The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-10-27
DEATH IN THE FLAMES
A Fatal and Disastrous Fire in
Seattle.
Several Persons Burned to Death and
Many Others Seriously
Injured.

SEATTLE, Wash, Oct. PA fire W hitch
resulted certainly in twelve deaths and in
The injury of three persons broke out in the
West-street House. at the corner OF Co
lumbia and West streets, about l O'clock
this morning. and at this hour, A NJ,
all Of the dead are burned beyond rec
ignition aud the Corone decided to allow
the dead foreman where they are in hopes
that the proprietor could identity the
bodies by the location of the rooms, the
hotel register being saved.
The flames broke out so suddenly and so
fle.cely that the occupants were taken BY
surprise and there was wild panic, men
and women jumping from the windows in
all manner of attire.
A sharp explosion was heard in
kitchen In the rear part of the second
floor by S. +. Butler, son Of the proprie-
tor, and Immediately the flames began TO
spread rapidly through the dry inner tim
Der of the corrugated iron building, which
is one of a range of two-story structures,
owned by j. NJ. ColmaD, on the east side
of West street.
Butler raised a cry OF Fire" which
aroused the guests, with whom the house
was crowded, and a rush for life followed.
1t was not any TOO soou, for the flames
were rushing through The long narrow
halls like invading soldiers sackinS a city.
In the meantime Officer +. F. Bryant
had discovered the flames and turned in
eli wi iab
ment to the scene. Then he turned his at
tention to saving the terrified people. who
peered from every window with the flames
fast creeping up behind them.
He found Mrs. Susie Allen and her two
year-old child at a window ON the West
street side. the woman crying. "My child!; |
"Drop the child" shouted the officer.
She did so, and he caught it safely In
his arms. Depositing 1t in the mud he
snatched a plank and set it against win
dow. The woman slid down on it and
suffered no further injury than a few
scratches.
w. f. Butler. proprietor of the hotel,
was in bed when the fire was discovered,
and escaped in scanty attire.
His son. S. F. Butler, was night clerk /
th e hotel. Hs says tie fire undoubtedly
originated from kerosene lamp in the
kitchen, which was located on the upper
floor near the rear wall. The flames made
such rapid progress that before the in
mates could possibly be aroused the fire
was upon them.
Then the people began to drop from the
windows on both sides of the builling.
the flames closely following them. c. r.
Lewis. who was In room A at the corner.
dropped twenty feet to the ground and
escaped unhurt.
Joseph A. Day. who was In room g.
tied the sheets together and used them as
rope 10 slide down on. D. 3. Glass
jumped out of window as he saw the
flames crowding him. but not till his hair
was snged. He struck on the small of
his back and lay struggling on the ground.
he was picked up and carried to the
Northern Pacific passenger station, and with
two others was taken to hospital One
poor fellow, whose identity is unknown,
was caught in the rush of the conflagra-
ton near the top of the Wesi-street stair
way, and sank down overcome with the
smoke and flames.
The hremen fought to keep the fire away
from his body, but were driven back an
when last seen the victlm's right arm had
been burned TO a blackened cinder.
Two streams were kept trained on this
place aud the water fell in torrents on the
stairway. and was hot enough almost TO
scald.
There was some unaccountable DELAY in
getting the water on owing 10 The
slowness OF the frebaat in getting
up steam. When at last the pressure
did come. the building was a raeino
furnace, and all that could be done was 70
confine the flames to the block where thew
started.
The first dead man was taken ont from
room over the Fill Syrup Compauy's
store, and was found with one leg in his
trousers and his shoes half. laced.
The body was discovered with his head
covered with bedclothes, under the bed,
having apparently hidden from the fiameil
so badly burned as to be lnrecoguizable