The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 18, 1896, Page 1

" VOLUME LXXIX.—NO. 80. HUNTINGTON 1§ ON THE RACK, .Denies All the Charges of Fraud Made in the Memorial. SLURS ON THE SIGNERS. Senator Morgan Asks Some Very Unpleasant Questions of the Magnate. CONSOLIDATION OF THE ROADS Would Place the People of the Pacific | Coast at the Mercy of the Combine. WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 17. Senate Committee on Pacific Railro this morning resumed Pacific railroad matters. F. B. Thurber of New York, representing the Boara of Trade, appeared before the committee and made an argument in opposition to Gov- ernment ownership of Pacific railroads, and in favor of the adjustment of the Gov- ernment debt, on the best terms practic- able. Such an adjustment, he said, wo be an important st the railroads in this country on a better basis, and would th e an important bearing on the entire commaercial interests of the country. He had aided Mr. R 3gan of Texas in urging the enactment of legis- lation against railroad pooling, but experi- ence and the | events had convinced that the prohi- was unwise. its hearin ng point for placing 1now was to eliminate un- Mr. Thurber has changed his opinion in regard to pooling because the experience of the last eight yearsin which pooling has been prohibited had dem ted that a greater inequal- nations. now existed than before. ng to questions, Mr. Thurber'said he favored Governmental control of the bonded raiiroads, but not Governmental ownership. Senator Morgan asked Mr. Thurber if from the beginning a board of directors ap- yonted By the President and confirmed by the Senate, and of honorable characier, bad been selected, whether he thonght the | Credit Mobilier would ever have grown up in that company. Mr. Thurber replied that he thought the chances for bad management increased as goon as the management of raiiroads was taken into politics. was largely due to the Government hav- ing had nothing to do with the owner- ship or management of railroads. Senator Morgan endeav opinion of the witness as to whether the Government or the private directors were responsible for the Credit Mobilier, but Mr. Thurber either does not care to express an opi pressed his question in va forms, but Mr. Thurber was inclined to believe that the Government directors were probably no better than any other class. Senator Morgan, in his cross-examina- ot know or does io Morgan tion, was somewhat sarca: in his refer- ence to the Credit Mobili and finally Senator Frye, who had been growing restless, said curtly: ‘“You would never have 1 any Pacific railroad had you not edit Mobilier. 1t wasnothing and ng but a constructi company, have the same in connection with Nicaraguan canal. Itisin every great c work.” If I thought so for a moment,” replied ator Morgan, “important as I consider great work I would abandon itat Continuing his argument Mr. Thurber said he believed by a co-operation of all terests concerned and extending the time for the payment of the first and sec- ond mortgage bonds the Government d be repaid in full and something re- n for the stockholders. Mr. Thurber favored Mr. Frye’s bill relating to the Cen- 1 Pacific. ollis P. Huntington, president of the Southern Pacific Railway, was the first witness at the afternoon meeting. Mr, Huntington was examined closely and at great length by Senator Morgan in an en- deavor to show that the consolidation of the Southern Pacific and Central Pacific under one management placed the people of the Pacific Coast at the mercy of the combination in regard to transportation rates, but Mr. Huntington denied that the consolidation would create a monopoly of the Pacific Coast business. After spending considerable time in wor- rying Mr. Huntington over this phase of the question Senator Morgan produced a printed copy of the memorial adopted ata recent public meeting in San Francisco in opposition to the extension of the Govern- ment debt of the Pacific railroads. This memorial was largely made up of allega- tions and charges against Huntington, Stanford, Crocker and Hopkins in connec- tion with the contract and finance com- pany which built the Central Pacific road. All the charges and allegations of fraud were denied by Mr. Huntington, who more than once remarked that the fact of such statements being made by Adolph ng-o ana the others whose names were given was a sufficient indication of their being false ally, at about 5 o’clock, the other members of the committee, who had taken 1o part in these lines of inquiry, in- terfered with a suggestion that while the examination might be interesting it had no bearing whatever on the real question before the committee, which was as to the adjustment to be made between the Gov- ernment and the Pacific railroads. Morgan insisted that he had a right asa Senator to have his conscience informed on the whole history of the building of the Pacific railroads and said that he would continie that line of investigation at the d | ice and more favoritism in | The Credit Mobilier | ed to get the | next meeting of the committee. The com- mittee thereupon adjourned until to- MOIrow morning. T UNEASY ON THE GRIDIRON. Huntington Forced by Morgan to Make Admissions WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 17.