Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-03-24
FIVE LIVES ARE LOST
BY the Burning Of a Cleveland
fre-Trap.
THE FLAMES SPREAD RAPIDLY
And Escape Was Cut On--Thriising
Experiences al Tenants--
building . Desth.Trap.

CLEVELAND, March -. Shortly after
apartment house on Prospect street,
known as The Morgan. caught FIRE and
in short time was blazing furnace.
The building was a mass of flames in
very few minutes. There was consider
able delay in sounding the alarm. by
this time the flames were under great
headway The house was crowded with
tenants and an immense throng gath
cred outside. As they began To swarm
forth. a scene of the greatest confusion
ensued. Ii soon became known that a
number 81 persons had undoubtedly lost
their lives and the excitement became
intense. An urgent call for more fire
apparatus had followed the first alarm
and the engines and trucks soon
ihundereA up and Immediately
firenien and crowd II willing
men were seeking for those who had
been penned up in the building. 4
number of women were soon brought
forth, two 81 them having been taken
from sick beds and the Others suffering
from partial suifocation and injuries
sustained in their wild efforts To escape.
A hasty calculation was made. and II
was announced that four women were
missing. Ii was considered almost Ger
tain that they had been sfnothered TO
death. Several fainting women were
taken to the offices of neighboring physi-
clans. and ambulances which had been
quickly summoned soon bore others
away TO hospitals. The cry at once
went up that Mrs. Il. q. Somers. blind
woman. was in her apartments in the
third floor. A heroic effort was made 10y
the firemen To save her, but she was
dead when found.
List or the Dead.
There were rumors that many III the
forty people in the building had per
ished. but il is now definitely known
that but five lost their lives. as follows:
Mrs. Mary Abbey. widow of the late
Judge Abbey.
Mrs. p. &. Somers blind woman.
Mrs. Emma Somers. her st.pdaughter.
Mrs. X. f. Hunt. daughter Of Mrs.
Emma SoIncrs. and
Percy Hunt, her son. aged Is months
Mrs. Hunt who lives in Brooklyn vii
lage. a suburban town. was visiting her
relatives when the terrible event oc-
CURED. The blind woman was terribly
burned. while the other woman died
from suifocation. The baby was alive
when taken from the burning building.
but diedfour minutes after being rescued.
The injured.
The injured are: DIR. Carl II. Won
Klein. face and hands burned in rescu-
.,,.x ,rn..s.o Nxc ~ Nsff.r nha 90 xo
the alarm and jumped from a second
story window. badly bruised: Mrs +. NJ.
Clifford. jumped from an upper window
and caught in a blanket, badly bruised:
Sam Pliner was badly burned in rescu-
ing his daughter.
1t was reported during the progress of
the fire that Mrs. Sarah X. Bolton. the
well known authoress and poetess. had
been burned To death. Several persons
asserted that she was in her apartments.
Mrs. Bolton, however. was down
town on shopping tour. The
cause of the fire is unknown.
although il originated in the basement.
near the furnace. Ii will be thor
oughly Investigated. as the building Is
said fo have been a fire-trap. The build
ing was owned 10y W. j. Morgan. the
photographer. and was rebuilt. less than
two years ago 1T cost ~ $4,000. His
loss ~ estimated at sls.ooo. insurance
$1,000. Mrs. VI. VI. Hanna. who was
the lessee. will lose $1,000 on furniture.
The losses of the tenants will foot up
$4,000. There were many narrow
escapes during the fire. The flames
spread 81 rapidly that the building was
Quilted in a very short time.