The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-12-02
A Horror
A NUMBER OR LIYES LOST
In tho Fire that Destroyed the
Minneapolis Tribune
Building.
Elltors and Printers Cut or
From Escape by the
Flames. 4
MANY OR THEM PERISHED
While Many Others We're serl-
Ously Burned or Other.
wise Injured.
Te EIghl.SlOry building a Death Trap
and tue Owners Refused 10 Provide
Means Of Escaping In Case Of
FIr-AppallIng Scenes Wit.
ncsseG-Dea,h List Greater
Than First Reported.

Than First Reported.
MISSE4PoLls, MIMI, Dec. 1.-Four
,noGu.blackened aud crumbllng walls
lowering up about a steaming, smoking,
snoulerins mass Of machinery, brick
and bail ling debris is all that now re.
mains OF th, eight,story brick building
Mtnu corner OF First avenue, South and
Fourth streets, in which until to-day had
been printed three daily and one weekly
newspapers, aud where was located tho
Minneapolis Tribune, besides numerous
othrr Offices. All day to-day a constant
ly changing aud ever increasing crowd
Of eight ssers thronged the streets,
w4,clns the efforts Of the Aremen to
subdue entirely the flames which they
had brought under control at about 2
O'Clock this morning.
The fire was a fierce one while II
lasted, and II was due to the effective
work ol the department that the flames
were kept from spreading TO the frame
buildings on the adjacent lots. The
plan Ot the building was such as 10 make
II well nigh impossible for any who de.
lappd after the alarm had been given
to make their escape from the building
As there were not less than one hun
dred men ut work oil the upper stories
at the tine the fire broke out and the
warnlng was late as well as the means Of
pgrtsS limited, some loss Of life WAS
a certainty. Several times there have
been small fires In tho building, but
thty were quickly txtinguished, 80 that
all ftaiz,d the cOmbustibls nature OF the
building, Il warning was less likely to be
her,!eA. The building has been con.
sidtred dangerous for some time, lis loose
construction causing the heavy ma.
Chinpry To jar the whole building. There
wua but UnN escape, and II was at the
tnd ofthe building where the fire ragged
6vrcest.
CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE.
The sing gleStair was spiral, narrow and
dark, and wound around the elevator
shaft. Three years ago the inadequate
att protection Of the building was con.
NdtlSbly Hgitattd, the matter being
tak,nup by the trades and labor as.
senbly ana finally to tho city officials,
OIL attempt beiug made 10 have the
building properly protected or con-.
dtnntd, but nothing came Off Since,
that tiue no changes havebeen made In
the building. Last night, o few min.
uttS utter l0o'ClUCk, when the alarm was
tOuudtd, II was not regarded seriously
by the men ut work. although many Of
them started down stairs. No danger OF
serious results was thought Of when the
NTH started out, many Of them jOkingly
speaking Of 1t as false alarm, This
feeling Of safety resulted In the death Of
q number and the narrow escape Of
others. For some time the union league
club rOom where the hre started, has not
been used, aud the are's Origin 10 q mys-
terry. This room Is close to the elevator
shaft and In the attempts to put out the
flames window was broken open, bring
ing ina draft OF fresh air, The flames
shot across the hall and then up the Gle.
valOr shaft In a moment and cut Of, those
who had stayed. A few broke
through the sitting smoke and
scOrching flames, but others sought es.
capeelsewhtre. Being at the south end
Of thG building, while the only Gre o..
cape was At the north the printers found
their way TO the stairs as well as down
them cut oil, A number Of them climbed
out the windows aud Clung 10 the win
dow ledHts, waiting for the help which
in several cases, CGtne too late. Theil
piteOus cries for help directed the fire
men to them and number were saved
Others fell oil their narrow resting place
or dropped irom tho telegraph and tele,
phone wires, over which they had tried
TO escape, to their deaths on the frozen
ground below.
THRILLING slonT.
The sight Of tho suAerings Of the
burning, struggling men brought tears tc
the eyes Of the bfavest, and women
prayed, tnd strong men breathlessly
watched operator Ipoe's brave attempt
to ptcDpc. lie had got clear Of The
building and was gradually working bill
way along tue wires TO gaiety, while tlt
silent, prayeriul crowd below ahxlouSly
aud Glpltssly watched bis brave attGmpl
to save 10 his wife and four little oneI
their brVad.wnner.
But the wirUa cut and his strength
failed, aud groan went Up from thC
uplurntd faces lar below him when III
WAS seen tU slip from Ills slight support
and fall to the roof OF tho boiler holise
where lie received fatal injuries. Met
liIttd him gently aud started With hin
tOa drug store, but ON the way, alter I
last wOtd oilovlng care for hlsfamily, ,hC
bleNtllud Ills last, Other heAflfendinI
scenes were witnessed, but no fight fol
llit could have been pluCkier than this
aud llB fatal termination was d matte
lnt uiliyehal regret, Seven bodies wefI
found around the building laAt night
AllUl which hayO bOCn identified. The!
were.
TnR VICTIMS
Milton Pickett, Assistant City Edllo
Of the Pioneer rhtNI
JAMES +, lGoC, Associated Press nigh
operator,
Walter II. Miles, night agent and dai
operator VI tle Associated pFeab,
Edward Olsen, President oi the Uni
Vtihlly OF South Dakota al Ygfmllllon.
, W. u MlllmAn, Commercial Editor o
the tribune.
Jpig Jenkins, printer
Robert MtDulChtOn, printer,
Olllvf budl,B are known 10 DO In lhV
building, bu, Just how many 10 uhcer
Mlh' Two men who could Iibt be lden
'n,u shot themselves rather than b,
Onfbtd 10 death, aud to-day The body 0
man caught ln the ruins ID plain elgh
" hg crowd on Fourth street, Itibbg
neVed That the number Of victims will
reach 70 aud perhaps 20, but until th