The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-03-28
ANOTHER FIRE TRAP.
destruction of the Lansham Hotel, Chi
cago-SeyeraI Lives Lost

destruction of the Langham Hotel, Chi
eago-Severa1 Lives Lost.
The Langham Hotel Chicago, was
destroyed by tre on the night of the
21st. The fire = orisinated in one OF the
lower rooms from a kerosene lamp
which Was accidentally overturned.
At the time, the restaurant OF the
house contained 200 guests at supper
and as many more were in the rooms
The people in the restaurant had no
trouble IN getting out, but several per
sons IN the upper rooms had very
narrow escapes. The flames spread
with marvellous rapidity and before
the second alarm was turned in they
We're bursting through the roof 4
general alarm was given half an hour
after the fire broke out, but all
the engines which could be
brought to play on the flames
could not get the fire under con
troll. Dense volumes Of smoke and fire
poured up the elevator shafts and
filled every portion OF the building.
Guests and servants rushed wildly
down the stairs and into the street
tLlilllllZ
from basement to roof was a red hot
furnace. and the effect OF thirty streams
from the engines, which quickly re-
sponded to the double alarm, seemed
only to intensity tie heat. At a win
dow IN one OF the upper stories a lady
and two children appeared. \ ladder
was run up and they We're rescued.
Behind them stood Mrs Belknap, a
transient guest from the South She
was frantic with fright. and before the
firemen could seize her, Jumped from
the window and was instantly killed.
Two members OF the fire insurance
patrol barely escaped the tumbling
bricks and timbers. Two Others were
PINNED last, but after strenuous efforts
were finally extricated The legs Of
both We're severely bruised Patrol
men A. Jones and John Walsh We're
suttocated beneath the wall. Police
man Marks saw two dOmesticS at one
Of the second story windows after it
was supposed all theinmates had been
rescued lie rushed up the burning
staircase, and a few minutes later APP
peared. dragging out both women, who
had been rendered unconscious by the
loss, was erected Immediately after the
great fire, and while substantial-look-
ing from the outside, has been called a
iire-trap It was formerly known as
the Burdick house, then as the Craw-
ford and recently rs the Langham
Cummings & Howard are the owners.
Shaw q Son leased the establishment.
The latter's loss is $4,000: insur-
ance. $4,000. The building was valu-
ed ut SI5O,O0O: insured One-haIf.
kietz * Son. picture frames and Har-
den's hand grenade agency, suffered a
total loss Insurance unknown.
4 dispatch OF the 22d gives the fol
lowing additional details The fire
which destroyed Langham Hotel, last
night proved much more dreadful in
IN the loss OF life and physical injuries
entalled than was supposed, until a
late hour, last night 1t is now known
that mt least five persons were killed
and four injured. Just before the
south wall Of the hotel fell upon the
FaNon building, a number Of persons,
besides those OF the fire insurance
patrol. We're inside the latter building.
assisting to save goods, as no imme-
'titl1' 'tttil-'l Ntt~ti u itiitllttttt- L mere
IS no means of knowing IIst how many
of these volunteer helpers were in the
structure at the time but excavations
have proceeded to an extent which
lustlties a hope that aIl the dead have
been found As far as known those at
work in the Faxou building when twas
crushed by he falling hotel walls. were
the following: Cap. Edward Shepard,
James Boyd, Knute THINE. Patrick
Mullins, John Walsh, Frederick Jones.
All OF these belonged to the fire insur-
ance patrol William Bean, i piano
tuner; John Hennessy, a clerk Both
We're employed IN the building. Mullins
and Thine being nearer the rear of the
building. We're forced ont through one
OF the windows by the rush of air a.
the building fell, and were not danger
ously hurt. Cap. Shepard and Bovd
We're pinned down by the fallen tim
bers, and We're rescued alive. about Il
O'Clock. Both We're seriously hurt. but
it Is believed they will recover.