—Senator Morgan had Huntington on the gridiron to-day for more than an nour. Morgan fired one hot question after another at the railroad magnate. It was & merciless at- tack. Huntington squirmed and twisted in his seat and presented really a pitiable spectable. Morgan was well armed with facts. Hehad a small memorandum-book filled with notes. He seemed to take a keen delight in torturing his victim. Huntington would affect an airof wounded dignity and again of indignation. When Morgan drew from his desk the memorial adopted at the convention in San Francisco and questioned him about fraudulent transactions of the Contract and Finance Company, he grew quite in- dignant and repelled the insinuation of fraud made against Stanford, Hopkins, Crocker and himself. He said the fact that Adolph Sutro and others “of that stamp” participated in this convention and in pre- paring the memorial making such allega- tions would be sufficient proof of their falsity to those who were acquainted with the character of these men. Morgan questioned him closely about the cost of constructing the Central Pacific. “Now, Mr. Huntington, this road did not cost as much money as claimed. Your directors diverted a part of the funds, did they not? What did you do with the money? You cannot show that you ex- | After repeated questions of this charac- | ter, Huntington was forced to admit that ! there was $10,000,000 which could not be | accounted for. | “Yes, and you got that and a great deal more, didn’t you?'’ asked Morgan. Mr. Huntinzton moved uneasily in his | chair; his features twitched, he clenched | his hands convulsively and looked appeal- ingly at other members of the committee. | Senator Brice came to his relief. | “I object to this mode of cross-examina- | tion,” declared he; “Mr. Huntington is not on trial here. The alleged fraudulent | transactions of the Contract and Finance | Company or of the Central Pacific di- | rectors or stockholders is not germane to the question before us. This is a business proposition and this line of questioning is uncalled fer.” Senator Morgan replied: *I differ with the Senator and think it is pertinent to the matter at issue, whether these direc- tors defrauded the Government. At least I am the custodian of my own conscience, and I want to bring cut the f: that we may arrive at a conscientious conclusion | in dealing with this important question.” Morgan then asked numerous questions about the officers and organization of the Southern Pacific, Central and Union Pa- | citic and Oregon Short Line. To many of these questions Huntington replied, *“I | don’t know; reaily I cannot remember.” some of your agents who do know some- thing?” demanded Morgan. Brice again objected, but Morgan was persistent, and handled Huntington as a cat would worry a rat. He inguired about some of Huntington’s steamships, and | how they were built and what they cost. When Huntington explained that haif | cash had been paid for them, Morgan de- manded to know why he had issued bonds | for half cash, what he did with the pro- ;Cvedq of one-half the bonds, was it di- | verted ? | “Iobject to this, Mr. Chairman,” said |a member, but Morgan scon went after ihim again. In response to one question | Huntington said he thought there was no traffic agreement at present between the | Southern Pacific and Canadian Pacific | Railroad. “I don't know, though, for certain,” said he. ‘‘What do you know?” asked Morgan. “You seem to know very little about your own business.” Huntington denied that the Southern Pacific line from San Francisco to Portiand | enabled itto compete with the Oregon Short | Line for traffic from tbe Eastio the North Pacific Coast, saying: “It is a good deal farther to the North Pacific Coast by our | line than the Oregon Short Line, and ship- pers usually take advantage of the shortest route. We cannot compete with them very well.” Morgan again returned to his questions about the contract and finance company and Huntington got nervous again and looked around appealingly. Senator Frye this time came to his rescue. He said that the question of stockholders’ liability and of whether, in case stockholders bad defrauded the Gov- ernment, they should be pursued with reference to that liability, was one for a court to decide. Morgan held his ground and replied that it was his duty to satisfy his con- science as to yhether the question was one that could be disposed of in that.way. Senator Morgan, taking up a pamphlet, said: *‘Mr. Huntington, I have here a number ot statements which, if true, would be damaging to you personally and to the interests you represent. I come from a State which has no feeling in this matter one way or the other. I