Omaha daily bee., 1883-01-12

is THE .meanest position In the city.
The aldermen who opposed the work
of humanity were, Horace Chase, a
capitalist, one of the pioneers of Mil
waukee; Peter Barth, Wholesale Ii
quor dealer and H. Rieman, con.
tractor. The council after two hours
hard fighting, cor cluded to 60 on
with the work of rescuing the bodies,
but made no appropriation for night
work. The board of supervisors acted
handsomely in appointing q committee
with unlimited power to act.
Forme r Fires.
Special Dispatch to The Bxs.
MILWAUKEE, January ia force
Of 125 workmen were engaged all day
at the ruins of the Inflated Newhali
house searching for bodies, but only
four we're 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 a partition wall with the
adjoining building might tumble any
moment. Ons of the main topics of
conversation, while dwelling on the
dreadful holocaust, is the number of
times the Newhsll has been ignited
through the fundamentally of mali.
cious persons. Agent Lsman, who
occupied quarters in the house said
the building had been set on FIRE at
least four times during the past two
years. Once fire was set on q chair
placed In the hall in contact with
the elevator. On the chair had
piled oiled kindlings and the fire
got a pretty good start. The next
time the FIRE was started in a barrel of
finder, which stood in the hall on the
FIRST loor against the elevator. This
time also the house had a narrow es-
cape. The next time q hole was torn
through the plastering of the wall at
the bottom of the elevator and o mass
CT infamable stuff inserted, which
was fred. 1t was extinguished with
difficulty. Sill another time, a fire
was started near the barroom ON the
first floor, ajacent to the
west side of the elevator shaft.
These all had undoubted incendiary
origin, started at night, also ear the
elevator, so as to preclude any idea of
saving Int house, but each time luck
held sway and the blazes were blighted.
This time the fire tiend was successful,
as the origin of the fire seems to leave
no doubt of incendiarism. The build
ing was lily constructed. Only a few
weeks ago u fire vas ignited in y. A.
Aendry's room from a bad CRATE, and
burned considerably before being put
out. This was supplemented by an
other slight tire in Hendry's quarters
last week, but no special damage was
done.
Three bodies remain at the morgue.
THE wAICHMAN's STATEMENT.
William Mckenzie, night watchman
Of the hotel, makes the following i'm
portant statement: son the night of
the fire made my rounds as usual, Wis
ing the different lodging floors and
basement rooms. Nothing unusual
was found. The bar room was open
till 2 o clock in the morning. George
Scheller, proprietor, was there for
about three, quarters of an hour after,
/ had been to the wood room about 2
o'clock, and in opening the door lead
Ing to the bar room saw that the place
was still occupied at a later hour. l
had run the elevator to the bottom
landing to take up a gentleman who
came from the bar. Nothing like
smoke was detected then. At $3.50
in the morning +. b. Elliott came
Ola a late train. l was Ia the office.
He asked me if the elevator was run
mig. 1 told him / would take him up,
and / did so, letting him out on the
third fl 'or. Then / went up to the
top floor, taking a railway conductor
up from the third to that. l looked
around the halls, and got into the
elevator to go down. This was a few
minutes past halt past 3 o'clock As
/ got into the elevator | noticed very
little smoke. Immediately started
down to see where it came from. BY
the time / reached the office floor the
smoke was 30 dense that / could go nc
farther In the elevator. Thro wing
open the door, l rushed out, started
for the stairs, shouting to the night
clerk thatthere wastire down below and
l was going to see about il. Blythe time
l reached the bottom Of the elevator
shaft smoke was 30 dense and sitting
that / knew something had to be
done, l called to the engineer who
was In the engine room, told him to
rouse the servants, then | started
back to awaken the people for / knew
there wss no chance to stop the fire
alone. BY this time ! reached the
first floor above the office and had
raped at Mr.. Cramer's door, the heat
cracked the glass doors to the elevator
and in q moment afterwards the flames
poured out, In the meantime i rushed
into the bank building, aroused a.
many dodgers in that portion az
could, Afterwards l rendered wha.
help l could in saving PEG
pie. l hardly know wha'
to say about the commencement o.
the ire, but / know it caught fire a
the bottom of the elevator and not OF
the upper floors. There was nothing
anywhere around the elevator tina.
could burn 80 quickly, and at 3;3(
| Oiclonk tbara was No amoka In tho aIa