The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-01-12
THE MILWAUKEE, FIRE.


of heat, rendering it almost impos-
sible for the laborers to handle the
stuff. Fully 6,001 people assembled
on Broadway and Michigan streets,
and every store window facing the
ruins is crowded with ladies and
children watching the work. The
latest and probably most accurate
estimate is that ninety-tWo people
persisted in the flames or were
killed by jumping from the win
dows. The known list of dead, mis-
sing and saved remains unchanged.
Even should the bodies in the ruins
be recovered it will be impossible
to recognize them, and the confu-
sion and uncertainty will only be
intensified.
LATER.-The dead will reach 100
in number. Twenty bodies have
been found in the ruins.
L. K. Smith, who no doubt per-
ished in the flames, came here from
Kansas City some time ago, and was
employed in d. w. Keyes' office,
in the freight department OF the St.
Paul Railroad, and occupied room
on the first floor, and was last seen
in the building late on the night of
the fire.
Dan. Martel, formerly a conductor
on the Illinois Central Railroad, is
among the victims. He had been
conductor on the Wisconsin Cen
tral for some time past. 1t is
now generally conceded that
r. HoWly, another Wisconsin Cen
trail CONDUCTOR is among the victims.
His relatives, however, say the body
supposed to be Howley's was that of
some one else. George G. Smith, the
we'll known railway agent, the local
representative of the Lake Shore
and Michigan Southern, whoresided
at the Newell House, is missing.
He was last seen going to, his room.
His son reached here last night.
A force of about 100 men under
the supervision Of the board of pub
lie works, were set to work first
tearing down the tottering walls
and then clearing away the debris
looking for bodies. Clearing away
is now in progress on the Broadway
front, the bricks and timber being
thrown into the street. Broadway,
between Michigan and Wisconsin
streets, are closed to traffic, and the
entire pile Of ruins will be removed.
Men are working in gangs and
have been sworn in the same as
special police. Every article of
I nea-,,6 =
by the authorities. Shortly before
II O'clock the gang working in the
corner of Michigan street, found
two ladies close together, so badly
mangled as to be unacceptable.
They were bodies evidently of per-
sons who had jumped from the
windows at that corner
| Just in time to be caught by the fall
| ing walls. No firemen nor specta-
tors remember of seeing two per
sons lump, but the fact that they
| lay on the pavement with no debris
under them, proves that they must
have jumped instead of having
| fallen with the wall. kilograms
are pouring in here from all parts Of
the country asking for missing
| friends. Inquiry has been made by
at least a dozen wholesale houses in
the east regarding their travelling
men who we're due here Tuesday
Not one of those inquired for can
be found, and it is safe to assume
,, there were a great many more tran
sient guests in the house than al
first reported. The finding of two
bodies so near the edge of the build
ing, that had not before been seen
has given rise to the idea that there
are 100 bodies in the ruins. 1t will
! take several days to remove the
derbis with as large a force az can b.
, worked.
Milwaukee, IA force Of II
Workmen were engaged all day a
the ruins of the Inflated NeWhal
j.; House searching for bodies, bu
) none were found up to Z O'Clock
0 in the evening. A gentleman
!; who occupied quarters in the hous
said the building had been set OF
fire at least four times during tn
past two years. Once fire was sc
> on a chair piled with kindling wood
4 and the fire got pretty good start
!; at the next time the fire started il
a barrel of finder which stood il
the hall on the first floor against tn
elevator. This time also the hous
y had narrow escape, Next time
v hole torn through the plaster in tn
, wall at the bottom of the elevator
5. and a mass of infammable stuff in
inserted, which was fired, and onl,
extinguished with the greatest dill
iculty. Still another time a fir
). started near the bar-room on tn
first floor, adjoining ascent to tn
west side of the elevator shat
These all had undoubted il
cendiarY origin, and starte
at night, also near th
elevator, so as to preclud
g any idea of saving the house. BI
. each time luck held sway and blaze
:, blighted. This time the fire fer
y was successful, as theory seems
re leave no doubt of incendiarism.
ie formal coroners inquest next wee
10 after the recovery of the bodi
under the debris.
William Mckenzie, night watc
man of the hotel, makes the folio,
ing important statement; On Il
10 night Of the fire made my roun
- as usual, visiting the different loo
!; ing rooms and basement room
- Nothing Unusual was observe