The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1895-08-24
THE RUINS SOON IN FLAMES
Men, Women and Children Burned to
Death Before the Eyes Of
Spectators.

hotel, 1875 to 1887 Lawrence street, was
a. m. The entire rear half Of the build
ing. five-story brick and stone struct-
ure, went down with a crash. The hotel
was crowded with guests and many Of
them must have been killed, as we'll
as the entire force Of hotel employees,
who were sleeping in that portion of
the building at the time. On both sides
of Lawrence street from Seventeenth
to Eighteenth streets and on Lawrence
street directly back of the Gumry
house the plate glass windows of busi-
ness houses were shattered and num-
Der of pedestrians were injured by
falling glass. The fronts Of many
buildings in the vicinity were badly
wrecked. The hotel structure for 100
feet along the alley and extending for
70 feet toward the front is merely a
mass of debris. Brick and plaster are
piled in heap 20 feet high. and from
this mass of wreckage can be heard the
means of injured and dying. At 1895
five injured people had peen taken out.
They were all inmates of the upper
story and sank down with the floors,
escaping more fortunately than those
below, who are still buried in the ruins.
The firemen are working like beavers
digging into the debris, but are making
little progress. The remaining portion
of the building from which the guests
are being removed by ladders as fast
as possible, is expected to fall any mo-
ment and precautions to avert further
loss of life adds to the difficulty in
~, bn nd in il1ra6
The cause Of the explosion is uncer-
tain, but it is supposed that the battery
of boilers in the hotel basement must
have exploded. The sound of the ex-
plosion was heard throughout the city,
awakening people in bed a mile from
the scene. A cloud of dust was thrown
q thousand feet into the air and as
there is not a breath Of air stirring 1T
still hangs in the air like huge col
umn. Minute atoms of powdered brick
and mortar are descending like gentle
snow many blocks away.
At IL so the ruins are burning f1ercely
and the firemen have been obliged to
retreat from the work of rescue. Every
engine in the city is pouring streams
of water into the seething mass, but
the flames cannot possibly be gotten
under control before many OF the IN
jured have been cremated.
AS the chances of escape lessen the
cries of the imprisoned people are in
creasing, heart-rending shrieks rising
from every portion Of the great mass
of wreckage. Fears are now entertain
ed that the front portion OF the bulldlng.
which seems to be tottering, will fall
and bury the firemen at their work.
During the height Of excitement, hose
team ran away on Eighteenth street,
stampeding the great crowd OF specta-
tors. A number of people were more
or less injured by being trampled upon
and by falling in the broken glass
which covers the streets and sidewalks
in every direction. Electric light wires
dangling from broken poles in the alley
added fresh peril to the firemen. One
horse was killed by coming In contact
with a live wire.
MET A TERRIBLE FATE.
Two injured men mad almost been ex-
tricated from the ruins when the flames
approached so close that the rescuers
had to abandon them for their own
safety. Both voices have now been 81
fenced. fire completing the work com
menced by the explosion. The booles
of three women are also to be seen III
the back part Of the building. but can
not be reached.
At 1870 the flames are still keeping
the firemen back from the work OF res
cue, except just at the line OF the aHeS
wall. OF those pinioned beneath the
debris. only two are now thought TO De
alive. both men from the fifth door VINO
are still lying on their beds. Botn arr