The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-01-17

successfully. A poor fellow stood on the
cornice of the fifth story corner window for
twenty long minutes not daring the fearful
leap. Finally he became bowildered, TO
judge by his acions, or dJmtounded By
smoke, and slid of his perch TO the canvass
below. The few who held il could not give
it the necessary resistance.
THE BODY FELL,
unhiudered by the canves, with a crash
which senta shudder through every wit
ness. The shattered body was carried into
the American Express oEice. Ali the while
hundreds of people had been looking on,
nobody responding TO the demands of the
officers for aid. Everybody seemed to be
spellbound. The terrible spectacle seemed
TO have paralyEed every bit OF will power.
In the sixth story window, right over the
crouchec upon the window sill. gazing like
one absent minded into the fiery abyss
below, motionless, but from time 10 time
sending up heartrending shrek. Steadily
the flames encrOached upon him. He did
not seem to mind il. The flames siDged his
hair. licked his night clothes; one despair
ing look he gave 10 the crowd below and
then tumbed back into
TIE SEA OF FIRE.
A man and a woman appeared at a win
dow OF the third story. They were recog-
nized as Allen Johnson and his wife. A
canvas was stretched below the windows Of
their apartment, formerly occupied by Pro
fessor Haskins and lady, and thousand
voices called TO each of them 10 jump. Mr.
Johnson kissed his wife, then leapsd into
| the air and shot downward into the canvas,
bat his weight was such that the canvas
was pulled out OF the hands of the f,w who
held il, and he alighted on the ground with
deathly force His wife followed. Her
body struck the veranda and fell TO the
ground lfeless. Mr.. Allen died shortly
afterward in the Express Office, and his
dead body was laid beside that Of his wife
until they were borne away. About dozen
jumped from the Michigan street front
EACH LEAP MEANT DEATH,
or shattered limbs, and not less than four
unfortunaies at one time lay upon the icy
sidewalk in front of the Chamber OF Com
merce. clad only in night-shirt, the blood
and brains oozing from the wounds through
which the bones prOuuded. Some were
carried 20 the Express Office, Others to the
ground floor of the Mitchell Building, where
cots had been hastily arranged, aud from
there they were carried off to private houses
OF kind hearted people.
The scene on the west wing of the burn
ing building was sickeniOg. As early as six
o'clock the bodies OF seven unfortunate
waiter-girls, once blooming in youth, were
stretched upon the snow and ice with broken
limbs, writhing with agony until death
ended their sufIerings.
After almost superhuman efforts lad
ders were stretched from the roof
of the bank building across the
alley to the sixth story of the
hotel. The brave fire laddies carried ten
girls across the frail bridge
FOUR OF THEM DEAD.
The mass of telegraph wires encircliDg the
building on the south and east sides played
sad havoc with the unfortunates who made
the frightful leap for life Several bodies
were fairly cut deep into by the wires, and
the torn and bleeding forms would drop TO
the ground. Others would hit the wires
croSsv ays, rebound, and be hurled to the
ground with dreadful crash. The poor,
unfortunate waiter girls all lodged in the
sixth story and the attics. The saddest lot
had fallen to the sixty young girls. Only
eleven were heard from as alive as late as
yesterday evening.
1t is feared that the estimate of fifty lives
lost as formed yesterday morning is far too
low. and that full double that number we're
burned or smothered to death in the
blazing pyre.
The police patrol soon commenced their
dreadful work of gathering the dead and
wounded. The former were taken to the
Morgue, which was soon 6lled the latter to
the Central Police Station, where they were
cared for by physicians. From o'clock the
interior of the building was one mass OF
flames, the upper flo rs soon giving way and
carrying the lower floors with them.
A laundering crash was heard for blocks,
and then the fire shot up fully fifty feet and
sent shower OF sparks and cinders over the
whole northern portion of the city, carried
ahead by brisk southwesterly wind Had
it not been for the thick coat of snow on the
roofs many a building north of the hotel
would be mass of smoldering ruins to-day.
FAcINs DEATH.
Long after the flames had ragged in the in
terror, Miss Chellis head dressmaker at t.
A. Chapmans IL Co., was seen at her WIN
dow on the fourth floor. She was recog
nized by her friends from below and i'm
plored to make the leap upon the canvas,
but she remained standing at the window
of her burning room until the flames envel-
Oped her, and she sank to be seen no more
on earth.
In three-auarters of an hour after the dis
covery of the fire the building was a total
loss. At $50 o'clock the Broadw way front of
the building, unsupported by rafters from
within, gave out and gave laundering to
the pavement. Shortly after that the latter
ing walls of the southeast corner of the
building followed, tearing heavy telegraph
pole 10 the ground, which felled Ben Van
Hsag. truckman of the Hook and Ladder
Company No. 2, beneath its weight. Poor
4 Dtll, a ldNoIllc III luC Oc pdi bmcul, icCCiNCu
fatal injuries He died in a few hours after
faithful to his post until death.
Chief Lippert had telegraphed to Chicago
and Racine for help, also to the Soldiers
Home for the steamer of that institution.
General Sharpe. Governor of the Soldiers
Home, failed to reply with the request
Chicago and Racine responded at once
Three steamers left Chicago az $50 a. m,
Nos. 5, 10 and IA together with two
men each from Companies /, 2 and g.
and 900 yards additional hose
At Highland Point, about twenty-five miles
north of Chicago, the relief train was c0un-
ternanded by Chief Lippert, the fire having
done its sway IN dest oying the Newhall
House, and being under control as far as
surrounding establishments were concerned
The Racine relief train was also counter
manded.
When it became known among
the merchants gathered in front
of the Chamber of Commerce, that Gen
Sharpe had not sent the Soldier Homes en-
gines, the remarks not exactly in Lord Ches
terield's language could be heard on al
sides
DEEDS OF HERoIsM.
Deeds OF herOism are recorded worthy of
unqualified praise. Ed Ryemer and Herman
Strauss, of Truck l, appeared on the roof of
the bank building at critical luncture, di-
Beetly opposite the servants quarters ladder
in hand. For a moment the unwieldy thing
poised in mid-air, then descended with
crash through the window OF the hotel. It
formed q bridge across the alley, and