Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-04-20
FELL into The FLAMES.
NINE FIREMEN KILLED IN A
BURNING THEATRE.

The Blazing Roof of the Davidson,
at Milwaukee, Wis, Drops In,
Carrying With 1t Those Who Were
Fighting the Fire-Nob1e Deeds of
Heroism.
The Davidson Theatre and Hotel, the finest
playhouse in Milwaukee,, Wis, and one OF
the handsomest and costliest theatres in the
country, was destroyed by fire early few
mornings ago, and eight flremen lost their
lives by the failing In of the roof. The
scenery carried by the LilIputians, who
were playing ten days engagement at the
theatre Is all gone. Manager RoseDfeld. OF
the company, says it was worth S25 900. The
roof was sheet of flame before the firemen
arrived but ladders were run up, and the
men rushed on the roof. six stories from the
ground In doing SO, Ollie Ries, one OF the
men. slipped and fell to the ground, being
killed by the fall
All the men from No. Engine were d.
rected to the rear of the roof, right over the
stage where the fire was the worst Some
men from other companies were with them
when without warming, the roof gave way,
precipitatinS eight ofthe men eighty feet into
the fire on the stage. All OF them were
either killed by the fall or burned to death
or suffocated.
The dead are: Archibald Campbell, Cap
tain OF the f1reboat James Foley james g.
Freeman, Lieutenant Company John Car
roll, Chemical; August Jansen, Third AS.
sistant Chief of Department and brother OF
Chief John T. Jansen of the Police Depart
ment Frederick Kroeschmuer, Chemical,
Frank McGurk, Lieutenant Of Truck and
Acting Captain of IA Company THOMAS
Morgan Company No. l ollie Ries, Com
pany; Frank Whine. 4 Chemical.
Tie four other hremen went down with
the roof. but yere rescued and takon to the
Emergency Hospital.
Fireman James Crowley was rescued soon
after noon after having been ptnioned down
under a mass OF timber for several hours and
after having faced death in three forms
fire. drowning and suffOcatlon.
An engine was kept pumping away tho
water that steadily rose and threatened to
drown him, and air was forced through
hose to keep him from being choked to death
by the thick smoke that filled the building.
The large building was used Tor theatre
on the ground floor and the rear. The part
above the ground floor was the Hotel Da-
wilson. The hotel was well filled with
guests, but they were all warned in time
and escaped without in jury.
The fire originated apparently on tho
stage under the roof. The stage was very
large one, md the fire had made great pro-
gress in the oily scenery and was perfect
furnace when discovered.
The Lilputians. with an immense amount
OF scenery, were filling a two weeks engage
ment in "a Trip to Mars" in the house. The
stationary scenery, which was large, and
that of the Liliputians gave the flames ad-
vantage, and the thing went like finder.
When the roof fell in the members of tho
insurance fire patrol were covering up tho
seats of the parquet. They ran back just in
time to escape the falling roof, Us portions
of 1t dropped into the parquet.
Immediately after the roof fell tho f1remen
went at the work of rescue. Streams Of water
were thrown into the blazing heap of debris
from the walls, and the men of the insur-
ance patrol ran into the pit and began to
drag away the timbers that pinned down the
men who had fallen with the roof.
The work progressed slowly and an hour
passed before the first body was recovered.
AS soon as the injured were taken out ambu-
lancos conveyed them to tho hospital. On
either side of the blackened walls Of the the
atre are the words absolutely fireprOof."
Michael Dunn, Captain of the fire tug
Cataract, was on the roof when it fell, but
did not go down with it. Other tiremen
rugged rope, making it fast to part of tho
hotel building, and dropped it over into the
awful hole through which their comrades
had fallen.
Selling the rope, Dunn slipped into the
furnace. Soon there was a cry from below
to pull the rope up. Dunn had found Pipe
man Yeo helpless, tied the rope around him,
and ordered it raised.
The total money loss occasioned by the fire
Is about 1926, 900, as follows Theatre proper
and stationary scenery about $4,000
Rosenfeld Brothers, proprietors of the Iilt-
putians, who were playing at the theatre,
$45, 900; Joseph Clauder, orchestra leader,
$4,000