May 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

FATAL FIRE AT AN AMERICAN NEWSPAPER OFFICE.

Tun ofliee of the Daily Union newspaper at Springfield, Mwnelui setts, was destroyed by fire oil Wednesday afternoon. Of forty persons employed in the upper srories of the building, six wore killed by falling or jumping into tho street, including three women, one of these being Ihe " Society editress." The fire spread to the adjacent Uiihling.s.

A Central News telegram from New York says:—" Later particulars show that the circumstances under which the victims lost their lives were particularly distressing. The main stairway of the huildinir, which ran spirally round the ele-vator-shaft, was speedily rendered useless by flames and smoke. A tire-escape was brought to the rear ot the building, but the inmates were unable to reach it from the same cause. The terrified people then sought to reach the roof of the adjoining building, and a few of them were successful in so doing; but this avenue of escape was soon cut off by the flames. There then remained no hope but in the possibility of rescue from the front windows, which were soon crowded by the distressed employes, who shouted to the crowd below to save them. The movements of the firemen appeared terribly slow, and a considerable interval, during which the flames were rapidly spreading, elapsed before ladders were procured. A cheer greeted their appearance, and the hopes of the imprisoned victims revived, but only to sink as speedily when it

was found that the ladders were too short to roach the wiudows. A cry of dismay burst from the occupants of the crowded windows, and another awful pause followed, the flames ever gaining upon them. At length one ladder long enough was found, and this was placed at tho window at which the greatest number were gathered. Tho scene at this moment was distressing in tho extreme. The occupants of the neighbouring windows saw with dismay that no more ladders were procurable, and that their appeals were in vain. Nothing remained for them but to perish by the fire or risk a leap to the ground. They choso the latter alternative. Mrs Farley, the ' Society editress,' who was one of the first to take her jump, struck in her fall one of the shorter ladders, which reached to tho fourth storey. Unhappily stie failed to grasp tho rungs, and she fell upon the pavement, and was instantly killed. The crowd had brought sheets and mattresses to break the fall of others ; but, owing to the great height of the building, these were of little avail, and three compositors were killed as they reached tho ground. Tlireo other compositors were terribly injured by their falls. Another was badly burned. Before the rescuing ladder was brought to the wiudows Henry Ooulding, foreman of tho composing-room, and Miss Thompson, a proof-reader, wore suffocated or burned to death."