The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-07-18
wARNED rnE mEN Nor 10 ASCEND.
John II. skinner Says Fire Marshal Muir
phY il to Hlnme for the Dlsaster.


CHICAGO. ILL, July 17.-John y. skin
ner. president Of the Hercules Iron
Works Company. owning the cold stor-
age building. burned last Monday lays
the blame for the terrible loss Of life
upon Assistant Fire Marshal Murphy. Tie
insists that the blunder was made In the
face Of repeated warnings from the en-
ployes in the building. Captain Fitz-
patrick was with Marshal Murphy. The
men, Skinner declares. would not listen
20 the admonltions OF the men who knew
the structure and the danger OF ascent
20 the tower
There is one side Of this fire case that
has not yet been told" said Mr.. Skinner
yesterday. Il suppose Il Will all come
out before the coroner if the case IS gone
fully into and the coroner keeps his
promise that he will go to the bottom ~
the affair. There was absolutely no ex-
cuse for the loss Of a single life The
hremen were informed by our employees
that there was fire below before they
went up into the tower They We're begged
not to go up, and the danger was pointed
out I'm advance when there was plenty Of
time to order down such as were already
up"
Disputes I'm the Fire Department.
Two matters are engrossing the atten-
tion of the Worlds Fair fremen besides
their regular duties. one of them is the
accusation brought by President John B
Skinner and other officers Of the cold
storage company that Marshal Murphy
drove the fremen up the tower 10 their
death, but did not lead them nor follow
them. The other subject Of general con-
versation in fire department cir
cles and Columbian guard circles Is the
dispute between Marshal Murphy and
Chief Swenie as 10 who made the heroic
rescue OF Captain Fitzpatrick from the
burning roof by means OF ladders and
lifeline
Lieutenant Barker. Of Engine Company
No. 50, and Lieutenant Miller. Of truck
No. 16, both parts Of the city fire depart
ment outside the gates. performed the
gallant rescue at the risk of being burn
"a 10 death. according 10 the report Of
chief Swene the veteran head Of the
Chicago department.
In contradiction Of this official state
ment Assistant Marshal Murphy says
that neither Of the lieutenants were on,
the roof at the time. He makes the
same statement that he did on the night
Of the fire. that Hans Reifeldt. Of hook
and-ladder No. S; Captain James Ken
nedy. Of hook -and-ladder No. 8, and him
self brought Fitzpatrick's broken. burned
and almost lifeless body from the blazing
roof.
The rescue was witnessed by TO- DO aeo-
pie, and al those not employed on the
fair grounds, but those who knew the iie-
men. say that the two lieuterAn's wee
the her, es. while Marshal Murphy was
only the under man or the ladder.
Inside the grounds there Is a peculiar
agreement i'm the statements regarding
the rescuers I'm favor Of the Exposition
chief. Ed Murphy, and the flremen named
by him. At the cOroner's inquest some
light may be thrown under oath on the
contradictory statements. but the present
situation shows that the official relations
beWeen Chief Swsnie and Marshal Muir
ply are considerf bly, strained.
This. IL is understood by many persons
I'm and out OF the fire department. is due
TO conviction in the mind of Chief
Swenie that Murphy should have needed
the warning Of the cold storage people as
10 the danger from the fire below the
men i'm the tower and he should have
regulated the orders 10 his men by the
information given him regarding the fire
and tower with the sole intention OF
guarding against the needless sacrifice Of
brave fremen
Even the dead Captain Fitzpatrick
comes in for a share OF the accusation
made I'm regard 20 the Ignoring Of all
Of the firemen.
Walter NJ Donaldson. Office manager Of
the warehouse: Architect Alsop and 4. J.
Branch. an office employe. will be called
on 10 testify before the coroner as TO the
alleged unheeded warnings, advice and
information given 20 Marshal Murphy and
Captain Fitzpatrick.
At the time OF the fire when the per-
ishing men were in the flaming pit there
was one thought I'm every ones mind and
II found expression everywhere II was
that I'm sending those men between two
fires some one had made a blunder which
the law should not overlook. and Mar
shall Murphy's name was coupled with It.
The Exact Loss of Life Unknown.
One week has elapsed since the Worlds
Fair fire, and still the mystery Of the
exact number of human lives lost remains
unsolved. For three days practically no
attempt was made 20 clear up the ruins,
and the work that has been done since
that time has only had the effect OF in
dicating the large amount OF labor still
ahead before the investigation is com
plete and the funeral pyre gives up It's
secrets.
The cessation OF work yesterday attrac-
ted general unfavorable comment, and
although a large force Is engaged on the