The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1883-01-19
A HORRIBLE HOLOCAUST.
DESTRUCTION By FIRE OF TsE SEwHALL
HOUSE At 3IILwA UKEE, wIsCOHsIN-
ABOUT EIGErY LIVES LOST.

ing Immediately after the discovery of the
fire the building was completely enveloped
in flames. and scenes OF utmost terror pre-
vailed. The inmates jumped by dozens from
the upper stories, covering the stone side
walks with iifeiess bodies. Many guests
appearing at the windows, and seeing the
distance TO the ground, fell back In the
flames and SO persisted.
The exact loss of life is not vet determlr-
aole, but will reach from fifty to sixty dead.
and from twenty to thirty wounded. So far
twenty-thTee bodies have been placed IN the
morpue and nine more i'm places near the
ruins. The store and Offices on the ground
floor were entirely DESTROYED and some of
the adjoining buildings, among them the
Mutual Union Telegraph Office were badly
damaged. The loss can scarcely he estima-
ted at this hour but it will reach half a mil
lion dollars. The cashier of :he Manufac-
turers' Bank safely carried out theFcash box
containing money and papers amounting to
$500. 600.
The following is a list of the killed, as far
as known Allen johnson, commission mPr-
chant of Milwaukee and his wife Kitty
Baily, servant: Mary Burns, 2 servant;
w A. Hall, q miller OF Laporte Ind. BeDi
Van Haae, fireman was struck By a falling
telegraph pole Thomas f. Van Horn of
Abbotts. y. Y; J. j. Haugh. of Maroa. H.;
Lizzie Kelly, Maggie Owens. - Hall
Annie Brown. Bessie Brown, Kate Stanchon,
Maggie Sullivan, August Giese and Mary
McLade, all servants ; ID. G. Powers Mrs
Brown, Mary Burke, Mary Henderson Mary
Miller. Mary McMahn, Mary Miller and
Mary Convoy, all servants The following
agent George G.. Smith, passenger agent
Mrs. l.. w. Brown Miss ChilHs. dress
maker; Walter GililaEd and William Gill
land.
1t may he safely said that so persons are
dead and 80 seriously injured Mrs John
Gilbert, of the Minnie Palmer troupe who
had been married only two days was burned
to death in sight OF the multitude outside
Milwaukee, the scene of the disaster fs
beautiful city of nearly hundred thousand
inhabitants, on the Western shore of Lake
Michigan, eighty miles northwest of Chicago
II IS noted for the artistic beauty of its pnb-
lie buildings and many of its private resi-
dences.
THRILLING STORY.
The most remarkable story told bv any of
the rescued is that of j, W Maxwell. of the
firm of Maxwell, Manning & Co. Chicago
He was in room on the third floor, over the
office, and, after seeing that the halls were
filed with smoke, closed the transom over
the door and locked the door. Bursting ont
one OF the windows he determined on second
thought, to risk the hallway rather than fall
from such height Turning back he at
tempted to get into the hall, The kew would
not turn in the lock, He returned to the
window, lay down near It, to get fresh air
and knotted the bedclothes into rome nv
means of which be lowered himself to the
roof OF the inner court. The roof was partly
made Of glass, besides being uuif,. beavIIv
covered With snow. There was another man
there before him, who was wandering p bOut
IN a dazed manner. He was in danger of
falling through the glass, when Maxwell
seized him and eudeaYored to encourage him
II was no avail however, as the poor fellow
had been utterly deprived of his reason
maxwell tried to burst into room. but
found the door locked In another trial he
was more fortunate. The door was SLIGHTLY
2jar. but the smoke and fire in the hallway
was Sitting hot, ard it seemed useless to
take the risk OF escape thereby Neverthe-
less ne tried and succeeded.
TRE HERO OF TIE LADDER.
