Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-12-02
THE MINNEAPOLIS FIRE.
An UndOubted Case Of Man
slaughter.
WHERE THE BLAME BELONGS.
Gross Negligence of the Owners
of the Building-No Fire
Escapes Provided.

Gross Negligence OF the OWNERS
of the Building-No Fire
Escapes Provided.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD
MINNEAPoLIs, December 1.-Four
smoky, blackened walls towering up
about steaming and smouldering mass
of machinery, brick and building debris,
is all that remains of the eight-story
brick Tribune building in which, until
today, have been printed three daily and
a weekly newspaper, and where was To-
Gated number of offices. All today q
constantly changing and ever-increasing
crowd OF sight-sesrs thronged the streets,
watching the efforts of the fremen 10
subdue entirely the flames, which they
brought under control about 2 O'Clock
this morning. The building had been
considered dangerous, sometimes its
loose construction permitting the heavy
machinery to jar the whole building.
There was but one fire escape, and it was
at the end of the building
where the fire ragged fiercest. The
single stairway WAS spiral, narrow and
dark, and wound around the elevator
shaft. Three years ago the inadequate
fire protection of the building was con.
sidersbly agitated, the matter being
taken up by the Trades and Labor As
sembly and carried finally to the city
officials, an attempt being made to have
the building properly protected or con-
demned, but nothing came of it.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE UNKNOWN.
For some timo the Union League club
room, where the fire started, had not
bean useG, and the origin is a mystery.
and the breaking of window in the
draft which quickly carried the fire to the
who ha6 delayed. A few broke through
but the others sought to escape else
oil the building, and the only solitary
fre-escape at the uortb. end, the printers
were cut off. A number of them climbed
out Of the windows and chung to the
lodges, waiting for help, which in sev.
ersl cases came too late. Their piteous
cries attracted the attention OF the fire.
man, and number of them were saved,
while others fell off the lodges or dropped
from the telegraph and telephone wires
by which they tried to escape. The sight
ofthe sufferlngs of the burning, struggling
men brought tears to the eyes Of the
bravest.
A MOST PATHETIC INCIDENT.
One of the most pathetic incidents was
the attempt of James F. Igoe to escape.
He had got clear of the building and was
gradually working his way along the
wires to safety, while the crowdl below
auxiously watched his brave attempt to
save his wife and four litGle ones their
bread.winner. But his strength failed,
and groan went up from the crowd as
he was seen to slip and fall to the roof
Of the boiler house, receiving fatal in.
juries. He was lifted gently and carried
to drug store, but died in few mo.
ments, breathing last word of loving
care for his family.
THE SEW EN- KNOWN VICTIMS.
Seven bodies we're found last night
all Of which have been identified. They
we're: Milton Pickett, assistant city
editor of the Pioneer Press; James f.
Igoe, Associated Press operator; Walter
E. Miles, night agent Associated Press;
Professor Olsen, President South Dakota
university; W. III. Millman, commercial
editor of the Tribune; Jerry Jenkinson
and Robert McCutcheon, compositors.
Other bodies are known to be in the
building, but how many ia unknown.
PROBABLY TWENTY FIVE DEAD.
Two men who could not be identified
were seen to shoot themselves before the
flames reached them, and today the
body of man caught in the ruins 10 in
plain view from Fourth street. 1t is
believed that the number of victims will
reach twenty and perhaps twenty-five,
but until the debris cools off positive in
formation cannot be obtained.
The last man of the Tribune editorial
staff to leave the building was Managing
Editor Williams. He was badly burned
about the head and hands. Mr.. Will.
liams gives the following statement of
the attempt of several of those named
above to &C. down the fire escape and
HOW THEY LOST THRIR LIVES.
Miles and Millman, together with a
number of printers, started down the fire
escape. The blast of the hot smoke and
flame struck Millman and he lost his
hold and fell, knocking Miles OF. Both
fell to the sixth floor. where they struck
and knocked off Pickett and Professor
Olsen. The four men in falling struck
against the lowest platform of the es-
cape and bounded away from the build.
ing and were dead when they struck. the
ground. When Williams started down
the ladder the fire was burning his
hair and hands, and he narrowly escaped
the fate of those who preceded him. The
printers on the ladder escaped with
slight burns. +.
1goe and Jenkinson sought to escape
by the wires. McCutcheon jumped from
the window ledge for an extension lad.
der, but his hands slipped and he fell to
the pavement. A net was stretched to
catch him, but he was too heavy for it,
and striking the ground, was fatally
wounded.
As far as learned, nine of those in the
building we're quite seriously burned or
bruised in escaping, but it is not thought
their injuries are dangerous.
WHERE THE BLAME BELONGS.
Minneapolis Typographical Union
No. AZ met this afternoon, and adopted
resolutions stating that the records of the
Tribune and Journal chapels show that
committees had been repeatedly APP