Omaha daily bee., 1889-03-21
PROSECUTING THE PRESS.
The Fire Fiend Extends His Forked
Tongue I'm Due Form.


Between and o'clock last night the
Herald building, or portion of it, was on
fire. In the southern end of the building on
Fifteenth street is barber shop, conducted
by colored man named G. S. Sweed. Just
about the time that the barber shop was TO be
closed man came in for bath. He was
assigned room by one of the attendants.
He was also given lamp, In which was
some bad kerosene Oil. IL exploded, and
the wood partitions aud other inflamm able
materials were soon ablaze. The man was
not long in making his escape.
An alarm OF fire was turned in from box 63.
People thought the Murray hotel was on
fire, as this box called for Fourteenth and
Harney streets.
1t was but few moments time until the
fire was discovered to be in the Herald build
ing and thousands OF people were soon gath
cred around it,
Dense volumes of smoke issued forth from
the windows and doors of the
building, aud by the time the
fourth story were ''making even" on their
takes" and preparing to make their exit.
They werc almost suffocated with smoke as
soon as the door of the news room was
opened, but all escaped, and their lungs are
as good as heretofore.
The editorial department is on the same
floor, and its members got to the ground floor
with great alacrity. People who thought
they were in quest of news were mistaken
Among the first to emerge from the top
floor was the city editor. He was writing
his column, "In the Soup" The particular
nonpariel paragraph that he was grinding
upon was 1.-THE Still Alarm" which will be
turned III some time next weel-not TO the
paper, but IN a different shape, which may
be more tiresome to newspapers, fire depart
ments and others, when it is heard, or rather
seen, at 81 per see
trn pvactlv n ctill o1 "a bo cit
editor, for he heard the fire bell and in
structed his fire reporter to chase the
chemical, little thinking that the chemi-
cal was about to chase him. The
quietly strolled away. A few moments later,
wnen every room in the building was in
smoke, tine city editor turned around and
asked the newly appointed night editor what
be was smoking that was so offensive.
At this iuncture the managing editor, who
had been trying to decipher news item out
of the Council Bluffs quire of paper, rushed
in and informed the staff that the office
was was on. on fire: The reason that the
the building sooner Il han anyone else is that
he is built that way. 1t is said that he didn't
touch a step on the stairways and in one
case he didn't make a turn in the hallway on
the second floor, but stepped through panel
of the door leading on Fifteenth street.
If there was great excitement among the
staff and printers, with the business depart
ment there was more CONSERVATION. Young
Mr.. Ward, who is said to be ''me too" to
the manager of the paper made frantic
efforts 70 do Chief Gallgan's work.
He didn't exactly do it, however, but rushed
around in such an excited manner that the
members of the staff were afraid that the
fire laddies would turn the hose on him if he
was not locked up in the press room.
The fire was finally eXtinguished by young
Mr. Ward with the assistance of the fire de-
partment.
The entire loss to the building and furni-
ture in the barber shop will not exceed 5000.
The loss is fully covered by insurance.