The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-11-23

the I. iured will Die---&Ome . hrili"
ing HaIrhreadth Escapes-- ~ o. king
Girls ia "a Panic-.-fhc Seven-st"sy
Exchange 8uildiag Was Omple'cIy
Gutted-Loss bout 1915 ,00O
CHICAGO. Nov. 22.-The interior Of
the exchange building. $eFen-story
structure Mt the corner Of Van Buren
and Franklin streets, was destroyed
by fire to-day, entailing loss OF
| $3.50 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 J. O'Donnell,
lieutenant of Engineer Company No. 2;
Martin Sherrick, pipeman; John
Downs, pipeman; John Prendergast,
pipeman.
The firemen were crushed by falling
debris. Kittie Landgraf who jumped
from a fourth-story window, was in
iured internally, and died at the coun-
| ty hospital.
The injured: Harry Neil, jumped
from fourth-story window, internally
L
Nellie Turner, jumped from third
story window, internally injured, will
die; Aggie McClain, Olga Kellar, Hat
| tie Brennan, Edna Ritterl and Mary
| Pink were overcome by smoke, all of
whom will recover; Dan McAlleY.
| driver for Engine Company No. 2,
buried beneath debris, will recover.
The fire was first discovered in the
apartments occupied by Stern & Biers.
| Thirty girls were at work there, and
| panic ensued.
Although every effort was made to
control the frightened girls. several
| opened the windows and climbed out
| on the ledges. One Of the first to do
| this was Nellie Turner. She screamed
| for help, and some one on the ground
shouted to her TO jump. She. however.
went to another window near Il fire.
escape and climbed out. Those on the
street watched her movements with
great anxiety. She grasped the escape
| and swung herself off from the stone
| ledge on which she had stood. and hun
dreds on the street below cheered. She
commenced to descend Officer Fla
herty was also on the fre-escape be-
| tween the first and second story and
| started up to aid her. He was too late.
She suddenly lost her balance and fell.
Officer Flaherty tried to catch her. but
could not reach her. She was picked
| up unconscious.
The escape of Olga Kellar is regard
ed as marvellous by those who saw her
| when she appeared al a fourth-story
window. When the rooms where She
was working began to fill with smoke
| she ran to one Of the windows over
looking Van Buren, street. She threw
up the sash and climbed out on the
| ledge, clinging with one hand to the
narrow strip Of wood on the outside OF
| the sash. She saw Il few feet below
the ladder on which two firemen stood
and she prepared to jump.
Wait, don't Jump" shouted Captain
Harmanson, who haFi almost reached
| the window. Great volumes of smoke
| poured out OF the window where the
girl stood, and at times her form was
entirely obscured.
To the hudreds Of persons who were
watching her from the streets the
| seconds seemed like hours Cheer af-
ter cheer went up after Captain Her
manson as he climbed up. He had al
most reached the woman when he sud
denly 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 sashing. She had been
overcome by the smoke and had fallen.
Captain Hermanson braced himself,
and as the unconscious form dropped,
he seized ii with his right arm. The
effort nearly cost him his own life, for
he narrowly escaped falling. From
hundreds of throats cheers were heard
| as the brave captain descended the
ladder with his woman burden.
BY noon the firemen thought the
worst of the days battle was past.
They were mistaken. Shortly before
] O'Clock large safe on the fifth floor
fell to the fourth, carrying it and the
third, second and first with it. Five
men, members of engine company, No.
., were working on the ground floor
and were buried beneath the mass of
brick stone and timber. All We're
killed but Daniel McNally.
After nearly an hours work, the res
cuers had opened passage way
through the pile of debris and succeed
ed in getting close enough to where
the fremen were buried to assure
themselves that Lieutenant O'Donnell
was alive. He was just able to talk
and it was with great difficulty that
his words could he heard. Men who
knew him well, recognized his voice.
"ls any one near YOU? one OF the
rescuers shouted.
Yes" came back, the answer faint
ly from O'Donnell.