Oae of the most thrilling stories told by
any OF the survivors is that of Mary Carvin
She IS one Of the girls saved by means OF
the ladder reaching aeross the alev In the
reag Of the hotel She tells Of the experi-
ence OF the girls In the rooms allotted 70 the
servants. She saws:
Ny roommate and did not know that there
E Tss AM anyt4nE ~ tae matter till We were awakened
gAt9iSio 'ui uv.E " 2 5DFanE NJ and ran out. We
found most all the girls screaming aud running
anout as u they were crazy The bah was fun of
smoke ana very hot. Nobody had come to wake
US OF give us any alarm. We an ran toward the
south end OF the long hall which opens out towards
smoke and the hea. We bc7,an 10 he su f7ocete5
and some Of the girls fell in faint, Some Of US
went into one OF the rooms that looked ont into
the alley, and broke ont the windows to get air
we could see men down below looking up. but no.
body.seemed TO De doing anything to heIT ms. This
smoke grew thicker and The qir grew hotter I
supposed the other girls Standing IN behind
put the smoke was thick I could not see anv-
poqy, went to the door aad looked out into the
al alone n the pufjdln,r turned to 20 back 10
eng "iuaoW u breathe, and as idid so fell
III 1 i5t around on the noor snd found
al the girls who had been with me lying there
,5 seeLnth5 10 he suhocated got back to the win
l ~ eaIied 10 the iner below Il do something.
l could see girls jumping ont Of other windows OF
the ground below. All Of q sudden n man on the
roof OF n building across the allev nut a ladder
over 10 my window ant called 70 me to go ever.
- - I1Wh ana tried 10 wake the other girls
put the Gid not stir. Then the man came across
bs leeer ard tooz up one Of thesrls and carried
ne sD acI2ss; Then went over snd the man carried
some OF the others out. II the other men below
mtbf a. ba. N aeh sense as that one, more ladders
M n.sht nave been put across into other windows
snu s good many of the girls might have been
The name of the man who rescued the girls
was Herman Strauss.
JUMPED INTO THE JAWS OF DEATH
Martin Wehber, of Laporte Indiana, says
lie arrived at the hotel Tuesday. and was as
signed to room No 15S on the fourth floor.
He was accompanied by friend named w,
II. Hall, who occupied room off and open
ing into his. Webber was awakened bv the
noise of roaring flames. He spraDg from
bis bed and called to his friend, who came
into his Toom and the two men dressed Hall
then said MY God Do yos think they
WILL ever get to US ?" The next moment he
made run for the window. and cleared it
with bound Mr.. Webber has not vet been
able to find him, dead or alive. although he
has made diiCent search. Webher was
driven from his room by the smoke, and
climbed outside AMI hung from the window
sill for ten minutes, when he was rescued
by ladder being placed at the window.
TOUCHING sCENB.
Mrs. McCauley. who lies at the AxtelI
House in q bad nervous condition, and was
carried out in faint by fireman Strauss,
saws:
was awakened by the shouts and screams OF
the others and ran into the hall. It was full OF
girls, rushing madly up and down. crying and
screaming. rushed to the end Of the bail, peer
ed through the door. and everything
smoke and fire outside. l then ran back. and
passing the room where seven g1rl1 had taken re-
fuge, Joined them. and we ell knelt down I'm prav-
One Of the girls had crucifx and fat
man prayed out loud. Just : had given M all
hope, the window crashed IN room and faint
ed. 1t so happened ths. the nremen had found
hat room cut Of 50 others. and with few
others, we're saved. knew nothing after fainting
till woke up here.
Captain O'Connor SAYS that Of the remains
thus far found eight were taken from
point directly in front of the Office counter
at the hotel, OF at the head OF the staircase
communicating with Broadway. The vic
Tins seemed to have reached that point in
their flight, but could get no further In
one instance the remains found led to the
belief that one man had fallen upon another
already overcome by the fire.
AN APPALLING WHISPER.
NEW YORK, January 14.-Larkin B. Day.
of Milwaukee. who is at the Metropolitan
Hotel. tells Tribune reporter singular
story about the recent disaster at the New
ball House He says:
There is IN appalling whisper going the rounds
IN Milwaukee, which hope from my very heart
Is not true 1t Is TO the effect that the proprietor