Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1883-01-12


which it was impossible to render. But
few of the unfortunate inmates gained
the front cntrauce on Broadway or the
side entrance on Michigan street although
many might have been saved if some i'm
mediate attempts at systematic efforts
had been made.
The halls Of the hotel were the scene OF
the widest confusion, men, women and
children rushed up and down the halls IN
the dense, suffocating smoke. avoiding
the binding flames and roaring blsze, ,and
in their frantic efforts rushing by the
stairways and windows leading to the fire
escapes, stumbling over bodies lying un-
conscious on the carpcted halls only to
JOIN soon the many PROSTATE forms whom
kind fate touched with the dart of that
messenger of death -unconsciousness
The fire started apparently on the third
floor of the doomed building over the en-
trance on Michigan street, and before the
department got the steamers fairly in po-
sition the flames had enveloped the whole
south end of the building, the furious
element licking its way greedily and with
lightning rapldity towards the northern
wing.
Some individual seeing the reflection OF
the holocaust on the sky turned in an
alarm from box 81, corner East w ater and
Division streets, al $40 .. m, causing the
loss of the hook aud Que steamer fer ten
minutes of precious time just when the
fire was at its worst and every window in
the huge building was lined with shrek.
ing humanity. Thousands stood in per-
feet awe, but few having self possession
and resolution enough to lend u helping
hand on the canvasses stretched out to
receive those of the despairing inmates of
the burning pyre who riskcd the leap
down to the stone sidewalk, 100 feet be-
low.
At frs: there were only Lieut.. Rock
wood, Detectives Reimer and McManus,
Officers O'Brien and Campbell aud = few
Sentinel men stretching the heavy can
vas, which required fully thirty strong
men to handle successfully.
A poor fellow stood on the cornice of
the fifth story corner window for twenty
long mintes, not daring the fearful leap.
Finally he became bewildered, to Judge
rom his actions, or dumbfounded by the
smoke, aud slipped of his perch to the
canvas below The few who held 1t could
not give It the necessary resistance and
the body fell unhindered by the canvas
with q crash which sent a shudder
through every witness. His shattered
body was carried into the American Ex-
press Office; all the while hundreds OF
people had been looking on and nobody
responding TO the demands of the officers
for aid. Everybody seemed to be SPELL
bound. The terrible spectacle seemed to
have paralyze.l every bit Of will power.
In the sixth story window right over
this unfortunate sat the figure If o man
croucl,ed upon the window sill gazing
like one absent minded into the fiery
abyss below, motionless but from time to
time sending up heart-reuding shrieks.
Steadily the flames encroached upon him
but he did not seem to mind it. Then
the flames singed his hair, licked his
night clothes and with one departing look
lie gave to the crowd below he tumbled
back wards into the sea of fire. A man
and woman appeared at window of the
3rd story. They were recognized as Al
len johnson and wife. A canvass was
stretched below the window Of their
apartment, formerly occupied by Prof.
Hsskins and lady, and q thousand voices
called eseeching them to jump Mr..
johnson kissed his wife, then leaped into
the air and shot downwards into the can.
vas, but his weight was such that the
canvas was pulled out of the hands of the
few who held it and he alighted on the
ground with deathly force. His wife fol-
lowed, and her body struck the vcraudah
and fell to the ground lifeless
ATsrsibls Scene
CoULrERv1LLE, ILL.,, Jan. "a terrible
explosion occurred in the coal nine OF
Jones & Nesbit near hear. The cause is
unknown. Twelve persons we're in the
mine 1T the time, but two escaped. A
man named Mason and . boy. Mason was
at the mouth of the shaft and was badly
hurt, the boy was uninjured. Parties OF
relief not been able to enter the mine the
foul air rising in dense volume from the
shaft and overpowering them at once.
The fate Of the ten men is unknown but 1t
Is believed impossible that any can es.
cape. The scene about the mine is heart
rending Eight or ten have families who
are calling on their loved ones whom they
hope are yet alive. The names of the
missing men arc as follows: Nicholas
Kohl, Frank Brown, Henry Ivy, Thomas
Hansen, Harvey Starr, Robt. Dunlap, J.
W. King, A. H. Coomss and Harvey
Starr, Jr.
The llins Disaster.
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 9.-The explosion in
a mine at Coulterville, ILL.,, yesterday
seems to have been occasIoned by ignition
of fire damp by blasting coal. Three
blasts were fired when the explosion oc-
CURED creating great havoc in the mine
and killing all the men in 1t except tie
foreman Nelson, and Boynard Harr. Sew
ersl attempts made to descend the shaft
but the smoke was 50 dense nothing
could be done until about O'Clock when
q party Of miners effected an entrscc after
tvo hours difficult and dangerous work