The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-08-15
CAUGHT AS IN A TRAP
There Was Not a Sign Of a Fire b.
cape on The Building
SEVERAL PERSONS PERISH
And Several others Are Injured
Some Jump From a Third
story Window and Are
Dashed to Piecss.

CHICAGO. Aug. IA hotel fire resulting
in the death of a number OF guests oc-
Cured this morning In threc-story
structure on Madison street, near Fifth
avenue. A man jumped from the top
story of the building and was killed, and
about half dozen Others were snffocated
or burned to death. The body of Harry
Godfrey, years old, was recovered. The
building was a dila apidated structure &C.
cupied as q restaurant on the first fioor
and the Senate hotel on the upper floors.
Thirty guests were i'm the building when
the fire broke out. Those who perishcd
in the fire were caught like rats in q trap
and unable to make their escape.
When the fire was gotten under control
and a search of the premises completed,
II was found that five people ad been
killed outright and two Others so severely
injured that they died this afternoon at
hospital. The dead are: Harry Godfrey.
1-year-od son OF Jay Godfrey OF Bu-
chanan, Mich; Edward Short, aged c6,
Lafayette, Ind; Mrs. Fannie Reed, re-
Gently from New York, widow. aged %;
Philip Cronbcrg. aged 81, Little Rock,
Ark; William uiicry. Buchanan. Mich,
aged IL; an unknown man, about 31, may
be G. A. Taylor of Hot Springs, Ark; an
unknown man about % years.
The injured are Jay Godfrey and wife.
Mrs. Il. A. Coons and her 15-ycar-old
daughter Flora. Grace Godfrey, o. Palmer,
+. Meyer. L. X. L. Morton of Syracuse,
NY None of those suffered more than
painful bruises and cuts. Two unknown
men, however, were removed To a hospital
UNCONSCIOUS and have N ,t been identified.
They may not recover.
The origin of the fire is n mystery, brt
Is supposed to have been caused by tho
overturning or explosion Of stair lamp.
The night clerk had just gone TO n wash
room To clean up preparatory to leaving a
watch. when lac heard slight noise out
side the Office. By the time he returned
to II the place was filled with smoke and
he had barely time after shouting fire"
few times To escape down stairs.
Edward Short and one of the unknown
dead would have been saved had they
obeycd the firemcn who were getting lad
,lers in position while the men were at the
windows. They shouted to them. keep
cool" The men seemed crazed with fear,
however, and jumped from the third fioor
10 the fiagstones below. sustaing fatal
injuries. Some others inhaled the flames
and died in hofrible agony, and two were
II. A. Coons, Of Minnesota, with his wife
and two daughters had rooms OH tho
second floor. When aroused by the cry OF
fire, he and his wife dressed hurriedly and
he fastened into the hall to go 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 was
tho other daughter. The smoke was Sc
binding lac could not reach IL and aimosi
succumbed in the hall himself. FINAL,
no made his was back to the othcl
members of his family and took
them to the third noor whence
with much difficulty they escaped
to building OF similar height
next door. Taken from the roof b,
firemen. they told them of the other child
in the burning building, but gave up hope
of seeing her alive. The hremen made
rush for the front building will
ladders and in few minutes
brought the girl out safe with tn,
exception of few burns and luns
trouble caused by the inhalation Of smoke
The firenen say the place was the wors
kind of fire trap. Owing TO tho fac
that il was but three stories high the Law
did not compel the owners to put fire rs
capcs on the building. and this fact |,
accountable for most of tho loss Of life.