New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-11
THE STORY OF THE CALAMITY.

dred.
THE STORY OF THE CALAMITY
MuwArKEE. Wis, Jan. 10.-fhe most terrible
catastrophe that has ever befailen the city OF NIL
gaukee resulted from the burning, early TINS
morning of the Newhall House, at Michlgan-st. ana
Broadway This hotel was one OF the largest In the
Northwest, and was widely known. Probably 2OO
oersons retired TO sleep there last nlght NIUE
dreaming of the impending calamity.
.arlv thus mornIng-at 3:47 0clock-an alarm OF
FIRE was sent out from box No. 439, at Vlet and
Eighteenth-sts.. and many good citizen. count
ing the strokes of the alarm. ascertalning the ioea
tiop and ca sting a look at the black sky hanging
heavily over tae house-tops. went to rest again
wi h a relieved feeling that the alarm did DOT de-
note a dangerous box and that Milwaukees tried
6remen would do their duty. About ha1 an nour
later at 400 a. m., the two ominous strokes o'
teephone alarm called for the rest of the depart
ment not engaged at the Viet-st fire. and three
minutes In er an alarm from Box No. 10. at Michi-
gsn-st and Broadway, rang out. Chlet Llppert hur-
ried from Elizabeth-st. TO the scene as iast as
his horse would carry him. AT 4.l2 a. m the whoie
aepartment was called to the scene, leaving me
chemical engine alone to battle with the hre ih the
remote mari of the city, The telegraph operators in
the train dispa,chers Office of the Chicago Mliwau-
kee and St. Paul Railway, in The Mitchell building,
rrg from the attIcs OF the Newhlll House. 1t was
scarcely noticed until the general alarm ha been
sounded when they saw, to their horror, that al
mos. the entire south front of the Newhall House
WIS one mass of flames. There were few
peope on the scene. except the police
AMI reporters and some belated sragg ers. but the
scene developing before the hoTror-stricken few
was one which none of the witnesses VIII ever
forget.
In a moment every window of the large sx-story
hotel structure was flied with struggling guests
frantcally aud piteous y beseeching the few below
for aid which il was impossible to render. Few OF
the unfortunate inmates gained the ront entrance
Ia Mich. gan-sk. although many might have been
ssved il immediate attempt at systematic
rescue had been made. The halls OF the hotel
were the scene of the widest confusion. Men,
womenand children rushed up and down the halls
in The dense suifocatng smoke, avoiding the roar
ing and blind,ng ilsmes aHd in their frantic etfor
ru hing by the sIairways and windows leading TO
the firs-eseapes stumbling over bodies lying uncOn-
scious on the clrpeted walks, only to join soon the
many pros rate forms.
RAPID SPREAD OF THE FLAMES.
The Gre started apparently on tho thid floor OF
the doomed building, over the side entrance in
Michg INST, and before the fl q department got a
Steamer faily in stion tie Il 'mes had enveloped
tb. whole southeast corner of the building
the fiery element licking It's way
crcediy and with iightning-like rap
idty towards the northern wing. Some blunder-
ing person seeing the reflection OF the fire the
sky, turned IN alarm from box 81. at East
Water and Dlvis0D-sts, 5:4O, causing the loss o.
the WORK OF one steamer for minutes OF precious
lime Just when the fire was at its worst and every
widow IN The huge building lined with shrIelfng
ifrI.s ch Inv lIa ipaah haH
swelrd to thousands, stoOd in silent ave. but few
having sell possession and resolution enough to lend
q helping hand on the canvass stretched out to re-
celve hose OF the despalIing inmates OF the burning
pyre who risAed the leap down 10 the
stone sidewalk 100 feet below. At
first there were only Lieutenant lockwood.
Detectives Rierman aud McManus, Officers OBrlen
and Campbell aud few Sentinel men retching the
heavy canvas, wnicb required fully rhiIty strong
nj IL TO handle it successfully. One poor fellow
stood ON "A corDice of che fifth story window
for twenty minate., not daring to AXE the fearful
leap. Finally he became bewIldered, 10 judge by
his actions or dumbfOunded by the smoke, and slid
oil his perch to the canvas below. The few who
held 1t could not give 1t the necessary resistance.
The body ell. unhindered by the canvas, with
thud which sent shudder through every
witness. Ths body was carried into the AmerI-
can Express Office Ali the WHILE hundfeds Of
people had beeu looking on no Joy responding to
the demands OF the officers for aid. Everybody
seemed TO be spell-bound the terrible sp, ctacle
seeIned TO have paralyzed every bit of their will
power.
Ia tbs. sixth story window. ri sht over this un-
for.ura;e map, vas seen the figure of man,
erouched upon the wlndow-silI, gazing like one
ao5-nt-minded into the fiery abyss below-moion
less. bus from time TO time sending up heait-
Ieading shiiek. Steadily the flames cncroached
upon him he did not seem 10 mind them Then the
iaInes Staged his hair a1d hcied his night clothes
one despairing look he gave TO the
crowd below. and then fell back
into the sea of fire. man
aud woman appeared at IA window Of the third
Story. lhey were recognized as Allen Johnson aud
wife. canvas was stretched below the windows of
their apa:tment aud tlousand voices called 10
them 70 Jump. ar. Johnson kissed his wife and
thea leaped into the air. and shot downward INTO
the canvas but Ills weight such that the can
vas was pliled out of the hands of the few who
held il, ard he aliehted the ground With deadly
fcrcs. n.s wife followed. Her body strack the
yerlnda and fell to the ground, iIelsss |
M' Joan<on died shortly afterward in the exaress
ciliee ana hi dead body was laid beside tha; OF his
Vile aail they borae away.
DEAD AsD DYING on THE SIDEWALKS.
About a dozen persons jumped from The Michigan
81. fSont. Eacl ieap meant death or silasftred
limbs, an not less than foar uHfortunate persons
lay al one time upon the ley sidewalk III 'front.' of the
Csa aller o. Comm rec clad oisy In night SHIRTS,
blood aad brasns oozing fron wounds through
"aicn bones p5otrnded. some were carried 10 tue
express ciice and cthefs 10 ground IL hbor OF tie
BIZ sscil Buidiag. where cots bal been hlstiy ar
Ranged AMI from tiero ttoy were carried oil to the
p'1saie hoiGes OF kisd-hsprteI people.
Fec sseas IN the alley west OF the burning build
in- was sekenins. As early as o'clocs the bodics
o. seven uofo.trnatc waiter-srls were stretched
i''o tine snow and ice. with broken limbs. writh-
'ns in asosy Until death ended taeir asiferiDgs.
Af-r almost superbuman efforts ladders were !