shall put these allegations to you in the form of questions and give you an opportunity, which you will no doubt be glad to have, of admit- ting or denying them according to the truth.” In the questions that followed Hunting- ton denied that the stockholders were liable under the State law of California, and his counsel rose to say that this ques- tion as involved in the Stanford case would soon be determined by the Supreme Court. Points which Huntington admitted prac- tically withont reservation were that Huntington, Hopkins, Stanford and Crocker did own the Central Pacific and were those who constituted the contract and finance company: also statements countained in pamphlec about the amount of land which came into tke hands of the Central and Southern Pacific corporations as subsidies, with special reference to tide lands in Mission Bay. He was non-com- mittal about the amount of water front owned in Berkeley, Oakland and Alameda, aud stated that to his belief it did not ex- tend more than five miles. Huntington acknowledged practically that the Southern Pacific Company had received a certain amount of stock from Wells, Fargo & Co. in exchange for valua- ble transportation privileges. He denied the statement that the Central Pacific cost $57,000,000. Then followed a long col- loquy in which Morgan endeavored to find | ““Then, why don’t you bring before us| . PRICE FIVE CENTS, S FUNDRING BILL TIME LOCK CPHNTINGTON [VENTOR R % How It Would Work--The Funding Scheme in Operation. where exact information could be pro- cured as to what the road actually did cost. Huntington could not remember just who kept charge of the books or what be- came of them, but said he beiieved that they had been among a room full of waste paper and old account books, which he had sold. to a wastepaper man. Morgan found it extremely difficult to get answers to his questions. At one point he took occasion to say that the object of his questions was not to discover beliefs, but facts, It was brought out that the considera- tion accepted by the contract and finance Company for building the Central Pacific was stock in the road to the face value of $60,000,000, which was subsequently sold for about half that amount; also first mortgage bonds of the road and all United States bonds, the total of all having the face value of $116,000,000. pressed to state within Sve or ten willions of the actual cost of the Central Pacific Huntington said that he believed that the cost was in the neighborhood of $90,000,000. There were but few humorous passages or amusing episoaes, but toward the close Morgan said: “If I were not satisfied, Mr. Hunting- ton, that you were a friend of the people I | should not care to trust you with sich vast railroad organizations.” “I am glad the Senator makes that statement,” replied the magnate, ‘‘fos the Bible says, ‘Out of abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.’ ” Huntington did not think that $100,- 000,000, nor half that amount, could be raised on the property of the Kentucky corporation, although he admitted that the stock of the corporation had a face | value of about $100,000,000. The fact was brought out that the corporation owned twenty ships plying in Atlantic waters in connection with this railroad line, and valued at over $6,000,000. The Pacific Mail and Occidental and Oriental lines | were not owned by the corporation, but were controlled by the Union and Central Pacific. ' Morgan again went after Huntington savagely about the arrangemeht with the Panama Railroad. To many questions Huntington couid only reply, “I do not remember’”” and ‘I do not know.”” Morgan finally dismissed him by declar- inz: *I sent for you on the supposition that you did know something about the cor- porations of which you are president, but if you don’t know the answers to these questions I'll send for one who does.” The hearing will be resumed to-morrow. On Thursday Huntington will appear be- fore the House Committee and will be | cros gulre. examined by Representative Ma- —_— REPEAL OF THE CHARTER. Huntington’s Slim Chance in the Ken- tucky Battle. FRANKFORT, Kv., Feb. 17.—The bill to repeal the Southern Pacific charter was not reached in the Senate to-day, and the probabilities are that several days will elapse before the measure is brought before that body for consideration. This was occasioned by making a spe- cial order of the bill to repeal the equaliza- tion board law, which was under discus- sion to-day, and in which it is said the enemies of the repeal bill are taking a big hand in the fight for the purpose of delay- ing the passage of the repeal bill. Friends of the repeal bill are losing no time and are firm in their determination to get the bill through before the session closes, of which there yet remains only twenty-tive more working days. The only danger now seems the delay, and it is believed the measure is suffi- ciently strong to force its way through, despite the friends of Huntington, who are taking advantage of