The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-22
YESTERDAYS FIRE RECORD.
Tho Langham Hotel, Chicago, Destroyed
ct an Early Hour Last Evening.
One Guest Killed and Two Patrolmen Badly
Hurt-Damaging Blaze in the Cap
itol at Trenton, n. J.
A CHICAGO FIRE TRAP.
Burning Of the Langham Hotel-A Guest
Killed and Two Patrolnaen Injured.

Burning Of the Langham Hotel-A Guest
Killed and Two Patrolnaen Injured.
CHIcAGo. March 2L-At o'clock this even
Ing, fourteen fire engines poured water into the
Langham Hotel, which was a mass OF flames.
The fire originated in one of the tower rooms
At the time the restaurant of the house con-
tanned 100 guests, who were at supper, and as
many more were i'm their rooms. The people in
che restaurant had no trouble in getting out but
several persons in the upper rooms had very
narrow escapes.
The Ere spread with marvellous rapidisy, and
before a second alarm was turned in the flames
were bursting through the roof. general
alarm was given half an hour after the fire broke
out, but all the engines which could be brought
70 play upon the flames could not got the fire
under control
Mrs Belknap, an elderly lady, was killed by
jumping from the fourth story into an alley.
Subsequently cry was raised that the walls
were falling, and that Bullwinkle's fire insurance
patrolmen were inside the building. A portion
of the south wall was seen to totter, and then it
come down with crash. Two members of the
Gre insurance patrol barely escaped the tumbling
bricks and tiYnbers. Two others were pinned
fast, but after strenuous efforts were finally ex-
tricate2 The legs of both were severely
bruised. Patrolmen A. Jones and John Walsh
are believed to have been suffocated beneath the
wallis No trace had been found of them up to a
late hour
Policeman Marks saw two domestics at
7ne of the second-story windows, after
it was supposed all the inmates had been res
cued He rushed up a burning staircase, and
few moments later appeared, dragging out both
women who had been rendered unconscious by
smoke.
The hotel, which is total loss, was erected
Immediately after the great fire. While sub
Stantiai looking on the outside, it has been called
FIRE trap. 1t was formerly known as
the Burdick House, then as the Crawford, and
recently IS the Langham. Cummings & Howard
were the owners, and Shaw 81 Son leased the So
tablishment The latter's loss is $50, 900; nsur-
auce $12, 900. The building was valued at
$50, 900; insured for half.
Kietz & Son. picture frame dealers, and Har-
den's Hand Grenade agency, suffer total losses;
insurance unknown.
The firemen never ceased their efforts to res
cue the two missing patrolmen, and about four
hours afterward they We're found in the base
snent of the building next to the hotel,
buried under broken flooring and fragments OF
the falling wall They were taken ont alive,
and will probably survive their injuries.
The escape of Mrs. j. A. Murray and child
was almost marvellous The lady occupied q
room on the fifth floor, and was unaware of the
danger until too late to attempt to descend the
atairway. She reached the fire escape, but at
zach floor found the hole in the grating
BOO small to admit Of the passage of her
self and infant, and was therefore compelled
four tir-es. with the flames swirlirg around her,
10 seat her child upon the platform, lower her
self over the edge and reach up for the little
one. Mrs. Murray reached the ground without
assistance, and q quarter of an hour afterward
had wholly recovered from the effects of her ter
cibt0 experience.