The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-09-07
FIREMEN MEET DEATH
Eleven Pinned to the Ground
by Fallen Walls.
DISASTER AT BENTON nAReoR.
Victims Found Hanging On Live
Wires-Yores' opera House De-
stroyed 1T . Loss Of go, 900.

~~-o4-, SSSk. "a srcc1aI 20 ne = <@S
Press fran Benton HATo9r M.ch says
TIE usosE horrible ho.ocaust xlts ne
greatest loss 81 lie TIA, nzs ever oe-
CURED IA THIS part % inc safe occurred
iasI hight al midnight when Io-es' opera
house look lrs, and n the agAt % save
the buildings and other blocks ac5 joining
eleven n-eMen. one a vol antee-. met lneir
fac a. one t.nae. 1sath beng ns.an,4n-
eo1s win I've u them. SIX lived ou-y
few hours n awful agony s1G I'VE others
met Win severe injuries.
During tie evening the play "A Factory
CIR vas being gwen, and halr al hour
after the performance was closed The ire
"@s discovered Al thai time a saH0cat-
Ing smoke filed he building from ne
Easement TO me fourth story. ana Amos,
lnstantaneoasy a sheet Of fame burst
throughout The entire audience room
Al tn-s happened before TIE are Depart
meni could respond gIth s.1gs stream
q water There was some confusion at
the outset owing TO the lacg % hook and
ladder facilities. although ,as local FIRE
companies had Closed a two days tour
EaE5ent, exhibiting great skin Y quick
work.
81 Joseph was called upon for assist
ance. At The outset the Irenea approac ed
the building through an alley. unloading
ladders IN The rear Of the thegter and
While hosting them Up the walls fell over
vas witnessed by hundreds OF spectators
The Work Of removing the debris was COM
ir2enced al once, and those pinned down
we're removed n few minutes. except
g 4. Hill, whose body was recovered az
o'clock this morning II was believed
mat several more bodies were under The
pale Of brick, and search was continued
until every doubt was passed
The cause OF the fire Is a mystery Guy
Prescott is under arrest as beng one who
knows OF the origin. but when asked as
20 the cause, he remarked that hs xas
not going 20 give anybody away. as
Stunning that he was ia possession OF facts
that caused his detention
The building vas comparatively new.
having been erected seven years ago At
cost Of $4900
two-story brick block owned BY Jo-
seph Frick, which stood adjoining. was
demolished by the falling walls, which
crashed through % the basement without
apparent resistance.
The opera house block was occupied by
the Evening News. :. NJ Ausfin's bakery.
J. Bernstein. clothing; john Holmes. bar
Der shop and fruit packing in the base
ment TIE Frick block vas used for re-
tan boot and shoe business and dwelling.
The building and stocks destroyed with
losses VIII aggregate about $s0pa
A high wind prevailed, and il caused the
walls 10 fall outward and adjoining build
ings were saved only with the greatest
efforts. large quantity Of stage scenery
belonging 10 Harry Emery, OF the Katie
Putnam company. J. A. Simon and W. c.
Hooks, vas destroyed There was no In
sgrance.
Thousands witnessed the conasgrasion,
and with difficulty the crowds were kept
Out OF dangers way. The work OF clear
ing up the streets was continued through
out the day.
Soon after The discovery OF the ere
f8mes broke through the roo. and !lunl-
mated The sky and streets with a lurid
glare that served 70 make vivid the scene
OF confusion and excitement. AS soon as
The flames broke through the window ana
walls. and lei In the draft the burning
block was known TO be doomed. II soon
became q fiery furnace. The falling walls
proved TO be not only death trap for the
fire fighters. but dangerous 10 every one
who was trying 20 help stay the progress
OF the flames or assist In saving goods
The first 10 so down was he top part ot
the alley wall. which buried the fifteen
men. This terrible sight was witnessed
by hundreds % horror stricken people
who stood helplessy looking al the heart
rrndlng scene. and many OF whom rush
"a in regardless OF fire and smoke to help
The struggling. shrieking men.
Just before the wall feA the aremen
we're trying o raise me ladders and had
them placed against The building when he
wal rurubled. sweeping everything before
Il. One could see portions IF human
bodies through the fallen bricks Par..es
going ID 20 save he men were overcome
ny The heat The injured and dead were
taken from the ruins as fast a. possible
and al o'c.ock the last man had been r.
moved The dad were removed 10 re
cSy hail 20 oe Identified Many were the
pit fui scenes as wives. parents and chill
dren scanned the distorted and mu1llatess
remains Of those lying coo N death upon
chs ioor. The physicians OF this city were
unable 20 care for the injured. and the
Hospital doctors responded 70 he cau
The Killed and Injured.
Tgse ki@ea. Frank Wa.sou. s.. Joseph,
Mich. leaves q widow. John Hoffman.
Benton Harb0r. crushed into an unrecog-
uizab.e mass leaves a widow and aVe
children; thcrlas k1ld. Benton Haraor,
unmarried. ki.ie3 By I've wires Frank
" oo4ey. Benton Ha~Aor K .lsvi tv live
asres. leaves a wl@ow ana three children:
td H. hange, 81 Joseph. arayuan, head
crushed Sc0u E4ce. be..boy "a. Benton
ao,e. skull fractured ard ln,e~.a al infu-
r-e-.. aNel hut feys minutes. VIII Ns.en.
E~uton Haraor leaves 8 widow and seven
children. Louis Hoffman. Benton HArbo-.
bs<t uasle1 leaves TWO small Children:
4rtlur e.. 49,. s. joseph. foreman -
Jossah hose company ieEs broken. badly
burned. IEei "a hour, Frank Se8ver s..
JOSEPH leg broker. na2y cur ana burned.
avea three laosIrs Robert Rotr. $ Joseoa.
harmed and internally impaired. -.yed one
hour.
TIE injured. John \. Crawford. Benton
Earnor cx-c1ief ~ rhe IRE department.
evercoa-e ty nea. ani smoke. VIA recover.
Va Fecar3 s., J9ssrh leg bruised
Fra.z Woo1.ev a-1 Tomas Klf3 we-e
Or t1e ,o.9 of = 5oau.1E bGl.5lrzs wa hose
waea etey ran sEa.ust Ave @5ectrsc wires.
oa w-c1 -Aev were 20 rgirs when found
cers1 50 falling BRICKS lore h.s coat na.f
c1 Auosaeg mar Vas nve1 ~ a .ese-
phoug pae.
IlI- TEETH Ht~ FORTUNE