every technical point of parliamentary procedure to force the bill through the longest - routes for delay. Mayor Sutro has been lending valuable aid to the local friends of the bill by laying be- fore each member a copy of the argument addressed to lawyers in Congress in the matter of funding the debt which the Cen- tral Pacific owes to the United States, by L. D. McKisick, and the Pacific Railroad aebts, anti-funding and foreclosure memo- rial of the California State Convention, which reached the members this morning and has gone a good ways in showing the true condition of affairs. Colonel John T. Harrington, Judge Ad- vocate-General on the staff of Governor Budd of California, is here on a visit to William Waggoner. He is a native Ken- tuckian. He ¢aid: “*1 am opposed to the passage of the bill, and while I am not actively at work against the measure, if asked, will not re- frain from expressing my opinion.” When finally | ARBITRATION NOW DESRED Englisfi Statesmen Who Do Not Uphold Salisbury’s Policy. |HEARD IN THE COMMONS. | Ringing' Words Show That This Country Is Duly Respected by Britons. | SPEEDY SETTLEMENT WANTED. | Venezuela Declared to Be Not Worth Entering Into a Controversy With Uncle Sam. LONDON, Exa., Feb. 17.—In the House of Commons to-day James Francis Hogan, member for Middie Tipperary, asked the Government when the commission to con- | sider the matter of laying a Pacific sub- marine cable would assemble. The Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, | Secretary of State for the Colenies, said | that the time of the meeting of the .com- | mission would not be decided until the | names of the members of that body had | been received by the Government. | George N. Curzon, Parliamentary Secre- | tary for Foreign Affairs, stated that the Government had no knowledge that | Russia had been invited to occupy and | police the Turkish territory of Asia Minor. | Such an act on the part of Russia with- | outthe assent of the powers, he said, i would be a violation of the existing treaties. The House took up the debate on the amendment ‘to the aadress in reply to the | Queen’s speech moved on Friday by Timo- | thy Harrington, Parnellite member for the | harbor division of Dublin, favoring the re- lease of Irish political prisoners. John E. Redmond (Parnelite) maae an impassioned speech in which he said that the feeling throughout Ireland was in favor of amnesty for tbe Irish political prisoners. The use of dynamite, he said, had originated with Irish-Americans, who were regarded by Irishmen generally as being mad and reckless. All Irishmen, he declared, now con- curred in the belief that the time nad ar- rived for the exercise of clemency toward the Irish political prisoners. The Irish, Mr. Redmond said, were blamed for their lack of sympathy with England in her for- eign complications. They would be hypocrites if they were to pretend that they werein sympathy with England. Were these hatreds, he asked, to exist forever? He hoped rather to see the day when England and Ireland would face the world hand in hand. He appealed to the Government to hasten the day of the release of an old and dead mo- ment of passion and madness. [Irish cheers.] Balfour said that the Government must follow the regular practice. The quins quennial revision of sentences would oc- cur in a year or two when, the revision would be applied to the Irish prisoners with absolute impartiality. Professor Lecky, the historian, was loudly cheered as he rose to make his first speech in the*House, urging clemency for the Irish prisoners. Balfour movea closure, which was car- ried by a vote of 270 to 107, and Mr. Har- rington’s amendment was rejected—275 to 7. L. Atherley-Jones, radical member for Northwest Durham, moved an amend- ment to the address in reply to the Queen’s speech, deploring the absence from the speech from the throne of an assurance that the whole boundary dispute with Venezuela will be referred- to arbitration in accordance with the suggestion of the United States. In speaking to his motion Atherley- Jones declared that Great Britain had tween British Guiana and Venezuela, and asked how it could be claimed that the territory in dispute could be outside the pale of arbitration. He reviewed the ques- tion in all 1ts aspects since 1814. Before the motioa could be seconded the Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, First Lord of the Treasury and Government leader in the House, interposed and appealed to the House on his responsibility as Minister of the crown not to continue the debate. He declared that he was of the opinion thatthe continuation of the debate would "mnot serve the purpose Atherley-Jones had in view, as it would not make an honorable solution of the difficulty easier. He there- | fore hoped that the House, realizing how grave the issues were that were at stake; the policy that had been pursued or would be pursued. 