The Dickinson press., 1889-12-07
FIRE FIDND'S CARNIVAL.
Tribune Building mt Minneap0-
lis Converted Into n Death
Trap by the Flames.
Eight Lives Definitely Known
to Have Been ost-The List
May Be Much Higher

May Be Much Higher
M1NNEAPoLIs, Dec. 2.-The eight-story
brick building occupied by The Min
neapolis Tribune, was totally de-
stroyed by fire Saturday night. The
conflagration was attended by a fearful
loss of life. Shortly after 10 o'clock
smoke was seen issuing from the win
dows at the north end of the third floor.
The upper floors at that time were filled
with reporters, editors and compositors.
On the sixth floors were the editorial
rooms of The Pioneer Press, in which a
number of reporters were at work.
When the smoke became heavy on that
floor Reporter Joseph T. Mannix started
down the stairway to make an investiga-
ton. In the extreme north end of the
third floor were two rooms which had
formerly been used by the League of
Republican clubs. These rooms had not
been occupied for about six months, ex-
cept as a place to store waste paper. In
this room the fire started presumably
From Spontaneous Combustion.
When the door was broken in the
flames burst out in Mr.. Mannix's face,
driving him down the stairway. He
made a desperate attempt to go back to
warn his companions, but the flames
We're too fierce, aud he was driven back.
Several men were on the stairway at the
time, and he directed them to turn the
alarm at the corner of Fourth and Nicol-
let avenues, For some reason no one did
80, and there was considerable delay in
getting the alarm to the fire department.,
at least fifteen minutes elapsing. The
elevator shaft, in the center of the build
ing
Acted as IA Big Chimney,
and sucked the flames up to the roof,
spreading the fire through the entire
building. When the fire department
arrived the entire building was in flames.
There was only one stairway In the
building, and that was built around the
elevator Shaft. AS the fire started at the
head of the stairway on the third floor,
Every Avenue of Escape
was cut off, except a single fire escape
on the north side of the windows. The
flames burst out the windows on the
third floor, and the frail iron ladder was
red hot before some of the men had q
chance to use it. The Hayes ladders
We're hurriedly raised by willing hands,
and many of the men were rescued from
the windows.
Tho List of Dead.
The list OF the dead, so far as known,
is as follows:
MILTON PICKETT, assistant city editor Of
JAMES r. IdOE, Associated Press operator.
EDWARD OLSON, president of the University
of South Dakota, at Vermilliop.
JERRY JENKINSON, q printer.
ROBERT McCUTCHEN, a printer.
w. H. MILLMAN, commercial editor of The
Tribune.
WALTER f. MILES, day operator Of the AS.
ISOLATED Press.
Milton Pickett,
the assistant olty editor of The Pioneer
Press, started with four companions who
escaped but became separated from
them. He went to the fire c on the
north side of the building and started
down it. The flames were bursting out
of the third story windows, and the lad
der's rounds We're red hot. He chung to
it only for a minute and dropped to the
alley below, dead.
James F. Igoe,
the Associated Press operator, staid at
his post too long. He sent a message to
his chief in New York: There is Il fire
on %1,o +Ji,.I A~or DE T1,o T,sL..e l..:J1
ing, and I'm on the seventh" Then he
took" the dispatches as they came for a
few moments. His next words over the
wire We're: "Boys, I've got to stand
you OFF, I'm the only one left on this
floor. Everybody is gone, and l can t
stand it any longer;;" and his key clicked
shut for the last time.
Edward Olson,
president of the South Dakota univcr-
sity, at Nermillion, had gone into the
building to call on a friend to say good
bye, and was preparing to depart when
the alarm was given. He started to fol-
low his friend, Policeman Grevstad, but
became confused, reaching a window in
the rear, from which he fell to the
ground.
w. II. Millman,
commercial editor of The Tribune, did
not go down at the first alarm, but a few
moments later appeared in the Pioneer
Press rooms, overcoat in hand. 1t was
then too late to go down the stain way.
and he hurried back into the room above.
He was seen to step out of the window
and grasp the telegraph wires with the
intention of descending it the same way
as did Igoe. He went only a few feet
when he lost hold and shot down like
a rock to the frozen ground below. He
was killed instantly. 1t wa only about
two weeks ago that Millman's wife was
sutfocated by gas escaping from a leak
ing pipe at his home. and Millman had
corting the remains to her former home
in the East.
McCutcheon and Jcnkinson,
Robert McCutcheon and Jerry Jenkin-
son, compositors, fell from the seventh
story and were instantly killed. Nc
Cutcheon was trying to reach a window
sill on the sixth floor when he lost his
balance and fell, striking with fearful
force the very projection which he de-
signed to make his refuge.
Preferred Bullet to Burning.
AN unknown compositor appeared at a
seventh story window at First avenne
side and looked below. A jump below
was almost certain death, while to re-
main and he burned was worse. He
was seen to hesitate a moment. and then
he took a revolver from his rocket.
placed it to his head and fired. He fell
back into the burning building.
The loss on the building and contents
is estimated at $3.50, 600, with about $685.
insurance.
The Law Not Repealed by the Clause in
the Admission Act.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Assistant At
torney General Shields, of the interior