Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-03-23
HOTEL BURNED.
A Number Of Persons Killed-Some Mar.
row Escapes-Loss Heavy.
CHICAGO. March 2l

CHICAGO, March FL:
At S O'Clock this evening fourteen FIRE
engines were pouring water into Langham
Hotel, which was a mass OF flames from the
basement 10 the garrett. The FIRE originated
in one of the lever rooms from a kerosene
lamp, which Was accidentally overturned. A,
the time. the restaurant of the house con-
tanned one hundred guests at supper, and az
many more in their rooms. The persons in
the restaurant had no trouble getting ont but
several of those in the upper rooms very mar
rowly escaped. Mrs. Belknap, an elderly
lady, was killed BY jumping from the fourth
story into an alley. Subsequently, the cry
was raised that the walls were falling. At
that time number of fire insurance patrol
men were in the building. A portion of the
south wall was seen to totter and then it came
down with crash. Six pstrolmen and two
truckmen have since been taken out, some
horribly mangled.
As soon as il WAS discovered that no prop
erty in the hotel could be saved the Bull
Wrinkles fire insurance patrol hastened to
preven Mt damage TO property in the adjoining
building on the south side. Bnll Wrinkle
himself and six of his men entered Bull
Wrinkle came out shortly after, and was
hardly on the street when the south wall OF
the hotel fell, taking that of the adjoining
building with it.|Two of the petrolmen inside
escaped but the Others failed to appear from
the ruins. After great labor the iremen sue
ceeded in reaching and rescuing two of the
pa;rolmen who were pinioned fast under
bricks and timbers. These were Capt. Shep-
herd and ID. Mullen. They were badly
bruised about the legs. but otherwise unin-
jured. Patrolmen A Jones and John Walsh
are missing. Ii Is supposed that they are
sutfocated pr buried beneath the tons Of
debris which fell.
A very daring act was performed by Officer
Marks. Two domestics appeared panic
stricken at the window on the second floor
Marks rushed into the building and shortly
appeared carrying both women. who were so
nearly suffocsted that il was Mt cessarv to
place them under a doctors care. All the
time an immense volume of water was being
poured into the building, but seemed to have
no effect on the flames Every window frame
in front was a easement of fire. and the
flames bursting through the root lii up that
part of the city,
By the concentrated operations of three or
four fire companies, the adjoining buildings
were kept from being ignited, but the damage
to the one on the south is expensive, owing
to the falling of the wall
The hotel building occupied lot a quarter
of block in size on the southwestern corner
of Wabash avunue and Adams street, pur-
chased last May by Cummings & Howard,
and leased to Shaw & Son. The latter had
just expended about $4,000 in repairs and
improvements, which had not been complet-
ed. Their total loss on improve ments and
furniture is about $50, 900; insurance, SIP
600.
CHICAGO, March 22.
killed by the falling wall of the Langham
Hotel, were taken out alive after four hours
imprisonment. They will probably survive
their injuries
The Langham House, a FIVE story family
hotel, burned last night; loss $3.50. 900: in
surance S200.0O0. woman was killed by
jumping and several iremen were injured bv
falling walls
The fire which DESTROYED the Langhsm
Hotel last night proved more serious than
at first supposed. 1t is now known that at
least five persons were killed and four in
iured.
just before the south wall of the hotel fell
upon the Faxon building. number of per
sons besides those of the fire insurance patrol
were inside the latter building, assisting to
save goods, as no immediate danger was ap-
pretended. There is no means of knowing
Just how many of these volunteer helpers
there were in the building at the time, but
the excavators have proceeded to an extent
which justifes the hope that all the dead have
been found. As far as kno those at work
in the Faxon building when it was crushed
bv the falling hotel wall. were the following
Capt Edward Shepherd. ia. Boyd. Knute
Thine, Patrick Mullins, John Walsh. Fred
erick Jones, all of the fire insurance patrol :;