The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-13
Flames Break Out in the Sher-
man House at Chicago
At 1:2O this Morning and Fire
Spreads Rapidly.
GUESTS TAKEN OUT
By Firemen aud No Lives
Are Lost.
Fire is Got Under Control Be
fore Hotel is Des trOyed.

Chicago, Oct 13.-At 1:20 O'Clock this
morning a fire broke out in the Sher-
man house, one of the largest hotels IN
the city, and although all of the guests
and the servants escaped without loss
of life. there was for time the livell-
est kind of a panic among them
The fire originated in the kitchen
from a gas stove and spread with great
rapidity The hotel is now in the course
of being remodeled.the entire first story
being supported by jackscrews-
This open space gave the fire quite
chance, and the strong breeze that was
blowing from the west famed the fire
fercely. In a few minutes the entire
building was filled with a dense cloud
of smoke, and the attaches of the no
tel office wefe hurrying through the
halls calling on the guests to prepare
20 leave. Many of the guests needed
no warming and were in the halls half
dressed and more than ready to make
their escape to the open air as soon as
they saw chance to do so.
There was wild rush for the street
and in a few minutes all of them. IN all
conditions OF undreSS, were in the
street or safely on their way to It.
Among those who were first in reaching
the street We're J. r. French OF PITTS
burg: Dr. VIM WalcOtt and H E Nc
Gill Milwaukee: T. T. Emerson, Oma-
ha: L. J. Staug, San Diego, Cal; Jas
L Ward. stage manager for Madame
Modjeska; George and n. McMullen,
Detroit
The servants were located in the sew
enth story of the hotel and for a time
it looked as though some of them
would not be able to reach the street
in safety owing to the dense clouds OF
smoke that filed the building
The hremen were compelled to carry
several of the servant girls down two
flights of stairs until they could secure
a passa geway to the street that was
comparatively free from smoke, and
from this point all of them managed to
make their escape from the building
without accident.
Within ten minutes after the discov-
cry of the fire all of the guests and
servants had been taken from the
building and the fremen were free to
devote themselves to the fire alone.
The hotel is situated on the northwest
corner of Randolph and Clark streets
and occupies a half square. It is close
to Hooley's theater on the east, and
the Olympic theater and the Ashland
block, one Of the largest buildings in
the city, are directly across Clark
street.
The situation of the hotel made it
important that the fire should be sub
dued with the least possible delay, and
the firemen made desperate efforts to
hold it within the rear portion of the
oilGIAlldu 1iOlSes WHERE IL uaQ OElSlIli
ed. They were entirely successful in
this, and although for a time the fire
looked to be dangerous they soon had
it under control The damage to the
building will not be over s.. 600
f. 3. DAILY, an employe of the hotel.
was the first to discover the smoke. and
he lost no time in carrying the news to
the office. J. Irving Pearce, Jr.. son of
the proprietor, and Clerk Parsons rush
ed into the hotel laundry. They were
at once envelOped in the dense smoke
and were unable to find the door They
were both nearly overcome and must
in a few minutes have been suffocated
had not Policemen Howard and Mulca-
hey forced their way into the laundry
and dragged the two men into the open
air. Both were revived in a few min
uteS.
After the fire was practically out the
hose burst in the basement. inundat-
ing the hotel kitchen and store room
causing fully as much damage as was
done by the flames.