The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-12-04
AwFuL soENg ArA FIRE.



MsNEAp0LIs, Dec. 1.-Seven human lives
and ssoo.ooe worth of properly Was sacrificed
last night BY fire that originated in ihe
roor,ss OF the Union League, on the third
floor OF the Minneapolis Ti5Hse building
The Ere was discovered shortly alter ten
O'clock by district messenger, and almost
before an alarm could be turned in every
door and window Of the immense seven
story building was belching fire and smoke.
There were upward Of so men, including the
editorial stnf and force of compositors, al
work on tie seventh floor, and these were
penned 10 like steep by the sheets Of flame
sbat separated them, from the elevator and
stairway.
As soon as possible ihe Gre department got
ladder up to the sixth floor, and from there
thirty or forty men were taken out Of the
building. Those who we're on the roof dared
not descend, and several jumped TO the roofs
of adjoining buildings and escaped with
few bruises.
SOME NARROWING scKSrs.
DR.. Olson. President OF the University Of
Dakota, seeing all means of escape cut of,
essayed to jump and slipped and fell to the
edge Of the ~indow on the sixth story and
from there TO the ground. He was instantly
killed
]. F. Igoe, night operator for the Associa-
ted Press, stuck TO his post TIL IL was too
late to escape. He was frightfully burned
about the head. and in his agony. jumped
from the burning building and was killed.
Agent Miles, of the Associated Press,
whose home is in Detroit. Michigan, at
tempted to follow Igoe, but fell back into
the crater of flames and was burned to
crisp.
Milton A. Pickett, reporter for the Pio-
aeer Press, whose office was in the Tribune
building, was caught, with companion
named Pierce, on the stairway and there
they were roasted 10 death and subsequently
crushed to pulp by falling timbers.
While the fire was at its height, J. Nc
Cutcheon appeared in one Of the windows
of the composing room and jumped into
net held by the firemen below. The weight
OF bis body carried the net to the stone pave
ment and he died in few moments after be-
ing picked up.
A few minutes after be had jumped anoth-
er Of the printers appeared at the window
on the opposite side of the room He APP
peared crazed by fright, and, instead of
waiting for a ladder which was being raised,
pulled a revolver and, placing the muzzle to
his head, fired. The report was heard in the
street and the man was seen to drop 10 the
! floor. His name could not be learned
Meanwhile, Charles A. Smith, the elevator
man On the night service did heroic work
in the interior of the building He was a
new man, having only been in the place
since the first of the week. After the FIRE
started he made FIVE trips (the last when the
shan was actually on fire. and saved num-
Der of people Smith is certain that more
people were burned than have been reported.
He says that about five minutes before the
FIRE WIS discovered he carried lady 10 the
sixth floor. She asked for the editorial rooms
building. He did not take her back in the
elevator, and he is sure she could not have
gone down the stairway.
Smith also says that tall young man
with black moustache shot himself on the
seventh floor, near the composing room
door. Smith was up on bis last trip and
called TO the young man TO come into the ell
evator, but he seemed dazed by the heat and
smoke and deliberately drew revolver and
fired at his own head, falling dead. Just be-
fore he fired the shot he exclaimed; My
God. Ny wife and-;p then the bullet
did its work.