, 1889-12-05
THEH0L0CAUST
Four Blackened Walls
Tell the Story.
THE TRIBUNE BUILDING A TRAP.
Only One Escape for Over a
Hundred Men,
THE OWNERS SEVERELY CRITICISED.
one Of the Most Pathetic Incl
dents, the Attempt of James
lgoe to Escape.
THE TRIBUNE BUILDING A TRAP.
THE OWNERS SEVERELY CRITICISED.

MiNNEAPotIs, Dec. -Four blackoned
walls, towering UP above a stenminp.
sinouiderlng mass of machinery. brick
ana building debris, is all that remains
OF the eight'story brick Tribune build
ing, In which, until to-day, had been
printed three daily and weekly news
paper, and where was located n numher
of offices. All to-day a constantly
changing and ever increasing crowd Of
sightscors thronged the streets, watch.
ing the efforts of the tremen to subdue
entirely the flames, which they brought
under control about o'clock this morn.
ing.
The building has been considered dan.
gerous for some time, its loose construc.
ton permitting the heavy machinery
to jar the whole building. There was
but one fire escape, and it was at the
end of tho building where the fire ragged
tiercest. The single stairway was spiral,
narrow and dark, and wound around
the elevator shaft. Three years ago in
adequate fire protection of the build.
ing was considerably agitated, the mat
ter being taken up by the trades and labor
assemblies, and carried finally to the
city officials, an attempt being made
to have the building properly protected
or condemned, but nothing came ofit.
For some time the Union League club
room, where the fire started, had not
been used, and the origin is mystery.
The room is close TO the elevator shat,
and the breaking of window in efforts
to extinguish the flames gave draft,
which quickly carried the fire TO the ele..
yator and cut off the escape of those who
had delayed. A few broke through the
sitting smo kc and scorching flame, but
others sought escape elsewhere. Being
at the south end of the building, while
the solitary fire escape was at the north
end, the printers were cut off. A num-
ber, of them climbed out of the windows
ing for help, which In several
cases came too late. Their piteous
cries attracted the attention of the fire.
men and n number of them were saved,
while others fell oil the ledges or dropped
from telegraph or telephone wires, down
which they tried to escape. The sight
of suffering, burning, struggling men.
brought tears to the eyes Of the bravcst.
One ofthe most pathetic incidents was
the attempt OF James Igoc to escape.
He had got clear of the building and
was gradually working his way along
the wires to safety, Will Q the crowd he.
low anxiously watched his brave at
tempt to save to his wife and four little
ones their bread winner; but his
strength failed and u groan went up
from the crowd as he was seen to slip
and fall to the roof of the boiler house.
receiving fatal injuries. He was lifted
gently and started to drug store but
died in a few moments. breathing last
word of loving care for his family.
e., L.. 4.
of which have been identified. They
were: Milton Pickett, associate city edi-
tor of the Pioneer Press; James L. lgoe,
Associated Press operator; Walter r.
Miles, night agent Associated Press;
Prof Olson, president of the South Da-
kota university; W. II. Millman, com
mercial editor of the Tribune Jerry Jen-
kinson and Robert McCutcLeon, COM
poritors. Other bodies are known to be
in the building, but how many is un-
known.
Two men who could not be identified
were seen to shoot themselves before the
flames reached them, and to-day the
body of "A man caught in the ruins Is in
plain view from Fourth street. 1t is be-
iieyed the number Of victims will reach
twenty, and perhaps twenty-five, but
until the debris cools off positive in
formation can not 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
Jams gives the following statement of
how several of those named above lost
their lives;
"Miles and Millman, together with a
number of printers, had started down
the tre-escape, when blast of hot
smoke and flame struck Millman and
he lost his hold and fell knocking Miles
off. Both fell to the sixth floor, where
they struck ana knocked OIL Pickett and
Prof. Olson. The four men in falling
struck the lowest platform Of the escape
and bounded away from the building
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.
A printer OH the ladder escaped with
slight burns. lgoe and Jenkinsop
sought to escape by the wires. Nc
Cutchen jumped from window for an
extension ladder 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 injured. AS far as learned nine
of those in the building were quite seri-
ously burned or bruised in escaping but
it is not thought their injuries are dan
| perOns