Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-05-22
BLAZING HOTEL.
Williard's, At Washington,
Badly Damaged by Fire and
Water.


WASHINGTON, May ia fire broke
out at Wizards hotel this morning.
1t originated in a room in the base
ment, just north of the main office
and the Eames running between the
| floors reached the main part of the
building, then the the elevator and
up through the house. Dense vol
Umes of smoke soon began to pour
through the building and became
sitting. Boarders were seen hurried
ly packing their vaIuables together.
| some fastening their boxes and others
assisted by servants hauling their
baggage down stairs. At the extreme
northwest corner of the 9th story APP
peared cOlOred boy and three servant
girls who were entirely cut off by the
smoke from the stairways. They re-
manned at the windows and kept
their holds clear until ladders were
raised for their escape. On the north
side of the building the frenlen took
two servant girls out of the top most
window and man from the third
story. A gentleman named Post,
from Chicago, who was sick in bed
was carefully removed on the lower
floors. All was hurry and hustle.
Colored employees with hand.erchIefs
tied over their mouths, came through
the ladies exit dragging such trunks
as they could reach and a great many
valUables were saved in this way from
Injury. From the portico on Four
tenth street the side sheets were filled
with clothing which were tumbled to
the ground and taken care of and
fhOSn Tho
ground by means of ladders which
were furnished IN abundance. While
the smoke was pouring out from near
ly every part of the building the ia
mIllar figure of Mr.. JOslyn, assistant
secretary of the interior, appeared at
one of the Fourteenth street windows
carefully carrying three ladies hats
which he dropped safely to the ground
amid cheers from the crowd.
When the smoke first grew very
thlcka gentleman appeared at enc of
the west windows opening on the
alley. He had evidently just got up,
having teen awakened by the noise
and confusion. He quietly went to
work to dress and make his toilet and
when completed packed his grip sack
and resting it on the window sill,
waited patiently without saying a
word until a ladder was hoisted for
his relief. There was quite panic
among the guests, but all reached the
street IN safety. The damage by fire
IS small, but the hotel was pretty well
deluged with water and loss from this
cause and smoke will probably reach
SD, 900. At street the corner spec
tators were very much interested in
watching Col Morrison, representa-
tive from Illinois, rescuing his papers
and personal property from supposed
impending destruction. When TIE
first alarm came Col. Morrison seized
a large trunk and flung it out of the
window on 18th street, the trunk
bursting as it rebounded from the
brick pavement. He then descended
to the street and from the outside di-
rected the movements of several men
as they pitched bis personal effects
from the window. The fire appears
to have originated IN vault
underneath the Mushroom ad-
joining the office. This vault
connects with the dumb-waiter shaft
which runs, all say, from the base
ment to the roof,
The fire is said by some to have
originated from over-heated steam
pipes, located near the wood work.
Another statement is that bundle Of
oily rags in the vault first caught fire.
The lire, it appears, burned some time
before an alarm was given. as the
employees thought they could put it
out. When it was sucked into the
drafts and long shafts however II
passed out of their control. The fire
burned It's way along the shaft all the
way to the roof.
SEATING ENGLISH.
The house committee on electionsin
the contested election case of English
VS.. PGlle of Indiana decided by a vote
OF 5 to 3 to report in favor of seating
English. Those voting in favor Of
English were j. j. Addius. Lowry,
Converse and Bennett.
Those IN favor of Peele were Hart,
Pettibone and Hepburn.