Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-01-17

ders his statement of great IMPORTANCE
and inter est at this time. He said: ION
the night Of the fire I had taade my
rounds as Usual, visiting the different
lodging floors and the basement rooms.
Nothing unusual was observed. The
barroom was open until about o'clock
Wednesday morning, and George Schel-
Ter, the proprietor, was there for about
three quarters of an hour after that. l
had been down to the wood-room at
about 2 o'clock, and in opening the
door leading to the barroom hall saw
that the place was still occupied--and at
later hour had run the elevator down
to the bottom landing to take UP
gentleman who came from the bar.
Nothing lii e smoke was detected then:
At 800 o'clock in the morning T. B.
elliott came In oh late train. was
in the Office and he asked me if She ele-
vator was running. I told him T would
take him up. did so, letting him out
at his tloor-the third. Then T went up
to the top floor, taking a railway con-
ductor up from the third to that. I
looked around the halls and then got
into the elevetor to go down. This was
few minutes past half-past 8 o'clock.
As 1 got into the elevator I noticed
very little smoke. I Immediately started
down to see where it came from. BY
the time I reached the Office floor
the smoke was so dense that I could
go no farther in the elevator.
Throwing open the door / rushed out
and started for the stairs, shouting to
Tom, the night clerk, that there was
fire somewhere down below and was
going down to see about it. By the
time 1 reached the bottom of the ele-
vator shaft the smoke Was so dense and
so sitting that I knew something must
be done. called to the engineer, who
was in the engine room, and told him to
rouse the servants, and then I started
back to awaken people, for knew there
was no chance to stop the fire alone.
By the time l reached the first floor
above the office and had raped at Mr..
Cramer's door, the heat cracked the
glass doors to the elevator and in mo-
ment afterwards the flames poured out.
in the meantime rushed into the bank
building and ar used as many of the
dodgers in that portion as I could.
Afterwards I rendered what help
I could in saving people. 1 hard:
y know what, to SLY about. the coin
mencement Of the fire, but I know
it caught at the bottom of the elevator
aud not on the upper floors. There was
nothing anywhere around the elevator
that could burn SO quickly, and at half
past 3 o'clock there was no smoke in the
elevator or either Mr.. Elliott or myself
would have noticed it. And after the
smoke was observed there was scarcely
time to do anything before the whole
thing was ablaze. Itmight have caught
in some Of the shops in the basement,
that back up to the bottom of the eIeva-
tor, but on the bottom floor of the hotel
part there was nothing that could posi-
bly, burn that way, and that there could
have been nothing smouldering through
out the night is shown by the fact that
sc mant were aro.nd until such short
title before the actual blaze occurred.
don't know tbatthe fire was incendiary,
but there is a very queer look to it.
II think there we're about eighty lives
lost in the fire." said Charles P. Pheney,
head waiter. "There were nearly 100
guests in the house, the Antisdel family,
and nearly seventy-tive employees. l
nowthere we're ninety one guests at sup
per, as I counted them as they entered
the room. Mr.. Antisdel had been talk
ing about poor business for sever days
past, and on Monday night, in order to
satisfy myself as to how things were
running, counted the people as they en-
tered the dining hall. Mor day night
there were ninety-five at the tables and
Tuesday night 1 counted and checked
niuety one, I think. I had just twenty
waiter girls under me. OF these, but
three escaped. The cooks entire force
is missing. l think they will find good
many bodies along the west walls when
the ruins are searched there, as nearly
all the girls roomed on that side of the
house. T. think there are at least sixty
bodies under the wall from what [ know
of the lumber in the building at the
time the fire occurred and the number
who escaped"
A swEETHEART's GRIEF.
There was terribly affecting scene at
the police station this forenoon. Two
well-dressed ladies called to see if any
thing had been heard of John 81. Foley,
the electrician. While in the chiefs Of
flee one of the young ladies discovered
shaving mug marked 81. Fl. Foley"
in large gilt letters. She burst
out crying, and said that there
was no doubt now about Foley
being in the ruins. It was sub
sequently learned that her name was
Miss Mary Hannaford, and that she
resides at Rolling Prairie, Wis, and is
visiting on Sixth Street, this city. From
appearances Miss Hannaford was doubt
less Foley's afianced. Hergrief seemed
terrible, and after leaving her address
she left the station weeping bitterly.
Foley's home was in Hartford, Conn,
and brother is now en- route to
straighten up the affairs of the lost rele-
tive.
THE ROASTED REMAINS.
The remains or fragments of num-
Der of the unfortunates are now lying at
the morgue burned beyond all hope of
Identification. The remains of r. HOWE
were identified by w. A. Holbrook, the
dentist, who recognized his own work on
the teeth OF the skull found with the
calciued bones and flesh. Howie's watch
was found near the body.
A Courageous investigator.
The celebrated French physician aud
scientist DR.. Pssteur, has been conduct
i::g Il series of dangerous experiments
on rabid animals, more than 200 cases
Of bydrophobia having been carefully
observed and studied bv him. The re-