2 William Allen, advanced radical mem- ber for Gateshead, then seconded the amendment. The whole matter, he de- clared, was a tempest in a teapor. Goid, | as usual, was at the bottom of the whole | trouble. The country in dispute was a nest of yellow fever and was not worth | fighting for. | Henry Labouchere, the Radical leader, | said that after the statement made by Mr. Balfour it was impossible to continue the debate. [Cries of *‘Hear, hear.””] He hoped he might take it that the dispute would be sneedily settled to the satisfaction of both countries. John Dillon, anti-Parnellite member for East Mayo, followed Mr. Labouchere. He | said he trusted that no appeal from the Government would induce the moyer of | the amendment to withdraw his motion. | The American people, be added, ought to have some indication of the intensity of the feeling existing in the House of Com- mons against the mere snggestion of war with the United States. The action of the American Government had been most patient and forbearing, ana it ought to be made known to the Ameri- cans that Lord Salisbury’s dispatch to Sec- retary Olney did not represent the feeling of the people of this country. He was | glad to note the recent improved tone of | puclic opinion. Even Lord Salisbury had turned his at- tention to insulting a somewhat smaller | nation than the United States. In the | view of nine-tenths of the people of Ire- | land the whole question ought to be sub- mitted to unlimited arbitration. 1f the Ministry tried to plunge the coun- try into a war for an unjust cause. by-re- fusing to grant arbitration, he had the right to claim that there would arise from millions of Englishmen and Irishmen the strongest possible condemnation. [Cries of “Hear! hear!”] Sir William Vernon Harcourt, the Lib- eral leader in the House, said he was glad that the amendment had been moved in the interests of arbitration, but he did not think he could insist that the amendment was the best way to attain the end in view. Of course, such an amendment could not be accepted by the Government, and must, if pressed to a division, be lost by a large majority. If that happened, it vould go forth to America that the House had pro- nounced against arbitration, aithough he was convinced that that was the end that all wished to be attained. [Cries of “Hear! hear!”’] What the House had to do was to show that there was no difference of opinion on the subject. He was perfectly certain that both inside and outside of the House the consensus of opinion was in favor of peace- ful arbitration. Their main object ought to be to express such opinion. It could not be done by joiniug issue on the amend- | | | ment. He took the opportunity to deprecate the language sometimes used, alleging that President Cleveland had acted from election motives. There seemed to be a tendency in certain quarters to think that the United States had acted in a sudden, offensive manner. As a matter of fact, they had been pressing for a settlement of the question for the last ten years, always in a most friendly spirit, [Cries of “Hear! hear!"”] Every effort ought to be made to remove all causes of irritation. He trusted thatno further delay would occur, and that every- thing would be done to bringa bout a speedy settlement. Sir William further said that the points of dif- ference between Great Britain and the United States were insignificant and could easily be settled by the Cabinets of seven times changed the boundary be- | would not further discuss’on this occasion r both countries, but if the populace on both sides were allowed to raise excitement through ignorance of the real matters at issue, there would be great danger of strife. He appealed to Atherley-Jones to with- draw his amendment, which was done, the Speaker checking an attempt on the,| part of the Irish members to continue the discussion. In its issue of to-morrow the Daily News will remark the gravity of Mr. Balfour’s scatements in the House of Commons this evening anent Atherley-Jones’ amend- ment and will add that as a matter of fact delicate negotiations are now in progress between Great Britain and the United States. The Times will to-morrow say that it regards as being of great importance the plan for the settlement of the Venezuelan dispute sent to it by its American corre- spondent, Mr. Smalley, who says it would be accepted by the United States or pro- posed by the United States if they had reason to believe that Great Britain would aceept it. The plan is substantially the creation of anew joint commission to consist of two Englishmen and two Americans, who would be charged with ascertaining the facts, ana with reporting thereon to the British and American Cabinets. If a ma- jority of the commission could not agree on a report g neutral fifth member might be summoned. The commission’s finding on matters of facts would be binding on both countries and would serve as the basis for subse- quent negotiations between all concerned. Should the negotiations fail there would be an ultimate arbitration by a tribunalto be composed, for instance, of