Omaha daily bee., 1897-04-09
FIRE CONSUMES A MILLION
Flames Devastate the Business Heart Of
Knoxville, Tenn.
SEVERAL PERSONS BURNED TO DEATH
Large Number OF People Hurt by Eek
pIosion of Dynamite - Hotel
Guests Compelled TO Jump
from windows.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn, April S.-Never in
the history Of Knoxville has the city suf-
fered such a less by fire as 1t did today, fol-
lowing the breaking out Of flames, at an
early hour this morning, in a grocery store
adjoining the big Knox hotel. The hotel
and adjoining buildings were soon in flames
and the very heart OF the city. including some
of the largest Wholesale and retail bust
ness houses in the south, was destroyed.
The loss is variously estimated from 81 ,000,-
600 to 81, 500, 900, with about 60 per cent OF
insurance. .
The less of life is very uncertain, asSthe
register of the hotel, in which ffty-siy pet
sons were sleeping, was burned. The pro-
prietor of the hotel says that he had five
or six guests who have not put in an APP
pearance.
A. e.. Weeks, of Lockeny, drummer for a
Rochester stamping company, is known to
have persisted in the flames.
r. w. Hopkins, a st. Louis drummer, was
last seen in the burning building in a suf-
locating col dition.
A cabinet maker named p. c. Dyer fell
dead on the street from fright.
A man named Robinson, from Pulaski,
Tenn, is supposed to be another victim.
L was ItSlSltltu III llt nottl anu udS "
been found.
w. II. Keppart, ex-secretary of the Cham
Der Of Commerce, saved the life OF John
Boyle. an old farmer, by dragging him to
a window and letting him out on the root
of another building. Keppart Jumped one
story and was injured.
The list of the dead and injured, so far as
reported, is as follows:
DEAD:
A.. E. WEEKS, Locke. N. Y.
r. w. HOPKINS, st. Louis, Mo.
- ROBINSON, Pulaski, Tenn.
S. e. WILLIAMS, Springfield, Mass.
INJURED:
J.. c.. NJ. Boyle, Tennessee; burned, and
will die.
ID. NJ. Dean, Indianapolis; ankle sprained.
Tom S. Peck, Morristown, Tenn; ankle cut
and sprained.
Lieutenant Hood, Knoxville police; cut on
face and head by glass from explosion.
Claude Harris, knoxville; cut in a dozen
places.
Policeman Asquith, burned and cut by fly
ing glass.
Policeman Duncan, badly burned and was
carried home.
Fire Chief Mcintosh, bruised from a fall
w. Il. keppart, Knoxville; internally hurt.
The last man TO leave the burning hotel
says that he is positive that five or six per-
sons were burned. He ran over three or
four men in the Railways, who were suffo-
Gated.
u. /, Johnson, a railroad baggagemaster,
came down from the fifth story of the hotel
hand over hand on the water pipe, and be-
fore the fire engines arrived. Only one OF
the guests saved any of his effects.
When the firemen thought all the inmates
OF the hotel had escaped a woman with an
infant in her arms rushed, to the rear win
dows 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 said that as some
one had to die, both would die. The woman
was finally rescued by the tiremen.
HOWITZER BROUGHT INTO PLAY.
From the hotel building, which was five
stories high, the fire spread rapidly, a stiff
wind made the flames very ugly and the
fire department was inadequate. In the
wholesale hardware house of w. w. Wood
ruff & Co. a large dynamite explosion &C.
CURED. and thousands of people were hurt
by flying brick and glass. 1t 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 a load of canister did the work, at the
same time tearing up some residences In q
different portion of the city.
The city authorities, realizing that the
fire department was unable to conquer the
flames, telegraphed to Chattanooga for as
sistance. An engine was placed aboard c
fiat car and started the run of III miles,
which was made by Engineer Robbins in
109 minutes, breaking the record. When
the engine arrived here the fire was about
under control. yet the Chattanooga boys did
some good work.
A large force of men is at work clearing
up the debris tonight and searching the
ruins. Street traffic is entirely tied up.
Knoxville architects received orders today
for plans for eleven buildings to take the
places of the ones burned. All the build
ings are to be replaced at once.
LOSSES.
The principal losses. as given out tonight,
are as follows:
McNulty Grocery company. stock. s15, COO;
on building, $45, 900; Hotel Knoxville, furni-
tnre and fixtures. sl2 eco; Daniel Brisco
baiidln s Sc s7S.oS DRY MFs GSSafiit st z Mcd ipes;o9 sa,i On
$4,000; W. ". W9odrgff & Co, hardware
Heneger, Doyle & Arnold clothing, $1,000;
| sMl5,OoSo; u. W. woodruff {. Co. har ,din
stock. siO0, 900; on building, sl2 900; Murphy
goods. i5,Oo0; r. s.. Payne. building, $50, 90;
Sterchi Rros., furniture, s2j 600: c. b. Nc
Ghee building $4,000; Sanford; Chamberlain
& Albors, drugs, stock, so 600; building,
$40 900; Cusick. stables, $1,000; T.. E. Nc
MILAN, building. $4,000.
In addition to tho destruction Of several
smaller buildings and losses to email dealers
heavy losses to plate glass were caused by
the intense heat and water.
SHIRLEY. Mass, April S.--The Fredonia
mill OF the Samson Co-dage company was
destroyed by fire today. Tho mill contained
a large stock of rope and cordage material
and expensive machinery and the loss
amounts to fully 5 1000.
Ruling In Bank Cases.
ST, PAUL, April S.-After litigation I'M
Drecedented IN this state Judge Bunne of