The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-11-28
FIVE LIVES LOST.
Fla tai Fire in a Big Business Block
in Chicago,

Chicago, Nov. 24.-The interior Of
the Exchange building, a seven-story
structure at the corner of Van Buren,
and Franklin streets, was destroyed
by fire to-day, entailing a loss of
$4,000 upon the owners and tenants
of the building. and causing the loss
Of five lives, the fatal injury of two
others, and the injury of six other
people, all of whom are expected to
recover.
The dead are Patrick ]. O'Donnell.
lieutenant of Engine Company No. =;
Martin Sherrick, pipeman; John
Down, pipeman: John Prendergast,
pipenan. all being crushed by falling
debris; T.. Landgraf, jumped from n
fourth story window.
The injured are Harry Neill, jumped
from a fourth story window, will die:
Nellie Turner, jumped from a third
story window, will die; Aggie McI.ain.
Olga Kellar, Hattie Brennan, Edna
Rittert, Mary Pink. all overcome by
smoke; Daniel McNalley, driver for
engine company, buried beneath de
bris, will recover.
1t was a few minutes before 9 n. m.
when Rose b. Race, employed by
CltiI ~ ItlfS. holl''h an obbl vi
smoke. She was working near q door.
and. stepping III into n hallway, her
suspicious were confirmed. The cor
ridors were rapidly filling with smoke.
She ran back into the work o
Thirty girls were there.
Fire. Fire! The building is on
fire." the frightened girl cried, as she
dashed by her companions. Instantly
there was confusion. Following the
example Of the girl who had given the
alarm. q score or more employees ran
here and there, not knowing what 70
do or where to 90. Although every eff
fort was made to control the fright
ened girls. several opened the win
dOws and climbed upon the lodges.
One of the first to do this was Nellie
Turner. She fell and was fatally in
jured.
4 Brave Rescue.
The escape of Olga Kallat, Of $50
Wabansia avenue is regarded as a
marvellous one by those who saw her
when she appeared at a fourth story
window. When the room began TO
fill with smoke she ran to a window
overlooking Van Buren, street. She
threw it up and climbed out on the
ledge, Clinging with n hand on the
narrow strip of wood on the outside
Of the sash. She saw a few feet be-
low her a ladder on which two fire
men stood and she prepared to jump.
"Wait. don't Jump shouted Capt.
H~ermanson, who had almost reached
the window. Great volumes of smoke
poured out Of the window where the
girl stood. 70 thousands Of persons
who were watching her from the
street, the seconds seemed like hours.
Cheer after cheer went up for Capt.
HermansOn as he climbed up. He had
almost reached the window when he
suddenly stopped. None on the street
knew the cauSe He had heard the
girl scream and as he looked up he
saw her reel and release her hold on
the window siding. She had been
overcome by smoke and had fallen.
Capt. Hermanson braced himself, and
rs the unconscious form dropped he
seized it with his right arm. The eff
fort nearly cost him his life, for he
narrowly escaped falling. From hun
dreds Of threats cheers were heard
as the brave captain descended the
ladder with his human burden. He
was greeted with unmistakable signs
of approval as he carried the girl
across the street into a drug store.
She was unconscious, but a physician
said she would recOver.
1t was nov thought that the worst
of the days battle was past. But the
fircmon were mistaken. In q short
time Il large safe on the fifth floor fell
to the fourth carrying 1t and the third,
second and first with it. Five members
of Engine Company No. 3 were work
ing on the second floor. and all were
buried beneath the mass Of brick,
stone and timber. All were killed but
Daniel McNally.