The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-11-23
WOMEN H[ANED IN BY FIRE
Baldwin Hotel, in San Fran
cisco, Catches Fire
Early This Morning.
pAUIc-STRIcKEN LEAP FROM WINDOWS
Blaze Started Near Chamber
maids Quarters, and
Many Lives Are
in Danger.
NIC-STRICKEN LEAP FROM WINDOWS

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. %, 1ssS-A dis
astrous fire is raging here. 1t started in
the Baldwin Theatre, and already the big
Baldwin Hotel. worth s1,500ooO, is DOOM
ed.
Panic stricken guests jumped from the
windows, and a number badly injured,
have been taken to the Receiving Hos
pital.
Ii is feared that several lives have
been lost. as nearly all of the big force
Of chambermaids slept on the top floor
of the hotel and it is there that he fire
is raging fiercest.
The firemen have tried to reach them
with ladders, but so far without success.
The flames are spreading downward,
almost impossible that the fire can be ex7
tinguished without loss of life.
The hotel is at the corner of Market
and Powell streets. The theatre is in
the hotel on the Market street side.
1t was about S:15 o'clock this morning
when the fire started The guests were
then asleep in their rooms.
The fire was discovered by an employe,
it is thought.
An alarm was at once sent out, but be-
fore the firemen could reach the scene,
the fIfames had leaped to the upper part
of the building In a short time they
were bursting through the windows and
cackling among the beams of the tail
Mansard roof.
The interior of the. great hotel is fitted
up with costly woodwork and this burn
ed like tinder
A general alarm was sent out and en-
gines and hook and ladder companies
poured from all sides toward the burning
building
The guests aroused, crowded through
the smoke filed railways n the1r nlsilS y,
clothes. Many did not know Where 70
turn. and running to the windows, shrew
them up and called loudly for help.
Ladders We're sent up as fast as ne
fren.en could get to the scene, but maAy
Of the guests, cut off from escape Dy 5he
ire and smoke below and threatened by
the flames from above, junped 70 the
Ambulances were called from the
Receiving Hospital and the injured were
carried there. 1t is not known yet WHO
they are nor how badly they are hurt. so
far as can be learned at this time none
has died.
The fire made a brilliant spectacle. The
flames caught the big tower Oh the corner
ana leapet far above ii irto he air. They
shot In roaring, fiery tongues taT9ug q the
roof, while showers OF sparks aftd pfanas
of burning WOOD neflW lar aDoNe liz
clouds OF smoke and fell on the TOOLS OF
the adjoining buildings.
ii was feared that these showers would
cause a general eondagration.
The burning building stands in the
heart of the commercial centre and shop
ping district of the city, and the firemen
gave most Of their attention to saving ad-
Joining property after they saw that the
hoel was doomed Only he absence o.
wind, the fremen declared. preenvts the
most disastrous conflagration seen here
The height Of the burning hotel
makes it very difficult for the tiremen to
do effective work
The fire is spreading downward through
the hotel leaving nothing but the Dare
walls behind X, while the interior or tne
structure where the theatre stood IS
fiery furnace.
No one can tell anything. about the
chambermaids. The gravest fears for
their safety are entertained All were
asleep when the fire started and 1t spread
through the top floor, where their Steep
ing quarters were situated with amazing
rapidty Unless they reached the lower
floors in time escape would have been al
most impossible, as the adjoining pulia-
ines are lower.
The firemen hope to be able to save
the buildings adjoining the hotel. They
are of brick and win resist the heat some
time.
win the we'll xonwn San Francisco turf
man known on the turf as Lucky
Baldwin He owns stable and a
ranch and expended Sl,500000 in erecting
and fitting out the hotel bearing his
name.
be the finest hotel in the country.
The old Arcade Building stands on the
same block with the burning hotel. 1t IS
a triangular block, bounded by Market
Powell and Ellis streets # Il is de-
stroyed the loss will be over $10.0 600.