Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1897-04-14
BONBA ARDED A FIRE.
Method Which Saved Knox,
vile From Destruction.
SEVERAL LIVES WE'RE LOST.
A Million Dollars Worth OF property
Went Up in Smoke-Many Per-
SONS Were Injured.


knoxvil le, Tenn, April l2.-Never
in the his tory of Knoxville has the
city suffered such a loss by fire as it
did today. following the breaking ont
OF the flames at an early hour this
morning ih grocery store adjoining
the big KHox hotel. The hotel and ad-
joining but tldlngs We're soon in flames,
and the very heart of the city, includ-
ing some df the largest wholesale and
retail business houses in the South, de-
stroyed. The loss is estimated Mt from
$l,o00,O0Q to 81, 500, 600, with about
60 per cent of insurance.
The loss of life is uncertain. as the
register of the hotel, in which 81 peo-
pie were sleeping, was burned. The
proprietor of the hotel says he had five
or SIX CUES is who have not put in an
appearance. A f. Weeks, of Locke.
n. y, dru INNER for a Rochester stamp
ing compah ny, is known to have per-
ished IN tiEe flames. Il. W. Hopkins,
st. Louis drummer, was last seen in
the burning building in a suffocating
condition.
W. IL. Keppart, ex-secretary of the
chamber of commerce, saved the life of
John 5. B0gle, an old farmer, by drag
glng him TO window and letting him
out on the roof of another building.
heppart Jumped one story and was in
lured. 1t is more than probable that
Boyle will die. He inhaled the flames,
and cannot speak nor swallow.
When the tiremen thought all the in
mates of the hotel had escaped, a
woman wi h an infant in her arms
rushed to the rear windows and
screamed for help. A net was stretched
and the woman asked to drop the child
out, but as the smoke almost chokcd
her, she td Id them that if some one
had to d ie, both would die. The
woman was finally rescued by the fire
men.
From the hotel building, which is
five stories, the fire spread rapidly. A
stltf wind made the flames very ugly,
and the fire department was made
quate.
In the wholesale hardware house of
w. w. Woodruff q Co, a large dynu-
mite expld sion occurred, and scores of
people We're hurt by flying bricks and
glass.
1t became necessary at last to have
the walls bf one building blown down
by cannon to stop the mad career of
the fire. A mountain howitzer of the
Knoxville Legion was called into play,
and load of canister did the work, at
the same time tearing up some resi-
dences In different portion OF the city.
The city authorities, realizing that the
fire department was unable to conquer
the flames, telegraphed to Chattanooga
for assistance An engine was placed
aboard at car and started the run of
Ill miles, which was made by Engi-
neer Robbins in 100 minutes breaking
the record When the engine arrived,
the fire w;Ls about under control, yet
the Chattanooga boys did some good
work. A cabinetmaker named p. G.
Dyer fell dead on the street from
tight
man named Robinson, from Pu-
laski, Tenn, is supposed to be another
victim. ie was registered in the ho-
tel, and h hs not been seen since. A
large force of men is at work clearing
away the debris tonight and searching
the ruins Street traffic is entirely
suspended.
The las man to leave the burning
hotel says he has positive proof that
five or six persons We're burned. He
ran over three or four men in the hall
ways who were suffocated.
Johnson, the railroad baggage agent,
came dow from the fifth story of the
hotel han d-over-hand on the water
pipes before the engines arrived, Only
one of thb guests saved any OF his
effects.