Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-11-14
BURNED TO A CRISP
Four Persons Cfemated IN a Burn
ing Building at Memphis
BECAUSE EXITS WERE CUT OFF
Exploding Coal Oii Caused the Fire
and want of fire Escspes the
I.oss OF Life.

MEMPHIS. Tenn. Nov. l3-Fire started
tonight about 7I5 in the Wettee block.
and before the flames were checked sew
eral lives we're lost and nearly half a
million dollars worth of property went
up in smoke. The exact number ~
lives lost is not known. but q conserva-
tive estimate places il at four. while
four or live were injured. come fatally in
jumping from the burning bniIding.
About quarter past o'clock people in
the vicinity were startled by the report
Of an explosion and fash. In an in
stant the flames were pouring from the
lower floor Of the six story build.
ing occupied by the Schmaltzreid
Hardware company. the second. third.
fourth and fifth stories were occupied
by the Young Mems Christian associa-
ton. and II was in this place that the
terrible loss Of life occurred. The fire
started from the explosion OF q large
coal oil stove, and within live seconds
after the explosion the front OF the
building Was a seething mass of roar
ing. cracking flames The second four
was used az lecture room Of the y. NJ.
&. A.. while the third store Was used
as a library and IL was IN this death
trep that the holocaust occurred
All Egress Was Cut on
The flames leaped up the staircase 50
fast that all egress was cut ou. There
were about fifteen persons IN the library
and they made a rush for the main
street exit only 10 be driven back by the
flames. They stood huddled together
for a moment when the crowd below
yelled: Leap for your liyes' One
man jumped and was caught on tele-
graph wire but was rescued. Another
made a leap for the same wire but
missed il and fell to the pavcthent be
low. Two other men made the same at
tempt but they too missed the wire aud
went down on top Of their comrades.
At this juncture the fireinen arrived
with ladders which were quickly run up
tn the window. Three men we're rescued.
but before the others could be saved the
flames burned the ladder and the re-
mainder perished.
Names Of the Killed Not known.
The names OF the killed cannot be
learned tonight Secretary Perkins OF
the Y. NJ. G.. A. is the only person who
can give any definite Information to the
extent OF the number OF lives lost aud
he lies at St Joseph hospital uncon-
scious. suffering from fractured skull,
internal injuries and broken arm. The
names OF the seriously injured are A. X.
Perkins, secretary OF the y. NJ. G. A.
skull crushed. internally injured. leg
and right arm broken; will die. Charles
Watkins. janitor OF the building. inter
naily injured. legs and arms broken;
will die William Boardman, Water
Valley. Mississippi. leg broken and in
ternally injured; may die. {. X White.
arm broken and internally injured; will
probably recover. Several others were
more or less injured. but none OF
them fatally T. III. Bond. young man
who was in the Y VI. c. A. gymnasium.
when the fire broke out is missing. He
is believed 10 be among those who per
ished., The fire spread 10 the building
occupied by Lemon & Gale, wholesale
dealers in dry goods and damaged II TO
the extent OF $4,000. The loss Of life
is due to the lack Of properly con-
structed fire escapes on the building
List OF the Losses.
The losses. as far as can be learned
tonight. are as follows: Schmaltzreid
Hardware company. in stock $4,000. in
surance. s2S.C01; building owned jointly
by II. Wetter and the Schmaltzreid COM
pany. $4,000. insurance. $1,000; Lemon
4 Gale. dry goods. loss on building and
stock, $4,000. Insurance. $4,000;
Young Mems Crlstian association. loss
on library and gymnasium. $4,000;
insurance. $1,000; Pythian Journal.
$1,000. DO insurance; Memphis Loan
building. adjoining Wetter building.
$1,000. There were a number OF offices
in the Memphis Loan building. IL was
completely Hooded with water and the
losses sustained by the occupants will
I've neavy. The Largstaf Hardware
company sustained loss Of 5000 on
stock. The total loss will reach 60 O..
O00. The buildings damaged and de
stroyed we're all new. having been built
a few months ago in place of those de-
stroyed by tho million dollar hre that
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