The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-01-11
IN THE DEBRIS.
Fifty Bodies. still sup
posed to be Buried
In the Ruins Of the
Newhall House.
Business almost Suspended and
the CHASTITY Scene visited
by Thousands.
Undertakers Busy and arrange
ments being made for TWEEN
ty Funerals.
Chicago Hotels Well Prepared
against Fire
LATEST FROM RUINS.

MILWAUKEE, Jan. 11.-At day light this
morning a large gang of la5orers resumed
the awful work of hunting for the dead in
the ruins of the Newhsll house. The
streets in the vicinity of the ruins are
packed black with people and great excite
ment prevails. The fire department is en-
gagged in pulling down the remnants of
walls and with each succeeding crash the
excitement increases. The police and FIRE
men are confident that fully fifty people
lie burned in the ruins including number
of guests of the hotel not mentioned IN the
list published. Crowds of people are ar
irving here on every train and hotels are
filed with fearful and anxious
people, seeking friends or relatives
supposed to have been in the
fire. All the sufferers at the Plankinton
ana Kirby Houses are doing pretty we'll
this morning. Portions of the fallen walls
have piled higher the debris at the main
entrance of the hotel and the hopes of
finding bodies seems more forlorn
than ever. Business is all but sus
pended throughout the city, most of
the inhabitants having swarmed about
the ruins. Actor Gilbert, of the Minnie
Palmers Co, in the agOnes of death.
There has been little or no chance for him
from the start. Judge Elliot's condition
cannot recover. Every undertaken in the
city is busy, and preparations are going on
for twenty funerals.
MILWAUKEE, Jan. 11.-TWenty hours
have elapsed since the terrible catastrophe
befell Milwaukee The immensity of the
dreadful disaster seems to increase instead
of wane with floating time. Dread seems
deep over every one passing the huge pile
of smoking ruins that mark the place
where only few days ago the palatial
Newhall House stood with two hundred in
mates who awoke yesterday morning from
their slumbers to stand face to face with
the grim reaper. The snow had been
falling all night silently, weaving shroud
for many-how many nobody can ask
without a shudder on beholding what is
left of one of the largest hOstelries ir the
Northwest Early in the morning, dt
3:47 an alarm of fire was turned in from
box 430. corner of VIiet and Eighteenth
streets. The whole department was called
out. leaving the chemical engine to battle
with a blaze in remote part of the city.
But few people were on the scene, in
Guiding the police and night reporters and
some belated stragglers for home; but the !
scene developing before the hOrror-stricken |
few was one which an eye witness |
will never forget. In a moment every |
window of the large six story hotel struc-
ture was filled with struggling guests, fran
tically and piteously beseeching the few
below for aid, which it was impossible to
render. But few of the unfortunate in |
mates gained the front entrance on Michi-
gan street, although many might have
been saved if immediate attempts at sys
tematic rescue had been made. The halls
of the hotel were a scene of the widest
nd oh
rushed up and down the halls in the dense
smoke, avoiding the flames and waving
blaze, and in their frantic efforts rushing
by tn, stairways and windows leading to
the fire escapes, stumbling over bodies,
lying unconscious on the carpets and
walks, only to join soon the many pros
trate forms whom kind fate had touched
with the ozark wing of that messenger of
death-unconsciOusness
The fire started apparently on the third
floor over the side entrance, on Michigan
street, and before the department got its
steamers fairly in position the flames had
enveloped the whole southeast corner of
the building, the fiery element licking its
way greedily and with lightning rapidity
towards the northern wing. Some blum
dering individual, seeing the reflection of
the holocaust on the sky turned in an
alarm from box 81, corner East Water and
Division streets, at $40, causing the loss
Of the work of one steamer for ten minutes
Of precious time, just when the fire was at
is worst and every window in the huge
building was lined with shrieking human
ty. The multitude, which by this time
had swelled to thousands, stood in perfect
AVE. but a few having self-possession
enough to lend helping hand on the can
yaSs atratchad ont tn receiya fhoaa 0f the