The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-14
FATAL FLAMES At MEMPHIS
-Four Killed and Many Injured in
Leapin6 from Windows.

hdInp-1he Slx-StOry building
Ahre from Top to Bottom in a Jiffy.
Fifteen Persons in the Young Mems
Christian Association Library Cut
OF by the Flames Before They Gould
Escape by the Rushing to
the Windows, Several Leap Out.
Memphis, Tenn, Nov. 13, 1O:3O p. M
Fire broke out tonight about 715 o'clock
in the Wetter block, on Main street,
between Monroe and Union streets, and
before the flames were checked, at 9p. m,
several lives were lost and nearly 81 0O0,-
600 worth of property went up in smoke
The exact number of lives lost is not
known at this hour, but careful esti-
mate places it at four, while four or five
were injured, some fatally, in jumping
from the burning building.
AN EXPLOSION AND A FLASH.
About 7:l5 o'clock people in the vicin-
ity were startled by the report of an ex-
plOsion and a fash In an instant flames
werepouring from the lower floor of the six
story building occupied by the Schmalz-
reid Hardware Company. The second,
third, fourth and fifth floors were occu-
pied by the Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation, and it was in this place that the
terrible loss of life occurred.
The fire started from the explosion of
a large coal oil lamp near the stairway,
and in three minutes the entire front of
the building was in flames and all means
of exit cut off.
FIFTEEN PERSONS CAUGHT IN A TRAP.
There were about fifteen persons in the
library when the alarm was given. They
made wild rush for the Main street exit
only to be driven back by the flames.
Like a herd of sheep they rushed in
bunch for the windows at the rear of the
building, but the flames had spread so
rapidly through the building that the
facings of three windows were on fire
when they reaclred them. They stood
huddled together at the window for a
moment or two when the crowd below
yelled "leap," "jump for your lives"
LEAPS FOR LIFE.
One man took the advice, jumped and
was caught on telegraph wire, but was
rescued. He was followed a moment
later by comrade who aimed for the
wires, but missed them, and fell TO the
pavement below. Two other men made
the same attempt, but they missed the
wire and went down on top of their COM
rade
At this juncture the firemen arrived
and ladders were quickly run up to the
windows. Many were rescued, but be-
fore the others could be saved the flames
burned the ladder, and the remainder per
ished in the burning building.
NAMES OF THE INJURED.
Memphis Tenn, Nov. l3, :45 p. m.-
The names of the killed cannot be learned
tonight, if they are ever known. Secre-
tary Perkins of the Young Mems Chris
tian Association is the only person who
can give any definite information as to
the exact number of lives lost, and he
lies at St. Joseph'a hospital, unconscious.
The names of the seriously injured, as far
as can be learned, are as follows:
A. K. Perkins, skull crushed, internally
injured; will die.
Charles Watkins, ianitor, internally
injured will die.
William BoaIdman, Water Valley,
Miss, internally injured may die.
C.. Il. White, arm broken and internally
injured; will probably recover.
Several others were more or less
injured, but none fatally.
Lennon & Gale, dry goods, loss on
building and stock $500 insurance
S125, 900.
Young Mems Christian Association,
loss on library and gymnasium $35, 900; in
surance $4,000.
Pythian, loss $1,000; no insurance.
T. H. Bond, a young man who was in
the Young Mems Christian Association
o,s., ,1r, avYk
missing. He is believed to be among those
who perished
AN ADJOINING BUILDING DAMAGED.
The fire spread to the building occupied
by Lemon & Gale, wholesale dealers in
dry goods, and damaged it to the extent
of 900 before the flames
could be extinguished. The Lemon &
Gale stock was mostly damaged by
water, and may prove total loss.
BY hard work the iremen prevented
the spread of the fire on the south side of
the Wetter building but the stocks of the
neighboring merchants were greatly
damaged BY water. The loss of
life is due to the lack of properly con-
structed fire escapes on the buildings
The owners ofthe buildings will be crimi-
nally prosecuted.
The losses, as far as can be learned to-
night, are as follows:
Schmalzried Hardware Co., on stock,
S35, ,009; insurance, S28, 900.
Building, owned jointly by H. Wetter
and the Schmalzried Co., loss 1926, ,000 in
surance, S17 600.
Memphis Loan building, adjoining the
Wetter building, loss $4,000.
The total loss will reach $500, 000
The buildings damaged and destroyed
were all new, having been built few
months ago in place of those destroyed by
the million dollar fire that occurred in
FEBRUARY 1892.
A PANIC IN THE AUDITORIUM.
When the fire broke out panic occur
red in the Auditorium, where 5000 people
had assembled to listen to Rev. Sam
Jones, who is conducting revival. For
a time the greatest excitement prevailed
and several persons were knocked down
and trampled upon by the crowd in the
mad rush. The ushers had presence Of
mind enough TO throw open the score of
exists and this, together with the
clarion voices of Rev Sam Jones and G.
p NJ Turner, which could be heard
above the din shouting that the fire was
mne from the Auditorium, quieted the
people to great extent. The panic was
started by a long haired crank in one of
the galleries crying fire.
Skipped With All the Funds.