River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-12-05
COULDN'T ESCAPE.

The Minneapolis "Tribune" building. "a
VeritRble Fire-Trap, Destroyed - Ed
Itors, Printers. Reporters and Others
Hemmed 10 by the flames Ten Of
Those Caught In the Flaming Prison
Lose Their Lives - Among Them Was
Prof. Olsen. "a weII-Known Educator
Awful Seenes-Fixing the Blame.
MINNEAPOLIS. Mimi. Dec. 2.-Tcn
human lives and $500. 900 worth of prop
erty was sacrificed Saturday night by u
fire that originated in the rooms OF the
Union League on the third floor Of the
Minneapolis Tribune building. The
fire was discovered shortly after
10 o'clock by district messen-
ger. and almost before an alarm could
be- turned in every door and window of
the immense eight-story building was
belching fire and smoke. There we're
upward of eighty men, including the
editorial staff and for e of compositors,
at work on the seventh floor, and these
were penned in like sheep by the sheets
of flame that separated them from the
elevator and stairway.
So eager were the men TO get out of
their scorching prison that they would
have fallen headlong out of the window
and been dashed To pieces on the side
walk seven stories below had not they
been restrained by their more cool-head-
ed fellows. As il was. however, two Of
the terror-stricken men broke away
from their would-be preseryers and
dropped from window TO the sidewalk.
They were both instantly killed
While the work of rescue was going
on from the window where the crowd of
printers and others had assembled. Prof
Olsen, president of the Nermillion
Is. d. University, met terrible fate.
Olsen got out of the window all right
and had proceeded down short distance
on the fire escape. when from some un-
known reason he let go his hold and fell
TO the sidewalk. \ couple of iremen
rushed in and carried him to the nearest
drug store, where il was found that he
was dead, his body having been terribly
crushed by the fall.
Seven bodies were found around the
building last night. all of which have
been identified. They We're:
Milton Pickett assistant city editor OF the
Pioneer Press; james r. Igoc, Associated
Press night operator; Walter T.. Miles, night
agent and day operator or the Associated Press;
Edward Olsen. president Of the University OF
South Dakota at Vermilion; w. H. Millnnn.
commercial editor Of the Tribune; Jerry Jenk.
inson. printer; Robert McCutcheon, printer.
While the fire was at it's height j.
McCutcheOn appeared in one of the win
dows of the composing and jumped
into a net held by the firemen below.
The weight of his body carried the net
to the stone pavement, and he died a
few minutes after being picked up.
Other bodies are known to he in the
building. but just how many is uncer-
tain. Two men who could not be iden-
titled shot themselves rather than be
burned TO death. and the body of a man
caught in the ruins is in plain sight OF
the crowd on Fourth street. 1t is believed
that the number of victims will reach
twenty and perhaps twenty-five, but UNI
til the debris cools off positive informal
tion as to the loss can not be obtained.
The building. which stood at the cor
ner of First avenue, South and Fourth
streets, was an eight-story brick, and is
completely Quilted In it were one
weekly and three daily papers. The
total loss is estimated at $500 600 The
Tribune loss is placed at $40, 200, with
$4,000 insurance; the journal loss is
$4,000 and IL is half insured, and the
Tribune job Office lost $50, 900. on which
there was about S25, 900 insurance. Other
minor losses make the aggregate given,
and the insurance foots up Sl5o, 900.
Chief Stetson, of the fire department,
lays the blame for the great loss of life
to the lack of fire-escapes. and says the
department did what it could to save
lives, and if there was any delay it was
because life was considered of more
value than property.
Minneapolis Typographical Union
No. AZ met Sunday afternoon and
adopted a series OF resolutions concern
ing the calamity of Saturday night.
After setting forth the fact that A. Il.
Nettleton. who had charge of the build
ing, and others connected with the
management of the paper had been re-
peatedly urged to provide suitable fire.
escapes, the resolutions condemn those
whose duty it was to provide fire-escapes
for their neglect in so doing, and de-
claring il to be a proper subject for in
vestigation by the coroner.
General NettletOn has written an
open letter in which he denies any con-
nection with the burned Tribune build
ing for over two years past, and says
that while he was in charge of the build
ing no person or persons occupants
thereof had ever requested of him bet
ties facilities for escape in case of fire.
VERMHIoN, ;. d., Dee. News of
the death of DR. Olsen in the Minneapo-
lis fire caused a feeling of sorrow in this
city DIR. Olsen was about 40 years old,
graduate of the Chicago University,
and for several years professor OF Greek
in that institution. lie was a man of
large culture, spoke several languages
fiuently, and travelled extensively in
Europe, and was among the best-known
of the younger educators Of the country.
About two and a half years ago he was
called to the presidency of the tFniver-
sity of Dakota, founded by the Terrific
rial Government. Under his efficient
management the institution grew rapid
ly, and al the time of his death there
were over 800 students in the insti-
tuition, and President Olsen's faculty
numbered about twenty professors and
teachers. lie took a large interest in
the educational work at Chautauqua,
spent several summers at Chautauqua
Lake. and was known all over the land
among the students in the Chautauqua
assemblies.
ARMOUR TESTiFIES.