The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-03-25
ANOTHER HOTEL FIRE.
The Langham House, a Five-story Family
Hotel at Chicago, Destroyed
by Fire.
Six Persons Burned to Death---A Lsdy
Leaps From the Fifth Story and is
Crushed to Death---A Number
Miraculous Escapes.
SOME MIRACULOUS ESCAPES.

SOME MIRACULOUS ESCAPES.
CHICAGO, March 90. - Shortly before
seven o'clock yesterday fire. started in the
basement Of the Langham House, large
five-story family hotel, corner Wabash Ave
nue. and Adams Street. There were over
200 people in the building at the time and
| the utmost confusion ensued. Dense vol
umes of smoke and fire poured out of the
elevator shafts and filled every portion of
| the building. Guests and servants rushed
wildly down the stairways and into the
streets. In fifteen minutes the entire build
ing, from basement to roof, was red-hot
furnace, and the effect Of thirty streams
from the engines which Immediately re-
have no effect upon the flames. AT q win
dow in one of the upper stories lady and
two children appeared. A ladder was run
up and they were rescued. Behind them
stood Mrs. Belknap, transient guest from
the South She was frantic, and before the
firemen could reach her she jumped from
the window and was instantly killed. In a
moment more section of the walls fell
burying two firemen beneath them.
Another victim is added to the list Of
fatalities connected with the burning of the
Langham House Saturday night The body
of John Hennesey, an employee of FaXon
& Company, was recovered from the ruins
yesterday afternoon. He was among the
| party buried beneath the falling wall and
was found crushed beneath heavy piano.
The dead are: John Hcnnesey, single;
William Bean, married; Mrs. Van Buren
and fire insurance patrOlmen John Walsh
and Edward Jones, both single. Mrs. Bel
knap might have been saved, but became
wild with fright and leaped from fifth
story window to the street while ladder
was being raised for her rescue. Nothing
| Is known Of her identity further than that
she came from Alabama and had only been
at the hotel few days. Her neck was
broken.
A blind man, named Thompson, employed
at the hotel, is missing; also travelling
salesman from New York, name unknown.
His baggage, which was saved, bears the
initials I'D. X. b." which is all that Is
known of him. He was seen TO enter the
building when the alarm was sounded, and
has not yet appeared 10 claim the baggage.
Had the FIRE occurred later in the evening
the loss Of life must have been appalling.
AS il was, most Of the guests and attaches
of the house had already retired to bed and
only escaped in their night clothes
Mr.. and Mrs. lloole, Of Cincinnati, had
miraculous escape. Both are cripples and
unable 10 walk Mr. IlOOle Is member of
the firm of Snider & IlOOle, of this city.
When the fire broke out Mr.. Martindale,
cashier Of the firm, was on a business visit
10 their room on the fourth floor. He caught
the lnvahds, one under each arm, and carry
ing them TO the elevator started downward.
They rushed into the very heart Of the fire,
however, and the car became as hot
as an oven. Reversing the motion they
tried the third floor but found the door
locked Martindale threw himself against
II, broke 1t open, and dragged the couple
down three flights Of stairs and into the
street.
Mr.. and Mrs Sears, Of Salt Lake City.
Utah, were hemmed in by the flames and
thought death certain. They were about to
administer laudanum when the fremen
reached their window with ladders.
Mrs. Murray wife Of J. A. Murray, travel
ing passenger agent Of the West Shore Rail
road, climbed down the entire length OF the
fire escape unassisted, with her little son
clinging to her neck.
The pecmary loss will probably aggre.
gate S350,00O. The heaviest losers arc
Howard d Cummings on building, o. NJ.
Shaw & Sons proprietors Of the hotel, and
the Harden Hand Grenade Company
BosTON, March pa fire In the store
house Of the Continental sugar refinery, IL.
South Boston, which apparently caught
from the sparks Of the Boston machine shops
and which blazed and smouldered for hours
before being discovered, broke out Saturday
morning. After the engines had quenched
the first fire and returned 10 their quarters
the storehOuse was burned to the ground.
The loss is estimated at $4,000.
A tenement house near by, owned by
Thomas Cornell, occupied by six families,
comprising sixteen adults and ten children
caught fire and was totally consumed. Tho
tenants escaped In their night clothes. One Oi
them, an invalid woman Of seventy years,
was badly hurt In the leg during removal.
MILWAUKEE, March 23.-Fogers large
tannery near this city was burned Saturda!
night Loss 100000; insurance S55,000.
BELLEFONTE Pa, March 2S.--Fire which
broke out Saturday evening In the Brocker
hOf House stables, destroyed number o
small buildings Loss Is between SO0,0 00(
and S75, 600; well insured. Most of the oc
I