the Chief Justices of Great Britain and the United States, with perhaps a neutral third member. The Times contends that the scheme will need the most careful consideration, but recognizes with unqualified satisfac- tion that it is such that Great Britain could honorabiy accept it. It adds that the plan also offers an excellent prospect of an ultimate agreement. The chief difficulty about arbitration re- lates entirely to the settled districts, pro- scription in international law counting for nothing. If in this case international arbitration could be made to resemble municipal Jaw so that the fact of long settlement would count as in ordinary courts, the greater part of the Britisn ob- jections to arbitration would disappear. GRAVE CRISIS AT HAND, | Downfall of President Faure ‘Predicted at the French Capital. Many Are Ready to Declare That the Republic Is on the Verge of Revolution. ~ NEW YORK, N. Y., Feb. 15.—A special cable from Paris to the Sun says: There are many prominent men in Paris to-day, do not hesitate to declare their belief that France is on the eve of another revolution. This gloomy talk has been increasing for months past. The crisis is certainly sericus, but I do not share the despondent opinions of the situation which are held in some quarters. Important changes are probably im- pending, including not only the fall of the | present Cabinet, but, perhaps, a serious deadlock in the Government and possibly the dissolution of the Chamber and the downfall of President Faure. It is cowardly ana almost absurd to say, as some do, that republican 1institutions will be unable to bear the strain which may be put upon them. It is some indication of the state of pub- lic feeling that an evening newspaper dé. | clared yesterday with great emphasis and | gravity that a plot for the overthrow of the republic had been perfected within a month at Brussels by Prince Victor Napo- leon and the Duke of Orleans. This seems to be taken soberly instead of 2s a joke by most people. The facts which are the nominal cause of this crisis are well known. The Senate has, two or three times within a few days, passed votes which virtually mean ‘‘no confidence” in the present ministry. The Chamber has voted the other way, and the Bourgeois Ministry has decided to remain in office. Not only that, but the Cabinet has exploited the action of the Chamoer as a virtual vote of censure against the Senate. In fact the Cabinet, backed, as it be- lieves it is, by the Chamber, is defying the Senate. This raises a constitutional ques- tion which is both grave and unprece- dented. The Cabinet is jointly responsible to both houses, and the action which the Ministers are taking is practically a coup d’etat. The Senate, like every political author- ity in France, is jealous of 1ts prerogatives. Nobody imagines that it wiil do iess than enforce its authority unless driven from the Luxembourg by a mob. It is the Chamber of Deputies which is more lixely to recede from 1ts position. The tower house has nominally a majoricy of Moderates, in spite of its tolerance of a Radical Cabinet. The reason’why it refrains from turning | out Premier Bourgeois and his associates | is that everybody dreads the Cabinet crisis which wouid follow. It is the Radical and Socialist minority in the Chamber which creates most of the turmoil in French politics, and causes fre- quent Cabinet changes, until it has come to pass that no Moderate leaders are left who are able and willing to carry on the movenient, It was for this reason, and no other, that President Faure, with the consent of his own Moderate followers, tried the experi- ment of giving the Radicals a chance to govern. They have done better, on the whole, than was expected of them; or, rather, they have done less mischief. The Southern Railway scandal, which is the nominal cause of the Senate’s opposi- tion, is merely the instrument which has been resorted to for putting an end to their career. Such are overt facts. At present the situation is one of delicacy and danger, but does not warrant vet the despondent views tak en by many politicians. . ——— DILLON WILL BE CHOSEN., Sexton Refuses to Lead the Antr-Parnell- ite Party. LONDON, ExG., Feb. 17.—Thomas Sex- ton has replied to the letter addressed to him by Timothy Healy offering his unqualified support if Mr. xton would assume the chairmanship of the anti- Parnellite party, express- ing that if his (Healy’s) withdrawal from the party would induce Mr. Sexton to ac- cept the position he would retire. Mr. Sexton in hisreply adheres to hisintention not to accept the leadership of the party and deiails the reasons for his refusal. Senators, Deputies and journalists, who | TROV'S FEARFUL HOLOCAUST, Thirty Girls and Women Perish in a Factory Fire. FROM THE FIFTH FLOOR, Panic Seites the Employes Dur- ing the Rush to Escape the Flames, SOME SPRING FROM WINDOWS While Others Are Crushed Under Foot by the Strohger in the Stair. way Stampede, TROY, N. Y., Feb. 17.