Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-11-24
CREATH0TELFIRE
The Historic Baldwin, of Sar
f, Francisco, an Immense Struc-
= ture, Food for Flames.
TWO MEN ARE KNOWN TO BEKILLED
The Baldwin Theater and the Property
of the Gillette Company is Also
Total Eoss.
Heroic Rescues of the Guests of the Hote
by Firemen-One of the Lod gers Res
cues Three Women and Then
Lost His Life.
TWO MEN ARE KNOWN TO BE KILLED

+ SAN Francisco, Nov. 2S.--At 3:2e
Wednesday morning the Baldwin hotei
caught fire, and it was entirely de
stroyed. There were s00people, guests
and employees, in the hotel when the
fire broke out, and at first number OF
these people We're thought to have lost
their lives. j. w. White is one of the
victims, but before he gave up his life
the gallant fellow saved the lives OF
three women.
For years the Baldwin has been re-
garded by the fire department as the
most dangerous fire trap in San Fran.
cisco. Built of wood, six stories high,
with narrow and tortuous hallway:
it is wonder that half of the people
in the hotel Wednesday morning es.
capped. They were slow to awaken.
Many We're dazed and stupifed by
smoke when the police, the firemen
and hotel employees, hurrying through
the Railways, kicked open doors and
notified the people of their great
danger. When they managed to reach
the windows and fire escapes there
were no ladders. Many attempted to
jump from the windows to the street
but were warned not to do so by the
crowds below. Then the firemen got
up their ladders and commenced TAX
ing people to the ground, rescuing
many in this manner.
The entire top of the hotel was a
blazing mass. Those in the street be-
low could see through the riffs in the
smoke along the attic cornices forms
of men and women crouching and cling.
ing to the woodwork, which was al
ready beginning to shoulder.
Streams from 80 engines We're being
poured upon the blazing building from
every point of vantage, but without
any apparent effect. Explosion follow
ed explosion. The roof of the building
collapsed, taking with it back into the
building a number of those who had
been clinging for life to the attic CAB
| les.
| The death of White was most dra-
matte. Three women appeared on the
| cornice of the fifth floor on the Market
street side of the hotel. The fremen
could not reach them with ladders, and
they stood helpless, screaming with
terror. Suddenly White came out of a
window carrying small rope. With
this he lowered the women into the
! arms of the firemen who We're waiting
I at the windows of the next floor.
Then he started down the rope hand
overland. Half way down the rope
parted and the man who had Just
saved three lives was dashed to the
pavement 100 feet below.
Lucky Baldwin had a narrow es-
cape from perishing with his fire trap.
Amid all the din he slept peacefully
until his room was broken into and he
was dragged from his bed.
H. !. Kowalslsy, a well known attor
ney, was dragged unconscious from
his bed. He will recover.
One of the most thrilling incidents
of the fire was the rescue of A. H
Christie by Fireman Keogh. For q
few minutes Christie ran to and fro or
the cornice of the fifth floor, seeking
in vain for some way to escape the rap
idly approaching flames. Fireman
Keogh, after many efforts, managed tt
reach Christie and bring him down il
safety.
E. j. Baldwin stated Wednesday tha
, he carried 100000 insurance but h
could not remember in what company
The Baldwin theater was completed,
demolished by the falling of the fftl
floor. The entire effects of the "Se
, cret Service" was destroyed. Nothing
whatever was saved. The scenery an,
stage settings We're very valuable.
, great deal of jewelry and money be
q longing to members of the compan
were lost. In addition the contract
, were burned.
, The Columbia theater and places @
business opposite the Baldwin wer
! damaged by water to the extent c
SIS, 900. E. j. Baldwin, owner of tn
hotel, is prostrated and unable to te
much about his affairs. He says /
will not be able to estimate his loss fc
several days. II. w. Lake, manage
of the hotel, barely managed to q
out with his wife and child. He say
there were SO2 guests in the hotel.
1t is now thought that A. j. Whit
and Mr.. Myer were the only people
lose their lives. All the other CUES
are thought to have escaped, and a
the employees have been accounted TO
Woman Fatally Burned.