Brooklyn Union Argus
Tuesday, 4 September 1877

Complete Lists of the Dead and Missing
Brooklyn's Share in the Holocaust - Scenes and Incidents of the Ruins this
Morning - Heartrending Episode in the Morgue - Not less than Thirty Persons
supposed to have Perished

	Fifty thousand people this morning viewed the ruins of the block valued at
a million of dollars which stood yesterday, between Tenth and Eleventh
avenues and Thirty-fifth and Thirty-sixth streets, New York, and which
within two hours had been completely swept away. The flames are completely
under control, but the fire engines under direction of Chief Eli BATES and
Fire Commissioner Vincent C. KING, are still pouring copious streams of
water on the blazing debris.  During the night the fire became so fierce on
two occasions that general alarms were sent out, which were answered by the
weary firemen who had only been temporarily relieved at midnight. Volumes of
dense smoke still hang over the scene of the terrible conflagration like a
pall, and occasionally a tongue of lurid flame shoots up from the shapeless
mass of ruins and warns the firemen that their work is not yet done.

	A large quantity of inflammable matter lies buried beneath the ruins, and
as this is reached the fire breaks out afresh. The police surround the
ruins, and so far excellent order has been kept, although it is estimated
that since yesterday morning over 200,000 people have visited the scene.
Inspector DILKS relieved Inspector MURRAY, who was on duty all night this
morning. The latter informed a reporter of the UNION-ARGUS that thieves were
hovering on the outskirts of the crowd waiting for an opportunity to plunder. . .

	The following persons are known to have been killed:
Oliver PASWICKE, workman, employed at Hale's piano factory.
Mrs. STRATTON, of No. 510 West Thirty-fifth street died of exhaustion.
Mrs. STEWART of No. 521 West Thirty-sixth street, died of fright. Her
husband died a short time before the first alarm sounded.
Annie SMITH, four years old, the daughter of Louis SMITH, No. 509 West
Thirty-sixth street, was suffocated by smoke while asleep. Mrs. SMITH and
two other children were supposed to have perished, but they were
subsequently found.

	Five men were seen by James P. WINTERS to drop from the eighth story of
Hale's factory, and are known to have perished in the ruins.

	Up to a late hour this afternoon the following persons were reported
missing by relatives and friends at the Police Station in Thirty-fifth
street, near the scene of the conflagration, and at the Police Station in
Mulberry street:

John KOMPINET, son of Andrew KOMPINET, of No. 135 Avenue A, New York. It was
also said that he was known as KOBINGER in the piano manufactory.

Jacob KLEIN, of No. 440 West Thirty-sixth street, New York.

John KENTECH, aged nineteen years, of No. 306 West thirty-eighth street.

Edward BISCH, age thirty-one years of No. 19 Scholes street, E.D. BISCH
worked on the seventh floor of the piano manufactory, where it is believed
the majority of the workmen perished in the flames, which cut off
communication with the lower floors, or leaped from the windows or were
killed in the ruins. The deceased leaves a large family of children, the
youngest of which is only a month old. His wife visited the Morgue in
Twenty-sixth street, New York, this morning with a baby in her arms. She was
met there by Mr. Peter HANSON of No. 61 North Eleventh street, E.D., who was
one of the workmen employed in Hale's piano factory, and who was an intimate
friend of BISCH's and worked on the same floor with him at varnishing. The
poor woman expected to find the body of her husband; and when she was told
it could not be possibly recovered for several days if at all, her screams
were heartrending.  She was  deeply pitied by the curious, morbid crowd
which hovered around the charnel house in the expectation of the arrival of
bodies from the ruins. Mr. HANSON informed a reporter of the UNION-ARGUS
that of all the men who worked in the piano factory only three resided in
the Eastern District of Brooklyn. It was with difficulty that Mrs. BISCH
could be induced to leave the Morgue. She left for her desolate home only
when Mr. HANSON assured her that a vigorous search for the remains should be
commenced as soon as possible.

----SYKES, aged nineteen, a varnisher employed on the eighth floor of the
piano factory who resided in Thirty-eighth street, New York between Eighth
and Ninth avenues.

----KREPP, aged sixty-two, employed as varnisher on the eighth floor of
Hale's piano factory, who resided on Thirty-third street, New York between
Seventh and Eighth avenues. He leaves a wife and six children.

Albert LEE, aged fifty-two years, a varnisher employed on the fifth floor of
Hale's factory, residence on West Thirty-sixth street, between Eighth and
Ninth avenues.

Nicholas MAAG, of Lewis street, Estern District, of Brooklyn, an intimate
friend of Edward BISCH. He was employed on the seventh floor as a varnisher.

James SMITH, carpenter, of Tenth avenue, New York.

Patrick TRAINER, workman, of No. 357 West Forty-first STREET. He was the
only support of a widowed mother.

----GEYSE, an old man, residence on West Thirty-second street, near Eighth
avenue.

Henry DEMAREST, mechanic, of Patterson, New Jersey.

Chief BATES says that it will be at least three days before the condition of
the ruins will allow the firemen to commence the search for the bodies of
the victims. The loss of the Gospel Tent is $1,000 and the entire loss will
be within a million.

Transcriber
Carole Dilley

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