River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-01-18
AN APPALLING DISASTER.
Burning of the Newhall House,
Milwaukee, and Nearly n
Hundred People.
Many Jump from Fifth and sixth
Story Windows to Death on
the Ta-ement Below.

Story Windows to Death on
the Pavement Below.
The large, six-story Newhall hotel took
fire at 4 O'Clock this morning and burned to
the ground, and it is estimated that not less
than fifty persons-guests and employs
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 this
alarm. Regarding the origin OF the hre
Mr.. Antisdel said:
"The night Waterman saw the fire FIRST.
but before he could do anything twas up the
elevator and was burning on every floor,
am confident that ii started in the elevator
but how it originated l can't say" h. h
Tee the day clerk, as soon as awakened
rushed through the halls calling UP the
guests to get out, and remained in the build
ing Til he was terribly burned.
The 81 enc fifteen minutes after she nrT
started was horrible beyond description. lrs
a hundred windows we're men and women
in their night clothes crying pitteously for
help--occasionally one making an attempts
to escape by jumping, only to be dashed to-
pieces. In the building scene OF
The utmost terror prevailed. The corri-
dors were filled with dense smoke and half
stupefied persons we're lying across the hall
WAYS, while the shrieks of women and the
groans of men filled the air.
On the south side of tbs building ana -
the alley on the west side the scenes were
dreadful to behold. One after another the
unfortunate jumped from the nth and
sixth stories, and fell upon the stone 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 to even attempt o
description of the terrible scenes. Upon
the icy fiagstones the body of an unknown
man WAS lying covered only with shirt,
with both legs broken and the skull cleft
in twain Another poor fellow had crawled
up the chamber of commerce STEPS. His
back was broken, and he moaned piteCusly.
Still another attempted to jump from q
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 life
less upon the pavement. In the alley not
less than seven bodies were picked up
most OF them being waiter girls. Just bow
many were in the hotel at the time of the
fire is not known, and probably never will
be- The Tom Thumb troupe and part ofthe
Minnie Palmer troops were there. OF the
latter John Gilbert and his bride of day
persisted. Tom Thumbs servant persisted.
Allen Johnson, leading member OF the
chamber of commerce, and wife persisted.
They had rooms on the third floor, ana
like the rest were driven to the windows
The men below who held the canvas at the
southwest corner of the building shouted to
lump. Mr. Johnson kissed his wife then
1eaped into the air and shot 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 Am
Hon vpac dead
and Mr.. Allen died in the express office,
soon after.
Many columns raight be filed with de-
tails but the greatest interest centers in the
list of those known to have persisted, There
are many missing who are 20 sibly safe
The following are the dead as far as known:
Allen Johnson, commission man, Mil
waukee.
Mrs. Allen Johnson, milwaukee,.
ID. G.. Powers, inventor, Milwaukee.
J. H. Hough, travelling man, Peoria, Ill.
Mrs. John Gilbert, wife of an actor, Chi
| cago.
Miss Libbie Challis, drsssmaksr, Milwau-
| kee
Mr. HuH, insurance agent, Iowa.
Mrs. Kelley, servant.
Miss 0'Neil, servant.
Bessie Bro Gn, chanbermaid.
Thomas e. Van Leon, capitalist, formerly
! of Albany, n. Y.
Maggie Owens, Lizzie Kelley Annie
Brown, Kate Leniham, Maggie Sullivan,
| Augusta Gesa, Mary McDade, Mitchell
| Bailan, servants, all of Milwaukee.
G. Hawry, conductor, Wisconsin Central
| railroad Milwaukee.
Mary McMann, Milwaukee.
| Judge George ii. Reed, formerly of Mani.
| towoc.
| Julia Curtiu, servant, Madison
Waiter Scott, employee Wisconsin Central
| railroad.
Mary Anderson, llundry girl of Doyles-
| town.
| Walter Gilleland of Milwaukee, bell-boy.
| William Gillelaad 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 so rapid
| ly that it must have been impossible for
many even to reach the windows.
Orange Williams, OF Jonesville. who
| escaped from the burning building with Sc
| rious injuries, saws that while cropping his,
way out through the halfway 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 estimates
| the number of lost at sixty, w. 5. Scott,
| clerk in A. II. Carpenters Office, is no doubt
1 among Llle NlcilIUS. Ilb. WAC uOdlhlilS az
| the Newhall house. and was last seen there.
| His mother lives in Dubuque, Iowa, and
| brother is in the pay-car service oftheSt Paul
1 road.
Two firemen, after endeavoring 10 raise
| the fire escape, carried ladder through the
| alley to the building occupied by Simons Dc
| Brooks, and with the assistance OF several
| citizens raised the ladder to the top OF the
| building and placed one end in WINDOW
| occupied by the servant girls in the NewhalB
| house, and five of the girls crawled unassist-
| ed across the ladder and were taken TO a.
| place of safety. Some of them were nearly
| naked. One of the firemen then entered the
| burning building and attempted to save
| girl that was apparently half crazy. She
| resisted the fireman, but finally after n
| hard fight he succeeded in carrying her
across 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
of the ladder for almost a minute by clutch
ing around and to which she clutched in
/ absolute frenzy. After this the rescued had
their arms pinioned and were taken across
the ladder without further difficulty.
1 The Newhall house has been notorious
UeatD trap IOT years, anu thoughtful peOple
have slept uneasily under its roof. Old rot
ten, and RECONSTRUCTED, with long, dark cor
ridors, and a central staircase 10 serve as
hue 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 DurpOcS.
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 Chica-
90, and the bride OF night lay upon the
cold marble charred and bruised almost
beyond recognition. Among the bodies
we're several chambcrmaids, who jumped
from the upper story into the alley. 1t is
said by those who held the canvas at that
srot that the scene was perfectly sickening.
The bodies fell around them on every side,
and lay with broken heads and bruised
bodies, only half covered with clothing.
Martin Weber, of La Porte, Ind, says
he arrived at she hotel yesterday and was
assigned to room 15e on the fourth floor.
He was accompanied by friend named g.
w. Hall, who occupied room off from and
opening into bis. Weber wrs awakened
by the noise of the roaring flames. He
slrang from his bed and called TO his friend,
who also arose and came in and the two
men dressed themselves. Hall said: "My
.Gcdl do you think they will ever get to