The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-07
Heroic Attempts to Rescue the
Shrieking and Struggling
Victims.
SEVERAL OF THE DEAD LEAVE
FAMILIES.
Yore's 0pera.House Totally Destroyed
and Two Companies Lose Their
Wardrobe.

BENTON HARBOR, MICH, Sept. a.
Yore's Opera house and ad Joining build
ings were burned this morning, causing
the death of eleven fremen and injury to
a number of others, and entailing a loss of
$65, 900. The killed are:
Frank Watson, married, of st. Joseph.
Edward II. Gange, married, of St. Jo-
seph.
Arthur G. Hill, married, of st. Joseph.
Frank Seaver, married, of st. Joseph.
Robert Rolfe, single, of st. Joseph.
John Hoffman, married, of Benton Har-
Dor.
Thomas Kidd, single. OF Benton Harbor.
Frank WoodIey, married, of Benton
Harbor.
Will Matter, married, of Benton Har-
Dor.
Scott Rice of Benton Harbor.
Louis Hoffman, single, of Benton Har-
Dor.
The seriously injured are:
Ex-Fire- Chief John A. Crawford of Ben
ton Harbor, burned and overcome by heat
and smoke; seriously injured.
Frank Paget OF ST. Joseph, leg smashed
by falling bricks.
VIII Freund of St. Joseph, cut about the
head and burned.
Jack Mccormick Of Benton Harbor, legs
broken and internally injured.
Several others were injured by falling
walls, but viii recover
Shortly after midnight Yore's Opera
| house, a large four-story brick structure,
was discovered to be on fire. 1t had gained
| much headway before the alarm was given.
| and when the four city departments ar
rived the building was mass of flames.
The st. Joseph departments were sent
for and arrived soon after. The fire con-
tinued to gain on them and was spreading
to other buildings, when the hook and
ladder companies went to the rear of the
building, hoping to be able to direct a
stream into the mass of flames from a
second-story window. Hardly had they
arrived there than the wall with mighty
crash, came down before them, burying
fifteen men under the red-hot bricks.
| Other portions of the wall were weaken
ing, and the rescue of the imprisoned
firemen was deferred for some time, as it
was expected every moment the remain
der of the wall would fall.
| Finally some OF the crowd rushed into
the mass to rescue the shrieking and
struggling men. Frank Watson of st,
Joseph was the first man reached, but he
was dead, and his body was a mass of
| broken bones and mangled flesh. The
search continued until O'CLOCK when
the last victim, Arthur Hill, was removed.
They were carried to Offices and private
houses, where doctors from both cities were
| in waiting to render aid. Some of them
died en- route, and others died while their
wounds were being cared for.
| The dead were taken to the City Hall,
which was turned into a temporary
NOR ne. Some of the men were so badly
mangled that Identification was possible
only by letters and papers in their pockets,
| As the bleeding forms were carried through
| the streets they were followed by throngs
| of awe-stricken men and women, eager 10
learn whether the victim was friend or
relative. After the falling of the rear
wall, which took with it the lives of at
least eleven men, the roof and other walls
soon collapsed, one OF the side walls fall
ing upon two-story brick building owned
by William Frick and completely demol-
| ishing the structure and its contents of
shoes. The fire had not been confined
alone to the opera house, but had crept
across the alley. and soop the rear of the
| two store buildings was seething mass
of flames. These, however, were got
under control before they reached the
main part OF the buildings. The fire was
under control by 5 O'Clock, and the search
| for more bodies was begun and continued
all day until tonight when the fremen,
exhausted. gave up the search until to-
morrow. The loss as far as can be ascer.
tanned is: Patrick Yore, opera-house
block, 50,000; insurance, $4,000.
The occupants of the several buildings
will lose several hundred dollars. The
origin of the fire is unknown, but Guy
Prescott, who stated to-day that he knew
how the fire started, but was not gong to
give any one away, was arrested and will
be brought before the Coroner's jury.
The wardrobe of the Katie Putnam Com
pany, which gave performance for the
benefit of the 6remen last evening, was
also burned, as was the wardrobe of the
Mexican Troubadours, who are spending
their vacation here. Several OF the dead
firemen leave large families. Their fun
erals will all be held together Tuesday
and will be under the auspices of the fire.
men and fraternal societies Of which the
deceased were members.
|