The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-01-18
AN APPALLING DISASTER.
Burning of the Newhall House,
Milwaukee, and Nearly q
Hundred People.

Milwaukee, and Nearlya
/. Hundred People.
Many Jump from Fifth and Sixth
Story Windows to Death on
the Pavement Below.
The large, six.story Newhall hotel took
fire at O'Clock this morning and burned to
the ground, and it is estimated that not lese
than fifty persons guests and employee
lost their lives. James Antsdel, one of the
proprietors of the hotel, said the fire started
In the elevator shaft and spread 20 very rap:
idly that it was impossible to give the
alarm Regarding the origin OF the fire
1.-THE night Waterman saw tho fire first,
but before he could do anything it twas up the
elevator and was burning on every floor. I
am confident that.it started in the elevator,
but bow it originated I can't say" B. K.
Hce, the day clerk, - soon a. awakened
rushed through the halls calling up the
guests to get out, and remained in the build
ing till he was terribly burned.
The scene fifteen minutes after the fire
started was horrible beyond description. In
hundred windows were men and women
in their night clothes, crying pitteously for
occasionally one making an attempt
to escape by jumping, only to be dashed to
pieces. In the building a scene of
the utmost terror prevailed. The corri-
doris were filled with dense smoke aud half
stupeied persons were lying across the hall
ways, while the shrieks of women and the
groans of men filled the air.
On the south side OF the building and in
the alley on the west side the scenes were
dreadful to behold. One after another the
unfortunate jumped from the fifth 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 of the alley, dead or dy-
ing.
It is utterly impossible to even attempt
description Of the terrible scenes. Upon
the icy aagstones 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 piteously.
Still another attempted to jump from a
sjxth-story window on Broadway, upon the
canvass held by willing hands; but he
jun Jed too short, fell with his back upon
the bannister, doubled up and crashed fife
less upon the pavement. In the alley not
less than seven bodies were picked up
most OF them being] waiter girls. Just how
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 of the
Minnie Palmer troops were there OF the
latter John Gilbert and his bride of a day
persisted. Tom Thumbs servant perished
Allen johnson, leading member of the
chamber of commerce, and wife persisted.
like the rest were driven to the windows
The men below who held the canvas at the
southwest corner of the building shouted to
jump. Mr.. Johnson kissed his wife then
leaped 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
erican express office. Mrs. Allen was dead,
and Mr.. Allen died in the express Office
soon after.
Many columns might 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.
d. G. Powers, inventor, Milwaukee.
J. H. Rough, travelling man, PEORIA III.
Mrs. John Gilbert, wife of an actor, Chi
Miss Libbie challis, dressnlaker, Milw.u.
kee
Mr.. HUFF, insurance agent, Iowa.
Mrs. Kelley, servant.
Miss O'Neil, servant.
Bessie Bro Rn, chambermaid.
If Themes 13Sanv f Van Leon capitalist formerly
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 Curtin, servant, Madison.
Waiter Scott, employe Wisconsin Central
railroad.
Mary Anderson, laundry girl of Doyles-
town.
Walter Gilleland of Milwaukee, bell-boy.
William Gilleland of Milwaukee, elevator
boy.
Making forty-f 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, says that while cropping his
way out through the hallway he stumbled
over at least Gig ht 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. S. Scott, Q
clerk in A. H. Carpenters Office, is no doubt
among the victims. He was boarding at
the Newhall house, and was last seen there.
HE mother lives in Dubuque Iowa, ard
10 in hn ~ hoCt
road.
Two firemen, after endeavoring to raise
the fire escape carried ladder through the
alley to the building occupied by 4imons &
Brooks and with the assistance of several
citizens raised the ladder to the top Of the
building end placed one end in q window
occupied by the servant girls in the Newhall
house, and five of the girls crawled unassist-
ed across the ladder and were taken to a
naked. One of the firemen then entered the
burning building and attempted to save a
girl that was apparently half crazy. She
resisted the fireman, but finally, after q
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 minute by clutch
ing around aud to which she clutched in
absolute frenzy. After this the rescued mad
their arms pinioned and were taken across
the ladder without further difficulty.
The Newhall house has been q notorious
death trap for years, and thoughtful people
have slept uneasily under its root. Old, rot
ten, and ili-constructed, with long, dark cor
ridors, and central staircase to serve as a
Aue for fame, the danger of tie building
has been increased by the neglect of the pro-
prietor to provide suitable fire escapes. If
any means of escape from the upper rooms
of the house were supplied, they proved
worthle IS in the emergency. Not one per-
son is reported as saved by means provided
in advance for that purpose.
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-
70, and the bride o. q night lay upon the
cold marble, charred and bruised almost
beyond recognition. Among the bodies
were several chambermaids, who jumped
from, tho r,nnor arorv into tho al1ov II ia