The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-01-18
AN APPALLING DISASTER,
Burning Of the Newhail House,
Milwaukee, and Nearly q
Hundred People.
Many Jump from Fifth and Sixth
Story Windows to Death on
the Pavement Relovv

the Pavement Below.
The large, six.story Newhall hotel took
tire at o'clock this morning and burned Ia
the ground, and it is estimated that not less
than fifty persons-guests and employee
lost their lives. James Antisdel, one of the
proprietors of the hotel, said the fire started
In the elevator shaft and spread so very rap
Idly that it was impossible to give the
alarm. Regarding the origin of the fire
1.-The night Waterman saw the fire first,
but before he could do anything it was up the
elevator and was burning on every floor. I
am confident that it started in the elevator,
but how 1t originated can't say" B. X.
lice, the day clerk, Is soon as awakened
rushed throug b the halls calling up the
guests to get out and remained in the build
ing till he was terribly burned.
The scene fifteen minutes after the fire
started was horrible beyond description. In
hundred windows were men and women
IN their night clothes, crying pitteously for
ENTHUSIASTICALLY one making an attempt
to escape by Jumping, only to be dashed to
pieces. In the building scene of
the utmost terror prevailed. The CORR
dors were filled with dense smoke and half
stupelled persons were lying across the hall
ways, while the shrieks of women and the
groans of men filled the air.
On the south side of the Building and in
the alley on the west side the Scenes were
unfortunate jumped from the 18th and
sixth stories, and fell upon the stene pave
ment below. dead in most instances. The
patrol wagon was called for, and seven bod
les were taken out ofthe alley, dead or dy-
ing.
1t is utterly Impossible 10 even Attempt a
description Of the terrible SCENES. Upon
man WAS lying covered only with shirt,
with both legs broken and the skull cleft
i'll twain. Another poor fellow had crawled
W the chamber of commerce steps. His
back was broken, and he moaned piteously.
Still another attempted to jump from a
sixth-story window on Broadway, upon the
canvass held by willing hands; but he
jumped too short, fell with his back upon
the bannister, doubled up and crashed fife
less upon the pavement. In the allev not
less than seven bodies were picked ND,
most OF them beingl waiter girls Just how
many were in the hotel at the time of the
tire is not known, and probably never will
be. The Tom Thumb troupe and part of the
Minnie Palmer troops were there. Of the
latter John Gilbert and his bride of dav
persisted. Tom Thumbs servant persisted.
Allen johnson, leading member OF the
chamber of commerce, and vile persisted.
They had rooms on the third floor, and
like the rest we're driven to the windows.
The men below who held the canvas at the
southwest corner of the building shouted to
jump: Mr.. johnson kissed his wife then
leaped into the air and shut downward into
the canvas; but his weight was such that the
canvas was pulled out of the mems hands
and he alighted on the ground with fearful
force. HIS wife followed and struck the
veranda. Both were carried into the Ain.
erican express office. Mrs. Allen was dead.
and Mr.. Allen died II the express Office
soon after,
Many columns might be filled with de.
tails but the greatest interest centers in the
list OF those known to have persisted, There
are many missing who are 90 sibly cafe.
The following are the dead e. far as known:
Allen Johnson, commission man, Nil.
waukecs
Mrs. Allen johnson, Milwaukee.
d. G. Powers, Inventor, Milwaukee.
J. II. Hough, travelling man. Peoria, Ill.
Mrs. John Gilbert, wife of an actor, Chi.
cago:
Miss Libbie Challis, dressnlaker, Milvau.
lee.
Mr.. HUFF, insurance agent, Iowa.
Mrs. Kelley, servant.
Miss O'Neil, servant.
Bessie Bro Tn, chambermaid.
Thomas E: Van Leon, capitalist, formerly
of Albany, N. Y.
Maggie Ovens, Lizzie. Kelley, Anhis
Brown, Kate Leniham, Maggie Sullivan,
Augusta Gese, Mary McDade, Mitchell
Blilan, servants, all Of Milwaukee.
9. Hawry. conductor, Wisconsin Central
railroad. Milwaukee.
Mary McMan,t Milwaukee.
Judge George H. Reed, formerly of Mani
towoc.
Julia Curtin, servant, Madison.
Waiter Scott, employee Wisconsin Central
railroad.
Mary Anderson, laundry girl of Doyles-
town.
Walter Gillelana of milwaukee,, bell-bov.
William Gilie!and of Milwaukee, elevator
boy.
Making forty five dead and missing.
The idea is gaining ground that there are
many more bodies in the ruins than was
first estimated. The flames spread 80 rapid
ly that it must have been IMPOSSIBLE for
many even TO reach the windows.
Orange Williams, ri Jonesville. who
escaped from the burning building with Sc
rlous injuries, says that while cropping his
way out through the hallway he stumbled
over at least eight bodies, and heard the
death,cry OF several other poor creatures be-
yond his reach.
The chief of the FIRE department estimate,
the number of lost at sixty, w. 8. Scott, .
clerk in A. H. Carpenters office, is no doubt
among the victims. He was boarding at
the Newhall house, and Was last seen There.
brother is in the pay-car service oftheSt. Paul
road.
Two tirenen, after endeavOring to raise
the lire escape, carried a ladder through the
alley to the building occupied by Simons e.
Brooks, and with the assistance of several
citizens raised the ladder to the top of the
building end placed one end in q window
occupied by the servant girls in the Newhall
house, and five of the girls crawled unassist-
ed across the ladder and were taken to q
place of safety. Some of them we're nearly
naked. One of the firemen then entered the
burning building and attempted to save a
resisted the fireman, but finally, after q
hard fight, he succeeded in carrying her
"cross to the opposite building. The brave
fireman then returned to the burning build
ing AMI brought out three dead bodies.
Fireman Strauss, who made the first at
tempt at rescue, carried over very stout
woman, but at one time it was feared she
would throw him from the ladder to the
alley. At one time she held him midway
VI tAc AduucT AOI d1AuOSL d Hlluut0 Oy CIu6Cu-
ing around and to which she clutched in
absolute frenzy. After this the rescued mad
thoir arms pinioned and were taken across
the ladder without further difficulty.
The Newhall house has been q notorious
death trap for years, and thoughtful people
have slept uneasily under its roof. Old, rot
ten, and ill-csnstructed, with long, dark cor
ridors, and a central staircase to serve as a
flue for flame, the danger of tie building
has been increased by the neglect of the pro-
prietor to provide suitable fire escapes. II
any means of escape from the upper rooms
Of the house were supplied, they proved
worthless in the emergency. Not one per-
son is reported as saved by means provided
in advance for that purpose.
One of the first bodies recognized was
that of Mrs. John Gilbert wife of Mr..
Gilbert, of the Minnie Palmer company.
They were married recently in Ghica-
90. and the bride OF night lay upon the
cold marble, charred and bruised almost
beyond recognition. Among the bodies
were several chambermaids, who jumped
from the upper story into the alley. tits
said by those who held the canvas ut that
A