The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-09-07
ELEVEN MEN KILLED
Buried Under the Falling Walls Of
Yore's Opera House.
AT BENTON HAFBOR. MICH
The Origin OF the Fire Is Unkno nown
Death Was sudden and the
Spectacle Vas W itnessed by
Thousands Of People.

most ulOrrlSle noiOcauStr WIN l-iS
greatest loss of life that has ever
occurred in this part OF the state. oc-
Cured last night at midnight. when
Yore's opera house took fire and In
the fight TO save the buildings and
other blocks adjoining II firemen. one
a volunteer, met their fate at one
time, death being instantaneous with
five 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 a
half hour before the fire was discov-
cred. When the building was filled
from the basement to the fourth
story with a suffocating smoke, which
burst into a sheet Of flame through
out the entire audience room, almost
instantaneously. before the fire de-
partment could respond with a single
stream of water. there being some
confusion a. the outset owing to a
lack of hook and ladder faciltie be-
ing short. although the local fire COM
panies had closed two days tourna-
ment. exhibiting utmost skill In quick
work. st. Joseph was called on for
assistance at the outset, they ap-
preaching the building Through an
alley. unloading the ladders In the
rear Of the building. and while hoist
ing them the upper walls fell over
without a seconds warning, covering
the men. This was witnessed by
hundreds OF spectators. The follow
ing were killed:
Frank Watson, ST. JOSEPH. legs
broken, skull crushed: leaves a
| widow.
John Hoffman, Bentor Harbor.
| crushed into an unrecognizable mass;
leaves a widow and FIVE children.
Thomas Kidd, Berton Harbor, un-
married; killed by live wires.
Frank Woedley. Benton Harbor.
killed by live electric wires: leaves a
| widow and three cAildren.
Il. III. Gange, st. joseph, drayman:
head crushed. legs broken.
Scott Rice. bell boy at Benton no.
| tel, skull fractured and interanl In
| juries; lived but a few minutes.
Will Millen, Bentor Harbor, both
legs fractured. internal injuries;
lived two hours: leaves a widow and
seven children.
Louis Hoffman. Benton Harbor,
i
| over: leaves two small children,
| Arthur C. Hill, St. Joseph, foreman
| OF the st. Joseph Hose company. legs
broken, terribly burned; lived one
hour
Frank Seaver st. Joseph, leg brok-
en-. badly cut and burned; lived three
hours.
Robert Rofe. st. Joseph, compound
fracture OF the left leg. burned and
Internal injuries: lived one hour.
The injured are: John A. Craw-
| ford, ex-chief of the Benton Harbor
| fire department, overcome by hsat
and smoke, burned about the head;
Will recover. VIII Fecund, ST. Jo-
sercl, leg bruised by falling brick.
Frank Wcodlye and Thomas Kidd
were on top of an adjoining building
| with the hose when they encountered
the live electric wires, on which they
were hanging when found. Police
man Charles Johrson narrowly es-
caped. as falling bricks tore his coat
half off while another was protected
by telephone pole. The work of re-
moving the debris was commenced at
once and those pinned were removed
within a few minutes. except Cahlll,
whose body was recovered at 4
O'Clock this morning. The origin OF
the fire is unknown, several theories
being given.
Guy Prescott Is under arrest as b,
ing one who knows Of the origin. br
when asked by a reporter for the caus
he remarked that "he was not going I
give anybody away" assuming that
was In possession of facts that cause
his detention. The building was con
paratlvely new. having been erecte
seven years ago at a cost OF $4,000 b
Patrick Yore, a wealthy farmer, VIII
had since leased IL to ]. Simon. wh
has had charge Of 1t for six years.
A two-story brick block owned b
Joseph Frick. which stood adjoinln,
was demolished by the opera hous
walls falling on top and crashin
through the basement without appa1
ent resistance. The opera block wa
occupied by the Evening News, s. \
Austln's bakery, ]. Bernstein, clothin-
John Holmes. barber shop, and fru
packing concern In the basement. tt
Frick block was used for retail bot
and shoe business and dwelling.
The buildings and stocks destroye,
with losses. are as follows: Oper
house block. loss $4,000 insurance sle
900; Evening News plant. ioss $4,000, II
surance $500; J. Bernstein. $1,000, r
insurance: s. NJ. Austin, $1,000, no Il
surance: ]. NJ. Frick. 5000. insuran.
$1,000: ]. n. Herr, grocery store. aero,
the alley. damage to building and stoc
81. 900, fully insured. DR.. Hunt and
NJ Austin. grocers across the allie
damage to building and stock respe'
lively $500 and 1900: fully insured.
high wind prevailed which caused Il
walls to fail outward and adjoinir
buildings were saved only with Il
greatest efforts. A large quantity
stage scenery belonging TO Harry En-
erysof the Kate Putnam company.
A. Simon and W. c. Hooks were
stroyed. with no insurance. Tho
sands witnessed the conflagration an
with difficulty the crowds were ke
out Of dangers way. The work
clearing UP the streets was continu,
through to-day.
]. v. Howe lassoed one OF the s
Joseph flremen, who was half buri,
with bricks. aud pulled him ont OF 4
intense heat that was cooking him.
The ST. Joseph funerals will be he
on Monday. commencing at 10;
O'Clock a. m. The Beutoa Harhor N
fortunateS will be inferred Tuesd,
with services by various secret order
An inquest over the remains ",
commenced and the examination co
tirued until the question q live ele
tric wires was reached. while adJour