The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1896-09-10
MET A HORRIBLE DEATH
ELEVEN FIRENEN BURIED by
FALLING WALLS.
Brave Laddfes Carried Into the Next
world While at Work Rt
Their Posts.

CURED in this part of the state, occur
red last night at midnight. wnen
Yore' s opera house took fire. and in the
fight TO save the buildings and other
blocks adjoining. IL firemen. one vol
unteer. met their fate at one time. |
death being instantanec US with i've |
of them. Six lived only a few hours in |
awful agony, while several others met
with severe bruises and burns. During |
the evening the play. "A Factory |
Girl" had been given by local talent, |
and had closed but half hour before
the fire was discovered.
The building was filed from base
ment to the forth floor with suffocat- |
ing smoke, which burst into a sheet
of flames throughout the entire audi
ence room, almost instantaneously, he-
fore the fire department could respond
with a single stream of water. There
was some confusion at the outset, ow-
ing to the hook and ladder facilities
being short, although the local fire
companies mad closed a two days
tournament, exhibiting the utmost
skin in quick work. st. Joseph was
called on for assistance at the outset.
The fremen approached the build
ing through an alley, unloading ladders
in the rear of the building, and while
hosting them the upper walls fell
over without a seconds warning, COW
ering the men. This was witnessed by
hundreds of spectators. The following
We're killed:
Frank Watson of st. Joseph
John Hoffman of Benton Harbor.
Thomas Kidd of Benton Harbor.
Frank Woodey of Benton HarboT.
Ed II. Gange of st. Joseph.
Scott Rice of Benton Hsrbor.
VIII Mile of Benton Harbor.
Louis Hoffman of Benton Harbor.
Arthur c. Hill of ST. Joseph.
Frank Seaver of ST. Joseph
The injured are. John Crawford. cx
chief of the Benton Harbor fire depart
ment overcome by heat and smoke,
burned about the head will recover;
Will Fecund of ST. Joseph, leg bruis-
ed by railing brick. Frank Woodley a5d
Thomas Kidd were top of an ad-
| joining building with hose, when they
| encountered live electric wires, on
which they were hanging when found.
Policeman Charles Johnson narrowly
| escaped, as falling bricks tore his coat
| half Off while another was protected
| by a telephone pole.
| The work of removing the debris was
| commenced at once, and those pinned
| in were removed within a few minutes
| except Cahill, whose body was recov-
| cred at 4 o'clock this morning. The
| origin of the fire is unknown, several
| theories being given.
| Guy Prescott is under arrest as be-
| ing one who knows of its origin, bui
| when asked by a reporter for the
| cause. he remarked that he was not
| going to give anybody away" assum-
ing that he was in possession of facts
that caused his detention.
The building was comparatively new
| having been erected seven years ago
| at cost of $40.OO by Patrick Yore, r
wealthy farmer, who had since leased
it to ]. A. Simon, who has had charge
| for six years.
A two-story brick block owned 10y
| Joseph Frick, which stood adjoining
| was demolished by the opera nous
| walls falling and crashing through e
the basement without apparent resist
ance.
The opera block was occupied by tn
Evening News. s. NJ. Austin's bakery
j. Bernstein, clothing; John Holmes
barber
The Frick block was used for rs
| tail boot and shoe business and dwell
| ing. The building and stocks destroy
| ed, with losses. are as follows: Th
. | opera house block loss $50 900: IL
| surance. $4,000: Evening News plan
| $4,000; insurance. s2500; j. Bernstein
5 | $4,000: no insurance; S. M. Austin. 5000
no insurance; j. NJ. Frick, $1,000; insul
I, ance, ssOO0 ]. n. Herr, grocer, acros
I | the alley, damage to building TN
stock, $1,000: fully insured; DR.. Hun
c and S. NJ. Austin, grocers, across III
y | alley damage to building and stock
e | respectively 5000 and 5000; fully il
: | sured.
A high wind prevailed, which cause
| the walls to fall outward. and adjoii
: | ing buildings were saved only wit
s | the greatest efforts. A large quantii
d | of stage scenery belonging to HarI
Emery of the Katie Putnam compan
j. c. Simon and others was destroys
with no insurance.
Thousands Witnessed the confiagr
ton, and with difficulty the crow
I were kept out of dangers way. II
N work of clearing up the streets W.
II | continued through the day.
At j. " Hote lassoed one of the st. :
he seph firemen, who was half buri
-s with brick. and pulled him out of {
- | intense heat that was choking him
,a The st. Joseph funerals will be he
e: on Monday commencing at 1O;30 a. i
n while the Benton Harbor unfortunai
IN will be inferred Tuesday with servic
r. by various secret orders.
An inquest was commenced toda
" | and the examination was continued q
| til the question of electric wires W
,-e | reached when adjournment was TAX
Soon after the discovery of the Il
he | the flames broke through the roof
he | Illuminated the sky and streets with
lis Iurid glare which served 10 make viz
the general scene of confusion and
, | citement AS soon as the flames bro
through the windows and walls,
ce burning block was known to be doc
cd 1t soon became a fiery furna
The falling of the walls was dangerf
en- to everyone who was working to 81
80 | the progress of the flames OF assist
FOR | saving goods.
re- The first to go down was the
on | part of the alley wall, which buried
as its crushing descent with tons of
me I h,,. tx mon This terrible sight (
a. | witnessed by hundreds of people. '
rec | were helpless and many Of whom ri
ed in regardless of fire and smoke