Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-09

Hotel IN Which Fifty-Six People
Were Asleep-A Dynamite Ex-
[ plosion Added to the Damage.
Knoxville, Tenn, April S.-Never in
| the history of Knoxville has the city
suffered such a loss by fire as it did
to-day. The very heart of the city, in
! cluding some of the largest wholesale
and retail business houses in the South,
were destroyed. The loss is variously
estimated at from one TO one and half
million dollars, with about sixty per
cent. of insurance.
The loss of life is uncertain, as the
hotel register in which fifty-six people
were sleeping was burned. The propri-
etor of the hotel says that he had five
or six guests who have not put in an ap-
pearance.
A. E. Weeks, of Locke, N. Y, drum,
mer for Rochester stamping company,
is known to have perished in the flames.
R. w. Hopkins, st. Louis drummer,
was last seen in the burning building
in a suffocating condition. w. H. KEEP
hart, ex-Secretary of the Chamber of
Commerce, saved the life of John Boyle,
an old farmer by dragging him to
window and letting him out on the roof
of another building. Kephart jumped
one story and was uninjured.
When the firemen thought all the in
mates of the hotel had escaped, a wo-
man with an infant in her arms rushed
to the rear window and screamed for
help. A net was quickly stretched and
the woman was asked to drop the child
out, but as the smoke almost choked
her, she told them that if one had to
die both would die. The woman was
finally rescued by the fremen.
From the hotel building, which is five
stories, the fire spread east and west
and a stiff wind made the flames very
uElv and the Gre department was in
adequate.
In the wholesale hardware house OF
w. w. Woodruff & Co., large dyna-
mite explosion occurred and scores of
people were hurt by flying brick and
glass. It became necessary at last to
have the walls of the 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 res
licences in a different portion Of the city.
The city authorities, realizing that
the fire department was unable to con-
ouer the flames, telegraphed to Chatta-
nooga for assistance.
An engine was placed aboard fiat
car and started the run of Ill miles,
which was made by Engineer Robbins
in 100 minutes, breaking the record.
When the engine arrived here, the fire
was about under control, yet the Chat
tanooga boys did some work.
A cabinet-maker named P. c. Dyer fell
dead on the street from fright
A man named Robinson, from Pu-
laski. Tenn. is supposed to be another
victim. He was registered in the hotel
and has not shown up. A large force
of men are at work clearing away the
debris tonight and searching for the
bodies. The street car lines are COM
pletely tied up and all the electric COM
panies have suffered.
One Knoxville architect received or
ders to-day for plans for eleven build
ings to take the places OF the ones
burned
All the buildings are to be replaced
at once.
The losses and insurance given out to-
night are as follows: an,
McNultv Grocer Company, loss $l''VoV'
insurance $1,000 49, ,oo. ,.-,,-oroo
McNulty building loss $4,000; Insurance.
$4,000. ,...-.- GO
Hotel Knox. furniture and fixtures w.
600: insurance $3.coo
Doriel Rriscoe Bros. & Co. dry goods
stock loss $50 600: insurance $1,000.
Dania1 Rriscoe Bros. & Co, building loss
$4,000: insurance S7'VV. -.
= p King & CO.. insurance COMPANY
loss $500: insurance S'.wo. ooo.
McNulty & McGhee. building loss Slo'VV'
insurance nothing. o.
{ r. Newman & Co., printers loss Sfo'-
900: insurance S15.ce. I'LL,
w w woodruff & Co.. hardware build
IN gloss s42 600: insurance $O.cp'
Lii, G. Newman. queensware, loss $40
OOO. insurance $25oH.
7 G. cullen. building, $4,000; insurance
not known. -,..,, ,o-.
Henegar. Doyle & Arnold cio'riis' ioSS
$50 600: insurance S>7''
NJ D. Arnold, building loss No'"V' III
surance $4,000. -, ..o mn.
Nj. Ross & CO.. groceries loss $4,000;
insurance $4,000. ..,.. ,-
NJ L. Ross. building loss Slo'VVv' Hisui-
w W woodruff & Co, hardware loss
stoo goo: insurance $4,000. .
W w woodruff. building, loss $4,000;
insurance $4,000. - ,o- 400. i,
Nurphy & Robinson, hats loss 20 Ooo; IN
Al p. Lapier. dry goods loss $4,000; in
surance &0.00o ooooo. -
r. s. Payne BUILDING IosS S'VV''' '''70
ance $15,Ooo. -. co. ooo. .,
Sterchi Bros, furniture 'oss ''''OV'' -
.. S15 OOO