The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-26
p.MAGE FOR PAINS OF GLASS.
He Claims s25 900 for Injuries sus-
falnnd In ANe.t fr.n.aI untal Elre.

He Claims So5 900 for Injuries Sus-
tanned In West street Hotel Fire.
The Incidents OF the West street hotel
fre last October. when seventeen persons
we're saffocated. were rehearsed In part
yesterday in Judge Osborn's court during
The commencement OF u. p. Glass $4,000
Damage suit against j. NJ. Colman, owner
Of the hotel building. and ". F. Butler,
the lessee. and brought out peculiar
feature Of the fire ordinance.
During the proceedings Attorney ]. d.
Mccutcheon for the plaintiff asked one
Of the witnesses IL there were fire escapes
or the building Hon. John p. Allen. for
the defense. Immediately objected TO the
easstion on tho ground that there was
Nc law in The state or city about putting
Ere escapes 10 two-story buildings. The
point was taken so quickly and plainly put
fhat for q moment there was noticeable
silence. Judge Osborn sustained the OBJ
teetion
The plaintiff contends that the second
story % the hotel was fitted up I'm 1891 TO
b used for hotel and with the consent
Of J. NJ Colman. the owner. was divided
fnto elghty-two small rooms. each about
sHla feet. OF which forty were neghgently
Fitted up as inside rooms. In these rooms
The walls and partitions were constructed
" Part Of loose. dry and highly tnflam-
nahle flr ana cedar lumber. reaching only
BART way from the floor 10 the ceiling, and
ne walls. ceilings and partitions both or
these rooms and the halls were covered
via ltrht cotton cheese cloth. extending
rem the floor 20 the ceiling. over the
cheese cloth vas light dry wall paper.
Inc halls We're narrow. winding and
evoked. and not over three and one-haif
feet vide Everything mentioned was 50
osgslgeutlv constructed and loosely put
together "a 20 be dangerous 20 life and
fforerty. because a fire once starte1
would instantly spread through the entire
building
The building. it was conterded. was con-
tFueted within the TIRE limits ia violation
q The city ordinances and the alterations
Aa1 repairs made In the second story in
arranging 81 for a hotel were not only
haae negigeufly. sut in violation OF the
Wy ordinances. Vet with the consent OF
ST tolman IN 1871 and IN 20 the time
g The IRE. Glass claims W. +. and l.. But
~ under some arrangement with Colman
: anaged the hotel. and that when the
hatlers accepted the management they
A"eN The building was dangerous and was
hsghgent}v erected and repaired ia viola
nan OF the city ordinances. Nevertheless
~ Colnan put the Buffers in charge.
$40 they aeCc Hted the MANAGEMENT for
.ae express purpose az conducting a pub
= lodging house Glass. it is alleged.
'seS iodgnE an the hotel October ~. 1895.
.e defendants holding cut 30 the public
IA u was sac and was assigned 10 an
lassse room " biie ne was asleep the
,-NaihE accidentally caught Ere. and be-
.0fs ne could he aroused tho flames spread
rapidly Through the narrow halls and
s9as the cheese cloth and paper cover
-. forming part az the walls that all
e@ees ot escape We're cUt of. For want
Hfe ESCAPE or ladder Glass TO save
- NE. dropped from window 80 the
ess eeloW. about twenty feet. AMI as
ssH TIE bones of b0gh hls feet and
sh'es We're broken and he received other
s1AFtrs that rcnd rcd hiw q cripple for
= PREVIOUS 20 his t0iurtes Glass earned
tFeainood ny manual labor.
zee ColaaanS IN their defense point cut
a Tue building was constructed prior
= VsT CITY ordnance of lSss concerning
- construction ans repairs - buildings.
n. Itaat n" ordinance Of l>aS spoken or
.ae NsAtntT was repealed. The build
- ~@s covered with corrugated iron and
!. soe4 WITH noU-c1u1 hUstihle material
-, S.e construction OF the building the
sta9dln-s were AZ inches. stand
49, teet aQa~t The lower story was
- INTO store rooms and the upper
49, s@n-dlNl3e3 bg Two wooden partt-
a. y N sf2dti0Es. covered on either
Ees ~ ceiling. in all particulars the
y tAe city had been observed.
etee1d story vas leased 10 W E