The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-01
DIED IN THE FLAMES.
A Fatal Fire in the Minneapolis
Tribune Building.
SECRETARY WINDOWS DECISION
Banks-The Case Against POwderly Dis
missed-BIaIne is Be.ter-Schurz Ill.

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 30.-A fire was dis
covered on the third floor of the Tribute
building about 10:45 tonight and soon the
entire building was wrapped in flames.
On the seventh floor were situated the
many offices of the Tribune staff OF editors,
reporters and compositors. A number Of
7 employees in attempting to escape jumped
from the windows and a number of lives
were lost. At midnight seven bodies had
been taken out of the ruins. The only one
yet identified is that of Prof Olsen, of Yer
million university, Dakota, who had gone
to see friend. He jumped from the top Of
the floor and was instantly killed.
la. m.-rhe number of lives lost is over
half dozen and possibly ten or more. The
building is an eight-story one at the cor
ner of First avenue and Fourth street. 1t
is occupied by the Tribune and Star (even-
ing edition of the Tribune), Minneapolis
office of the Pioneer Press and the EUeRfn0
Journal, and besides a large number of
other Offices. The Tribune edi-
torial force is on the seventh floor
and their composing rooms above 1t. Ca
these two floors there were nearly one
hundred persons employed when the fire
broke out. Access to the building is by
way of an elevator around which narrow
and dark stairway wound. at night this
stairway was the only means of ingress or
egress The building might be
called u veritable fire trap and the
danger to those located there has often
been commented upon. The hre broke
out of the third floor, and soon the upper
floors were cut OFF from the street. The
b hiding was on a corner and the adjoining
buildings were only one story in height,
so no means of escape were offered in that
direction, as the flames cut off the escape
of the Pioneer Press force on the sixth
f1o1r, as well as the Tribune folks on
y the seventh and eighth floors. Reporter
Barnes, of the Pioneer Press, had narrow
escape from the building and left behind
him Milton Picket, assistant city editor,
and one of the oldest men in the service
of the paper. Picket was lost in the burn
ing building. The Tribune force suffered
most, they being located higher up and
had less warning Of their danger.
James F. Igoe, night operator for the As
ISOLATED Press, met with a sad death. He
was at work on the seventh floor when the
report of fire was received, and imme
diately opened the key stating the fact to
the head office at Chicago and asking for
minutes time to investigate. Soon he re-
turned to the instrument, apparently think
ing he was safe, and told the sending
operator to continue. In moment he said
he would have to skip, and found it " as
too late and that escape was cut off. He
jumped from the seventh story window,
and was so badly injured that lie died be-
fore reaching the hospital. He leaves
family. Old man Pierce, aprinter, was also
killed, but up to midnight only six bodies
have been taken from the ruins, which
were then falling in. Those known to be
dead ar, Assistant City Editor Pickett,
w. E, Miles, agent Of the Associated Press,
James F. Igoe, Associated Press operator,
John Olsen, president of the Vermillion,
Dakota. college, Mary Caldwell, McCutch-
son and Pierce, printers.
Sparks are flying in all directions and
the adjoining buildings, occupied by sa-
loon, restaurant and tailor store, are
doomed. The Tribune building is twenty
five years old, brick structure and valued
at 100000 The loss will probably reach a
million dollars.