The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-02-19
Tr,e Wjre n, 75uwaukee,

The DaIy wisconsin gives the following ac-
count of the fire in the Newhall House in Milwau-
kee on Saturday last:
This morning at half-past one O'clock, tire in
mates of the Newhall House were startled by the
the alarm of fire. 1t proved to be in the southeast
corner room of the first floor, above the office. IN
that apartment were sleeping a man and wife,
newly married couple-and it ID a kab e ev-
idence of the innocence OF their slumoers, that the
fire was bursting out in the floor not tour ieet
from the bed. OF course, when once startled they
jumped out with an alacrity worthy Of the deer
tribe, and gave the alarm, which in a few mos
ments reused the whole house, which at this time
was unusually full OF guests. An effort was al
once made, by means OF pals OF water and the hose
of the steam engine of the house, TO put it out, but
this had but little effect. fortunately some one at
the first alarm in the hotel, ran to the house OF the
steam engine Milwaukee,. The man who was ON
duty there gave the horses were hHr.
messed and the fire lighted in three minutes, aud
the engine was at the river, Il hole cut in the ice,
hose laid and a stream playing on The fire iii e1ght
minutes after the first alarm. These were precious
minutes. In fifteen minutes more, as a fireman
said, Il would not give five cents for the Aewhal
House
Even after this powerful stream of wafer was
turned upon the flames, it was very doubtful
whether this vast pile could be saved. The smoke
became smOthering in all the halls and rooms, and
there was imminent danger that The iremen would
be so suffOcated that they would have to give up
the egOrt, and let this noble building burn; but
they nohly persisted; they lay down on the floor,
aud held water to their mouths to prevent suffo-
cation, and then directed the hose from points
where it would have been death to stand up. 1t
is known TO the experienced fireman tnat the smoke
is never 50 smothering near the floor and with
water near the mouth they can go where dea h
would seem certain. ..
But the fire had got in between the ceiling ana
flooring, and therefore could only be reached by
cutting holes in the floor. and then flooding the
partitions with u Niagara of water.
After a two hours struggle the clear voice OF
the Chief Engineer announced that the hle was
under, and there was as much relief 10 the anxious
crowd, as if they had won a great victory.
The wind was very high from the east, and bad
The flames once got the mastery of that enormous
building, it would have swept over the whole
soaure embracing some of the most extensive mer~
camille establishment in the State, the stat e Bank,
Martins lion Block. &c. With the wind then ra-
ging, it would probably be carried across Wiscon-
sin street, and then, like the freIn Troy it would
get beyond the contIo of steam fire engines, and
no one could form any idea where it would stop.
Not a few rhoughtthat ifthe fire once got the mas
terry Of our engines, two millions OF dollars would
not cover the loss. Fortunately no such calamity
has befallen the city. By the herOism, energy and
good management ufthe firemen and their officers,
and the aid of our two invaluable steam engines,
the fire was confined to the southeast corner ofthe
building, damaging only eight or nine rooms, and
still leaving our invaluable hotel ready i'll all its
ing breakfast was served with as much punctual~
ity as if nothing had happened to disorganize this
establishment.
The cause Of the fire is undoubtedly to be attrib-
uted to live GOALS which dropped from the CRATE
upon the carpet, by heaping up too much coal In
the fireplace. This should be a warning to ell
house>keepers.