The record-union., 1893-08-15
snecial 10 the REcoRp-Ux1ox.

lI1 III the u6dbn Ol a lluillDCl Va hCSS'4
occurred this morning in three-story
structure on Madison street, near Fifth
avenue. \ man jumped from the top
story of the building and was killed, and
about half a dozen others were sutfocated
and burned to death. The body of Henry
Godfrey, years old, has been recovered.
The building was dilapidated struct-
ure, and occupied as restaurant on the
first floor, and separate hotel on the upper
floors.
Thirty guests were in the building
when the fire broke out. Those who
perished were caught like rats in trap.
and were unable to make their escape.
When the fire was gotten under control
and a search of the premises was COM
pleted it was found that five people had
been killed outright. Two others were
so severely injured that they died this
afternoon at the hospital.
The dead are: Harry Godfrey, the
seven-year-old son of Jay Godfrey of
Buchanan, Mich; Edward Short, aged
2G, Lafayette, Ind; Mrs. Fannie Reed,
recently from New York, widow, aged
q; Philip Cronberg, aged p, Little Rock,
AIR. W HlidlI I 1lCl 1phOIAdAeRiis -AANii'1
aged Il; an unknown man about 80, may
be C. A. Taylor of Hot Springs, Ark; an
unknown man about % years.
The injured are: Jay Godfrey and
wife, Mrs. T. A. Coons and her 15-year-
old daughter Flora, Grace Godfrey, O..
Palmer, +. Meyer, r. L. Morton of Syra-
cuse, n. y.
None of these suffered more than pain
full bruises and cuts. Two unknown
men, however, were removed to the hos
pital unconscious and have not been
identified. They may not recover.
The origin of the fire is a mystery, but
it is supposed to have been caused by the
overturning or explosion of a stair lamp.
The night clerk had just gone to the
washroom to clean up, preparatory to
leaving his watch, when he heard slight
noise outside the Office. By the time he
returned to it the place was filled with
smoke, and he had barely time after
shouting fire few times to escape down
the stairs.
Edward Short and one unknown dead
would have been saved had they obeyed
the firemen, who were getting ladders in
position while the men were at the win
dows, and shouted to them to keep cool.
The men seemed crazed with fear, how
ever, and jumped from the third floor to
the tlagstones below, sustaining fatal in
juries. Some others inhaled flames and
died in horrible agony, and two were
suflocated.
L. a. Coons of Minnesota with his wife
and two daughters, had rooms on the sec
ond floor. When aroused by the cry of
fire he and his wife dressed hurriedly,
and he hastened into the hall to his
daughters room. He met one girl in the
hall and sending her to her mother, tried
to make his way to the room in which
the other daughter was. The smoke was
so binding that he could not, and almost
succumbed in the hall himself Finally
he made his way back to the other men,
bers of the family, and took them to the
third floor, whence with much difficulty
they escaped to a building of a similar
hight next door, and were taken from
the roof by firemen. He told them of the
other child in the burning building, but
gave up hope of seeing her alive. The
firemen made a rush for the front of the
building with ladders, and in a few min
utes brought the girl out safe, with the
exception Of slight bruises and burns and
lung trouble caused by the inhalation of
smoke.
The firemen say the place was the
worst kind of fire-trap. Owing to the
fact that it was but three stories high, the
law did not compel the owners to put
fire-escapes on the building, and this fact
is accountable for most Of the loss OF life.
FOREST FIRES IN WISCONSIN.
CHIPPEWA (Wis.), Aug. 1.-THE forest
fires which were supposed to have been
quenched by the recent rain have broken
out again, and the country north and
west OF here is threatened with destruc-
tion. An engine was sent out this after
noon from here to Wltho, a small place
forty miles west. Other villages and
homesteads in reach of the flames are in
great danger. and the villagers are out at
ali hours guarding against destruction.
MINNEAPoLIs, Aug. 1.-THE forest fires
have surrounded Bruce Crossing and
Matchwood, two stations on the Duluth,
South Shore and Atlantic Railroad, l50
miles from Superior. The wires are
down, and the da mage cannot be learned
BIG BLAZE AT sTEUBENvILLE.
STEUBENVILLE (O.). Aug. 14.-This city
was visited this afternoon by the greatest
conhagration in the history of the place.
The fire started in Lindsay's livery stable.
on Fourth street, at 2:l5 O'Clock, and be-
fore it was subdued two large blocks, sew
eral stores, twelve residences and num-
ber of stables were in ruins. The loss
will reach $4,000. The insurance is
about half.
SCHOoLHoUSE BURNED.
PONTIAC Qll.), Aug. IA fire this
morning destroyed brick public school,
valued at 1900; insured for SI6,76O
FIRE AT SPOKANE.
SPOKANE (Wash.), Aug. IA fire yes
terday destroyed 100000 feet of lumber
belonging to the Falls City Lumber Com
pany, a house and barn belonging to DR..
King and other property, of the total
value of $4,000.
FIGURING MILLS BURNED.
DENVER Coli, Aug. 1.-THE Crescent
FIGURING Mills, the largest in the West,
were burned to-day. The loss will be
over 100000.
FIRE AT CHICO.
CHICO, Aug. IA fire yesterday de-
stroyed the residence of J. A. L. Shuste
and contents in the southern part of the