The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-11-24

1 T.
The story of the rope is a thrilling one.
| For eight years Kate Richardson has been
! an enploye Of the hotel, occupying a
room on the fifth floor. Five years ago
| Miss Richardson, as precautionary
measure in just such an emergency PRO
! cured lengthy rope. long enough 10
reach from her room TO the street. When
the alarm was given Miss Richardson.
| with Gussie Johnson, companion. Sc
cured the rope 70 a piece Of heavy furni-
| ture and threw the free nd out OF the
| window. The two girls were about 10
make the descent 70 the pavement, when
| three lady guests rushed into the room
! and begged to b esaved- The two brave
! girls gave precedence to the guests and
! then Miss johnson took her position on
| the rope and went down hand over hand.
| Miss Richardson was the last TO leave and
| she had gone but one story when Captain
/ White, VINO occupied a room on that
! floor, called TO her apepalingly, begging
! her not to jump. Miss Richardson stopped
! and begged the captain 10 take her place
/ on the line. This he refused TO do and
/ only after dint of much persuasion could
] he induce Miss Richardson 90 save her
/ self. promising TO follow in fer wake.
| Miss Richardson reached terra firma in
| safety and Captain White launched 6m-
self in the air when suddenly the rope
broke and he fell to the ground below, a
| distance OF nearly a hundred feet The
| rope, weakened by the intense strain to
| which il mad been subjected and chafed
with the contact with the window siIls.
which had become intensely hot. could
not stand the strain of Captain Whites
weight, and broke.
DEATH FROM HEART DISEASE.
The other known death was that Of
Louis Myers. a merchant of Skagway,
Alaska, VINO was in the city on business
| connected with his Alaska store. Mr..
| Myers, VINO is IS years of age, had been
safely rescued. but the shock had been so
great that his heart, weakened by fright
and old age, could not stand the strain,
and he died.
The most sanguine hopes are expressed
that the loss of life will not be added TO.
but the indications are that the death role
must increase. The police department is
busy computing list OF guests and check
ing them off as fast as they are reported
safe.
Manager Lake. of the hotel, feels GER
saved, though two chambermaids are
missing.
THE INSURANCE FIGURES.
When seen by an Associated Press rep
resentative Z. J. Baldwin, proprietor and
owner of the hotel said that ne could not
figure up his losses for several days yet,
but said that the insurance was light in
comparison TO the loss. Owing to the
extremely heavy rates charged by the in
surance companies on the building and
contents ne carried but little protection
on his property and the high rate also
prevented the occupants of the ground
floor stores from insuring their stocks
heavily. The insurance on the building
may reach 800, 900. and $50 900 of this is
divided among sixteen companies. the
National of Hartford being the heaviest
loser among the companies. $500 being
carried with this concern. The insurance
on the contents of the building so far
as known amounts to 1880 and is divided
among twenty-three companies, the Ma
tional of Hartford being responsible for
another $500.
Late this afternoon the fire engines were
being Withdrawn from the scene, only
one or two steamers being left to subdue
any fire that might break out among the
debris
CORRECTED LIST OF VICTIMS
The following is later corrected list
of the dead, injured and missing. Sew
eral of those first reported as missing
have been found, while others not before
named, are not yet all accounted for:
Dead:
Z 7
cisco, capitalist.
LEWIS MYERS. skasuay, Alaska, mer-
chant.
Injured:
F. p. Moo INST. Louis, Mo; left ankle
sprained; hands and neck bruised.
George Huber, San Francisco; cut about
body.
Miss Bridget Michel, San Francisco;
badly bruised.
Fire Marshal Towe. San Francisco; cut
about head.
George Carroll; cut and bruised about
hands and arms.
Missing:
J. NJ. Leighthead San Francisco, pur-
ser OF steamer CITY of Sydney.
Tate Pryor, racing sheet writer.
r. A. Andrews. proprietor of cafe.
Joe SummerfieId. Chicago; book maker
- SIer advertising agent St. Louis
Wesliche Post
Fred Webster.
Two chambermaids.
John Carter. race track Judge
THE ELEVATORS LAST TRIP.
Carroll D. Calvin. mining engineer from
Boise. Idaho who occupied rooms on the
fifth floor OF the hotel. was toe last per
son 10 enter the elevator descending 70
the ground floor. Mr.. Calvin was sloep-
ing Soundiy totally unaware Of the calau-
ity going on around him when he was
awakened by the Waterman on the fifth
floor. He hurriedIy dressed. and gathered
few valuables and opened his door. \
sheet OF flame famed by the draught
from many open doors confronted hin,
but fortunately flames crept upwards and
bending low ne made rush for the eIe-
vator which ne reached almost simu,ta-
neously with a lady bearing an infaur in
her arms The elevator was lust de-
scendlng when Mr.. Calvin called the eie-
vst0r boy 70 stop. The yOung man took
! the chance and opened zhe door. Mr.
/ Calvin assisted the lady ard child into the
cage and then managed 70 squeeze aim
ser in-o the already overcrowied car
Down the heavily laden cage SHOT 20 the
first floor without stopping. r vas the
I last trip. The fortunate passengers looked
E Up % see flames surgins around The upper
para % tne shaft ard IL was al over
The elevator boy coolIy discharged ais
( passengers and ike the gallant captain
thar he Wa Jeff MS post las-- Occ5-
pants - the Af.h foor ara load fl -heir
/ praises for he efforts o. the waTuman
and TIA elevator boy Bo,h KEEP. -ne.-
ra.ss - 49, IN IN "a - -