—A holocaust, the equal of which never was experienced in this town of collars and cuffs, this evening blotted out the lives of probably twenty or thirty women and girls. The fire started at 5:30 o’clock in J. Stetheimer & Co.’s shirtwaist factory and Van Zant & Jacobs’ collar factory, situ- ated in the same building. There were 300 girls at work in the establishments. Tke flames spread so rapidly that the narrow stairway, which was the only exit outside of the fire escapes in the rear, was almost cut off, and during the panic that foliowea five employes jumped from the windows, three of them to their death, and many others were injured. The known dead: Mrs. Horbort, Mrs, Kane and Mrs. Foley. The missing: Miss Mamie Danks, Miss Kittie O’Connor, Miss Kane and Miss Foley. The injared: Miss Mamie Day, injured internally and bruised; Miss Lillie Kreiger, badly bruised and burned; Miss Mamie Rourke, driven insane by shock; Miss Mamie Downs, almost suffocated; Miss Annette Harrington, face and hands burned; Miss Lillie -Outhout, badly burned; Miss Clementine Lloyd, Miss Gertrude Llovd, Miss Jobnson, badly in- jured and burned; James Rosso, crushed by falling walls, leg broken and seriously jured; Officer Burke, crushed by falling walls, condition serious; Officer Guy, badly bruised; Officer Watson, scalp wound and bruised; Alfred Casey, fireman Osgood Company, spine injured; John Ormsby. ‘fireman Osgood Company, knee hurt; John Boland, fireman Eday Com- pany, scalp wound and leg broken. It is believed by evervbody, even the proprietors and employes in the shops, that about twenty girls were overcome be- fore they reached the street and were burned up in the building. People who were familiar with the interior of the building and knew how limited were the means of escape place the total loss of life at thirty. The scene of the catastrophe was at the corner of Broadway and River street, a portion of the city characterized for its immense buildings. The structure is known as the Burdette building, is six stories in height and was owned by J. Stetheimer & Co., whose factory was sit- uated on the fifth floor. Van Zandt & Jacobs, manufacturers of collars and cuffs, occupied the three floors below, and a restaurant and saloon were on the ground floor. There were also several other minor enterprises carried on in the building. The fire started in the fifth story in the part occupied by Stetheimer & Co. About 5:25 o’clock this afternoon a liftle boy at- tempted to light the gas in what is known as the cutting department. This is the shirtwaist cutting department. He climbed on the cutting table and lighted the gas. Then he threw the match, which was still burning, to the floor and it ig- nited a pile of scrap cambric. In an in- stant there was a crackling of fierce and uncontrollable flames and the room was filled with smoke. Miss Lillie Kreiger, realizing the immi- nence of the peril and at the risk of her own life, rushed through' the different de- partments of the building and warned the employes of the danger. Nothing but the bravetry of a volunteer fireman saved her from death. When the employes in the fifth story realized that the fire was beyond control and was likely to prove disastrous, a great panic ensued. The girls rushed about the room, some of them found their way down the stairway, others succumbed to ihe dense smoke and sank to the floor, and some jumped from the dizzy height of the River-street windows to the pavement be- low. About half of the girls who were on the top floor thought-of the fire-escape and found their way to the ground in safety. For twenty minutes after the fire started the scene was the most exciting ever witnessed in Troy. During this time there was a continuous panic, and in the rush for a place of safety many were injured. The crush on the starrway was something frichtful. About 200 men and girls attempted to make their escape by this exit at the same time. Many were trampled under foot, the ones who were in front were knocked from their feet and thrown to the landings below and some are said to have been left unconsciaus on the stairway. The majority of the em- ployes finally reached the street, but they ‘were so overcome with excitement that it was impossible to learn from them how many had been left in the building. Quite a number found their way out by means of the fire escapes. The girls fairly threw themselves down the ladders to reach the ground quickly, and the firemen had their hands full in carrying the young women down the ladders from the terminus of the escape. Probably the most heartrending scenes were those witnessed on the streets. The mothers and other relatives oiiihe girls who were at work in the fa®orgd soon learned of the disastrous fire an®&urried to the scene. They gathered around the burning building, distracted with grief ‘The Daily News will to-morrow say it believes that John Dillon will be chosen as chairman. . I and fear, making anxious inquiries for the loved ones. Some of them attempted R7Y