The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-11
A HOTEL HORROR.
A MILWAUKEE,, WIS.,, DEATH TRAP


MILWAUKEE, Wis, January l0.-The
Newhall House, a six.story brick building,
at the corner Of Michigan street and Broad
way, was burned to the ground this fore.
noon. The fire was discovered at 4A. N.
In less than half an hour the whole build
ing, which has long been designated as a
death trap, was enyeloped in flames.
Scenes OF the utmost terror prevailed, the
inmates OF the doomed building jumping
by dozens from the upper stories, covering
the stone sidewalks with the lifeless bod
les. The shrieks Of the unfortunate filed
the air in a heartrendihg manner, the
people below being unable to render any
aid. A number Of terrified guests and eut-
ployes OF the hotel appeared at the win
dows and seeing the distance to the ground,
fell back 10 perish IN the flames. The
employees Of the hotel, which accommoda-
ted 500 guests, numbering eighty.six,
mostly lodged in the sixth story. The
exit by way OF the roof was cut off by the
fire, and the two stand pipes with fire
ladders were not available for the some
reason. Very few were saved by jumping
on the canvas.
PIRNs BURNED OUT.
All the stores and offices on the ground
floor, with the contents, were destroyed.
They were on the Michigan street side. The
offices OF the Mutual Union Telegraph
Company, II. J. Baumgartner, sign paint
ing shop, Goetz's barber shop, Burdock &
Armitage, job printers, on Broadway front;
Manufacturer Bank, Metropolitan Plate
Glass Insurance Company, Insurance
Agencies OF Chas. E. Grain, ". I. Durand,
G. P. Hewitt, @. +. Hilbard & Co., F. w.
Montgomery & Co., b. NJ. We'll, West &
Myers, and +. A. Wheeler and J. Fl. Wat
son, agent Of the Canadian Southern Rail
way, the office OF Nelson's coal yard, and
the office ofthe Merchants Dispatch Freight
Line.A number OF wholesale eStab ablishments
on East Water street were damaged by
the fire and falling walls Of the building.
Among them were VIM. .Cramer, Banker;
Goodyear Rubber Company; Louis Scbal.
egg & Co., wholesale wine dealers; James
Morgan, dry goods; Zimmerman Brothers,
clothing; WIN. s. Candee, cashier OF the
Manufacturer Bank, carried the cash box
OF the institution, containing money and
papers to the amount Of $500, 900, out OF the
flames. The insurance agencies and gen.
eral offices on the first floor scarcely saved
any papers. The insurance on the hotel is
stated by G. D. Nash, President OF the
Newhall House Association, at $4,000,
all held by Cincinnati agencies, The loss
can scarcely be estimated at this hour, but
will reach 100000.
Telegraphic communication will be in.
terrupted for traffic North, us about fifty
wires are down. There were comparative
ly few guests in the hotel. The register
was burned and the actual loss oil life is not
determinable. twill reach fifty or sixty
dead, and twenty to thirty wounded. So
far twenty-three bodies are in the morgue
and nine more in places near the ruins
Identiiications come in slowly. Among
those known to lHve been in the hotel
are G. w. Briggs, Grand Rapids, Mich; N.
Miller, Ripon; George Youngs, Chicago;
]. A. Manning, Chicago; W. L. Lewis,
Chicago; Il. N. Baker, New York; J. V.
Mahoney, Rock Island, ILL.,; U. ]. Hill,
Syracuse, n. Y; A. B. Hendry, New Ha-
ven, Conn; A. j. Case, New York; P Hob
Ter, Chicago; S. j.. Craig, DesMoines, Ia;
Charles A. Handy, Milwaukee; the Tom
Thumb party; Orange Williams, ]. A.
Pringen and wife, Sbeboygan Falls; John
G. Clarke, Warsaw; Mr.. Rowell, of Sanford,
and Rowell, Of Medford; Ben Tce, Chief
Clerk; John H. Aptisdel, clerk; John F.
Antisdel, proprietor, and Benjamin Mason,
teacher, Of Milwaukee.