Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-01-28
THE FLAMES PREY.
Disastrous Fire in the Business
District Of Columbus, 0.
Property Valued at Nearly a Half
Million Dollars Swept Away-A
Number of Narrow Escapes.
A WHOLE BLOCK BURNED.

COLUMBUS, O., Jan. 27.-The most
disastrous fire that Colum bus has ever
experienced occurred in the large
block of buildings at the northwest
corner of Rich and High streets.
A small blaze started about 7:4o
a. m in the large building at the
corner, and before noon the entire
block from Rich street to Walnut. and
from High to Wall, had been Quilted by
the flames. Among the buildings de-
stroyed were the Metropolitan opera
house and Godman's shoe factory.
Narrow Escapes.
There were a number of thrilling and
hair breadth escapes, and with the large
force of women employed about the
building, it is miraculous that the
death roll does not mount up high
er. Godman's shoe factory employs
about 2O4 persons; 1872 of these are
girls, 60 men and II boys The spec
tacle of girls going down the fire
ladders and escapes with aprons
over their heads was one of the
thrilling episodes that caused
the hearts of men to stand still These
victims were driven out of the building
by the fierce flames, and had not even
time to get on their trappings, the Ere
spread so rapidly.
Jumped from a window.
It is reported that Katie Trott
jumped through the window on the
first floor and broke both her legs;
Louise Ault and Miss Sauerfrey had
thrilling experience in being saved
from the flames They found
the hall full of smoke and flames,
through which they had to go, and
fire shut oft the access to the stairway,
and it is reported that Miss Ault
sprang through the flames while
her companion jumped through a
window on the north side of the
building. A woman from the upper
floor made her way to the lower part
of the factory building and there be-
heat. 1t is supposed that the fire start
ed in the shoe factory. The loss, it is
thought, will be about $3.50, 200.
Saved by Brave Men.
Very soon after the fire began to pour
out from the fourth floor of the Opera
House block the great crowd of spec
tators were Mortified by the sight of a
woman with a babe in her arms
stepping out of fourth-story win
dow on to the fire escape She gestic-
ulated wildly for moment, then turned
and disappeared within, evidently Civ
ing up in despair of saving herself in
so dangerous a manner. Two officers
rushed up the stairway through
the binding smoke and flames, and in
a few moments were seen again with
the woman and child. When the i'm
mense crowd saw that they were
saved mighty cheer went up from
those who had held their breath
Probably Lost.
Another woman appeared at the
fourth story window, started to de-
scend by the fire escape. but being
confused and blinded by the smoke,
returned inside, to be seen no more.
Depew's Quarter Centennial.
NEW YORK, Jan. 27-Chauncey M.
Depew has invited thirty prominent
railroad men and personal friends to
dine with him at his home in this CITY
next Thursday night The occasion is
in celebration of Mr.. Depew's quarter
centennial as railroad man, and the
company will include the presidents of
nearly all of the railroads in the great
Vanderbilt system.