Between 50 and 60 persons were jammed into an area at the foot of tthe stairs loss than five feet square, some on top of the others.
Three coolies who were at work on the machinery on the lower floor, came to their rescue, and tried to force the door inward, but they could do nothing againstithe pressure which opposed their efforts. In desperation they hacked with knives fat the panels, and one of them used fan axe with which he broke the upper part of the door.
It was then that the Brigade arrived. They could see no signs of fire, but after a moment Mr. Price realized what had happened and ordered his men to attack the wall fat the one side and the wooden partition at the other. Previous to this they had tried to lift the women through the hole in the door, but the pressure was so great that they could not do so.
Standing on a huge pile of tobacco leaves the firemen were able to extricate some of those on top from the mass. When the pressure had been relieved those who had knocked the hole in the wall below, were able to resuce the remainder. race for the stairs.
"Some of the more fortunate who stumbled or were pushed aside and, [a8 a result, were the last to get Through, were the luckiest for they'
estoped' without injury. At the head: of the stairs they piled upon one another, Some of those in the 'c'yan scrambled down 19 steps to the door. Others: fell nearly the full! length of the. stains, The Building Destroyed About 20 were taken out uncon-solo's. The more seriously injured were sent to various hospitals in the rescue van, and an electricity department truck. Firemen stopped Passing motor cars and pressed them into service also.
While the Brigade were breaking into the staircase, others brought
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