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

the crowd. which had endured the most
palnful suspense for full ten minutes, burst
forth in round after round after round of
applause. The twelve poor waiter girls
were rescued by these brave men-two
brothers. Clayton rescued four women,
carrying them bodily out The police res
caed dozen persons.
Origin of the Fire.
There is loud talk of incendiarism in
which the Chief concSrs; also the police
who were the first on the ground. No tan
gible ground can be given for the theory be
yond the breaking out nesr foot OF the ele-
vator and spreading so rapidly that the
building was destroyed in half an hour.
Regarding the origin of the fire a. \. lis
deli said: THE night watchman
saw the fire first, bat before
shot up the elevator, burning away every
door. l am confident it sta, in the el6-
vator, but how it originated / can not say. |
was awsk ened by noise. rushed out TO find
the building filled with flames and smoke,
and the people flying for their lives. After
saving my wife l tried 10 save others. L
met my father and mother in their night
clothes and tried to get them to leave the
building, which was fast becoming furnace
of flames, but father was apparently out OF
his head. He said he was bOund 10 go into
the flames to save those IN the building, but
by force got him to the street, and being
il left him he would again enter the build
ing conducted him by force down Michigan
avenue and when near the alley some one
fell from the upper floor to the ground
few feet away, and caused him to become
frencied. a number of rescued guests say
the fire started in the basement, and went
through the elevator before the alarm could
be given.
A man employed in the baking depart
ment, who arrived on the scene about
o'clock, states that at $3.50 he passed 10 the
third floor and assisted in rescuiDg a num-
Der of dodgers. 1t is stated on good authori-
ty that there was no fire in the rear portion
OF the building, where there was a wide
part of stairs by means of which all those
quar,ered in the upper floors could have
made their escape. However, the smoke
was dense, and those who were not suffo-
Gated lost their presence Of mind.
The Ruins.
The Newhsil House. corner of Broadway and
Michigan streets, Milwaukee, in the heart of the
city was built in 1857 IL was projected by Daniel
Newhall aud its cost estimated Gt sl60 O0O. Before
the Fl rst story was finished Mr.. Newhall failed,
vOlved upon Others. The original plans were not
followed, however, and unlike the first story, the
Iemsining five We're, put up, in double
The partitions weIe built of wood and
no precautions taken against fire. In snort, the
NeWh6U House when completed reSemb mbled the
Wigwam ON Maryland street-a frst-class tinder
box, fact very generally known. IL had 'front.'
age OF 200 feet on Broadway. and was little more
| than one half of that in depth. There were l5O
roome, and the dispatches say 1t could accommo-
date 500 guests.
The Office was on the second floor. A Wide hail
forming tine lobby ran entirely across the house,
from either end of which spiral staircaseS s6TaDg
extending 10 the top floors. These Staircases,
with the exception of one in the rear communi-
eating with the dining room, were, with The eie-
vatOr. the only means of c mmuDlcatiOn between
the doors of the hotel, end the Incomplete and
dangerous character OF the exits were constantly
referred 10.
The total cot of the hotel, including furnish
ing. was S27! coo. upon which there was total
insurance of Sl60CC0. 1t was first managed by
Curtis JndsOn, who conducted the Bates House
In early years, and at he time OF the fire by j. +.
Immediately across the street was the Chamber
OF commerce and the magnificent Mitchell block.
Opposite were the ruins OF the great clothing
house OF the Friends Brothers, destroyed by fre
three weeks ego at loss of 5000 The location
was the very best psssible for hotel In the city.
The Number of the Dead Now Placed ut
Sixty-eight-List of the Missing Guests
Statement of the Night Watch.
MILWAUKEE, Jan. IA force of 125
workmen have been engaged all day at the
ruins of the ill-iated Newhall House, search
ing for bodies, but none were found up to
Z o'clock this evening. The remaining walls
were pulled down because they endangered
the workmen, but the north wall, which is
partition wall with the adjoining building,
which might tumble at any moment.
The number of times the Newhall has
has been ignited through the instrumenality
of malicious persons is frequently referred
to. A gentleman who occupied quarters
in the house said the building had been
set on fire at least four times during
the pas. two years. Once fire was
set on a chair placed in the hall in connec-
tion with the elevator. On the chair had
been piled oiled kIndlings. The fire got a
pretty good start. The next time the fire
was started in barrel of tinder which stood
In the hall on the first floor against the ele-
vator. This time hole was torn through
the plaster in the wall and at the bottom of
the elevator mass of infiammsble stuff was
inserted which was fired and only extin-
guished with the greatest difficulty. Still
another time fire was started near the bar
room on the first floor adjacent the west side
OF the elevator shaft. These all had un
doubtedly incendiary origin. Started at
night, also, near the elevator so as to pre-
clude any idea of saving the house. But
each time luck held sway aud the blszes
were blighted with each recurring fire. The
regular bOarders would say some one had a
spite against the building and wou q vet
burn ii. They would avow their intention
of leaving, but as time elapsed the ideas
would erase only to reoccur with another
attempt TO burn the building This time
the fire fend was successful, as the theory
seems to have no doubt of incendiaries.
Only few weeks ago fire gnited In G. A.
Hendry's room from q bad CRATE and burned
considerably before being put out. This
was supplemented by another fire in Her.
dry's quarters last week, but no special
damage was done.
Three bodies remain at the Morgue-that
of Ostellie Waltersdorf eighteen years old,
an employe (she has been fully identified
by brother residing in this city); a young
Irish girl, supposed to be Nora Flannigan.
waiter. She was recognized by Mary Hardy
of the Plankinton House, but not positively;
the body of an elderly woman, apparently
OF Irish nationality, about forty five years
of age. unidentified, medium sizs, dark hair,
slightly tiDged with gray. On the middle
finger OF the right hand is Hat band ring
A formal Coroners inquest will be held
next week after the recovery of the bodies
under the debris.
STATEMENT OF THE NIGHT wATcH.
William Mckenzie. the night watchman
of the hetel, makes the following important
statement:
On the night OF the FIRE had made my rounds
as usual visiting the different landing floors and
basement rooms. Nothing unusual was observed.
The bar room was open until 2 O'Clock Ia the
moaning George Scheller, the proprietor. was