New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-02
SEVEN BODIES RECOVERED
THE NUMBER OF LIVES LOST AT MIME
APOLIS MAY BE MUCH GREATER.

OF THOSE KNOWN TO DE- hi'
OR INJURED-DEATH OVER
TOOK MANY IN THE
EFFORT TO. ESCAPE. -
M,rr.oroys Ninn Nov 3O.-The hre whlch
ssstroved the building of The Minneapolis Arlo-
rna started in a law office on the third moor OF
,ha hpildinc about 10 80 p. m. last night. Inc
Aames did their work with appaihng speeu' AL
r.adv the bodies of seven men nave peen iuen'i-
Ga and IL WAS the belief tonight that from
.,v.n,v N twenty-five persons lost their hVes.
Tbs names of those known to be dead or injured
ere as follows
,eoE James f. night operator the Associated Press
He was killed by fall in attempting to escape from
the building.
JprSKINsoN Jerry" printer fell with IgOe and was
desS wSgI Wa,s T ps agent of the Associated Press
was killed by a fall
MIII,MAN. W H.. the commercial editor of 1.-The Min
neapos Tribune" fell from the seventh story and was
instantly killed.
NcCUTCHEON, Robert. printer jumped 10 iaooer out
missed his hold.
OLSEN. Edward, president of the University OF South
Dakota knocked of. the fre-escape He died soon
sfDerwerd.
PICKETT Milton the city editor of 1.-THE ST.
Paul Pioneer Press" fell and was killed.
INJURED.
ANDREWS E. c.. printer. burned on the face and
hands.
GERBER Frank. a printer, was hurt on the head by
HOOVER. Frank. printer, was burned about the neck
JONES' s. H. reporter of THE Pioneer Press" had
his hands burned.
LAWN. William a printer was burned on the hands ana
WILLIAMS. Charles All the managing editor of "Thd
Minneapolis Tribune" was severely burned about the
WILLIAMS. W. H.. foreman Of 1.-The Tribune composing
room. was painfully burned in the face
woRDEN, T., printer, was burned on the hands and
face
The elevator man noticed the smell of smoke
and called the attention of some of the persons
in the building TO it. The cry of fire was raised,
and several persons went downstairs from the
seventh story TO investigate the matter, and then
returned to work. Before long smoke began
to fill the narrow stairway, the only one in the
building and everybody began to make lesurely
preparations to depart. No immediate danger
Yves feared, although the only exits from the
building, which was supposed TO be hreproof,
were q staircase wide enough for Two
persons 10 come down abreast, the elevator and
single fire escape at the north end OF the structure
Severed persons had made their escape in the
meantime, but in less than ten minutes the
flames reached the elevator shaft, and blazed up
to the top story, and the editorial rooms on the
same side of the building where the fire originated
were soon a mass Of flames In a few minutes
the fire invaded the other side, where the COM
posing room was situated.
A general alarm turned in, and
all the engines in the city responded TO
the call The imprisoned printers gathered at
the windows in the south end and shrieked wildly
and despairingly for aid The long ladder seemed
TO move up at a snails pace, but was hnally
in position and the terrified men began to de-
scend, the flames making steady encroachments
upon the corner into which they had been driven.
Jlfe-nets were brought into use, and some were
saved by this means. The firemen were badly
hampered by the network of telephone wires
The fire was a fierce one while it lasted, and IT
was due to the effective work of the Fire De-
partment that the flames were kept from spread
ing to the frame buildings by. Several
times there have been small fires in the building,
but they were quickly eXtingushed, so that less
heed was paid to the alarm than would have been
usually the case.
The building has been considered dangerous for
some time, being so loosely constructed as TO be
Jared by the heavy machinery.
The building was ten stories high 1t was con-
suucted of pressed brick with stone trimmings
It's front in Fourth-st 200 feet, and its depth
was about seventy-fve feet in First-ave II was
plastered on wire lath and was reputed to he fire
proof The main front prOfusely ornamented.
The first floor was occupied by the counting g-rooms
Of The Evening journal" and The Tribune
and by stores and offices. The second third |
fourth and fifth floors were also occupied as
offices, chiefly by attorneys and real estate men !
On the sixth floor Mitchell Simmons's job |
printing establishment the Minneapolis depart |
ment of The St Paul Pioneer Press and few
of The Tribune" editorial rooms. The seventh |
floor was used exclusively by The Tribune " for
its editorial composing and stereotyping rooms.
ylr- .bo
Amercanska Poster and an extensive book bind |
cry occupied the entire eighth floor. The ninth |
and tenth floors were used for general storage for
various in the building and for sleeping
rooms for janitors. The ninth and tenth floors
were great open halls, and the eighth floor had
large apartments and few subdivisions for |
ofces OF the concerns located there. The seventh |
noor was stali more sub-divided, though it con- |
talned the large composing and stereOtyping de- |
partments Of The Tribune Relo,y chic ,bo |
stories were sub-divided for Offices
There was only one entrance. which WAS also
the only exit from the building. This entrance
was near the middle of the Fourth-st front Tho
stairway ascended around the four sides 10 +bo
sevator. The Fourth-st front, which ,voS ,bo
ong front of the building, faced west On tho
second, third, fourth and fifth floors han ov
tended through the middle of each from soutb
70 north lighted by windows at each extremity
AT the north end of this hall was the onlv fire
escape in the building, and it led down to an
alley This fire escape. of course extended from
The roof to the ground. Three years ago the
inadequate fire protection of the building was
considerably agitated. the matter being taken up
" cne trades and labor assembly. and carried |
''H"iV " The city officials, attempt being made |
""'o .ne building properly protected con- |
ueAhne"' oat nothing came of IL. Since that
tnC uO CnangeS laNn hoo rnadn in he huildinnr |