The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-06
ALTOONA swept BY FLAMES
Property Valued at $l4O,000 Entirely
Consumed by Fire.
ESCAPE OF HOTEL GUESTS
Five Men Caught by Falling Walls and
One Is Instantly killed several Arc
Badly Injured List of Other
buildings Destroyed.

Altoona, Pa, Jan. 5.-The most stub
born and destructive fire that has Wis
tied the city for many years broke out
I'm the Central Hotel. a large six-story
brick building on Eleventh avenue,
shortly after four o'clock this morning
and the firemen were still working on il
this evening. though it had been gotten
under control at nine o'clock this morn
ing. Before the flames We're eXtin-
guished one man had lost his life anA
three others We're injured, one of them
seriously, by falling walls, and prop
eity to the value of $4,000 had been
consumed.
The fire originated in the cellar of the
hotel and spread with alarming rapid
ity. the guests having barely time to es-
cape. Some who did not hear the first
alarm were compelled to flee into the
streets I'm their night clothing and some
were rescued from the burning building
by the iiremen. who carried them down
ladders. 1t is believed that all escaped,
but several parties who had registered
are missing. 1t is probable that they
who only stopped for the night got out
Of the building safely and left the city
on the early trains. 1t is also possible
that they may have been creirated.
The flames sorcad so RAPIDLY that
''Vf W Tue eutStS SdNtu u VI
their belongings and several actors and
vet, esses who had been s.opning ere
lost their wardrobes. The motel was
one Of the oldest in the city and was
owned by Amandus link. The struc-
ture was valued at $4,000 and insured
for $4,000. The loss on furniture Is $40.
900, on which there was no Insurance.
Other buildings Destroyed.
The large threc-story brick. Occupying G
half block. owned by George STREET.,
caught fire from the hotel and was de-
stroyed The loss on this building is
$4,000. and ii Is insured for S17 900 The
STREET. building was occupied by Rudisill
and Prutzman. wholesale dealers in
wooden and willow ware, who lost $25.-
900 which is insured for $4,000. Besant
and Henneman. wholesale grOcers. lose
$25, 900 with yll 900 insurance, and John
Chamberlain, a wholesale dealer in gen.
eral merchandise loses $4,000, fully COW
cred by insurance. IT. VI. Mccartney
loses $4,000 with $4,000 insurance and
the Union Tea company 81 200.
While the hotel fire was at it's height
number of the Pennsylvania Railroad
company's iiremen ascended to the roof
of one adjoining building where one of
the walls fell catching five of the men.
Frank HOuSeman. Il prominent citizen
and fireman of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road companvs bolt shop. was instantly
killed and William Wareham had his
breast crushed and his collar bone
broken.
The other men escaped with cuts.
HouSemanS head was crushed his
neck was broken and his body was
burned all over. He was killed at six
a. m and his body was not recovered
from the ruins until 3 o'clock this after
noon The fire was the worst that the
fire department has ever been called
on to battle with. The weather was
below zero and strong wind blowing
at the time. 1t was only by the hardest
kind of work that general conllagra-
tiOn was aVertpd