Willmar tribune., 1898-11-30

almost to the street below. The rope
had previously done good service, being
the means by which five persons es-
capped from the burning building. The
story of the rope is thrilling one. For
eight years Kate Richardson has beer
an employe of the hotel occupying a
room on the fifth floor. Five years ago
Miss Richardson, as a precautionary
measure for just such an emergency,
procured a lengthy rope long enough to
reach from her room to the street.
When the alarm was given Miss Rich
ardson, with the assistance of Guss:e
johnson, a companion, secured the
rope to piece of heavy furniture and
threw the free end out Of the window.
The two girls were about to make the
descent to the pavement when three
lady guests rushed into the room and
begged to be saved. 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 down but one
story when Capt. White, who occupied
a room on that floor, called to her ap-
pealingly, begging her not to jump.
Miss Richardson stopped and begged
the captain to take her place on the line.
This he refused to do and only after
dint of much persuasion could he in
duce Miss Richardson to save herself,
promising to follow in her wake. Miss
Richardson reached terra frma in safe
ty and Capt. White had launched him
self in the air when suddenly the rope
broke and he fell to the ground below. a
distance of nearly 100 feet. The rope,
weakened by the intense strain to
which it had been subjected and chafed
with the contact with the window sills
which had become intensely hot, could
not stand the strain of Capt Whites
weight and broke.
Shock Caused His Death.
The other known death was that of
Louis Myers, merchant of Skaguay,
Alaska, who was in this city on business
connected with his Alaska store. Mr..
Myers, who was 63 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 ex-
pressed that the loss of life will not be
added to, but the indications are that
the death roll must increase. The DO.
lice department is busy computing a
list of the guests and checking them off
as fast as they are reported safe. Man.
ager Lake, of the hotel, feels certain
that all of the employees have been
saved, though two chambermaids are
missing.
Losses Not Estimated.
E. j. Baldwin, proprietor and owner
of the hotel, said that he could not fig
ure up his losses for several days yet,
but said that the insurance was light
in comparison to the loss. Owing to
the extremely heavy insurance rates
charged by the insurance companies
on the building and contents he carried
but little protection on his property,
and the high rate also prevented ten
ants on the ground floors from insuring
their stock heavily. The insurance on
the building may reach 100000, and
$4,000 of this is divided among 16 COM
panies, the National of Hartford being
the heaviest loser among the COM
panies, $500 being carried with this
concern. The insurance on the con-
tents of the building so far as known
amounts to $77,60o, and is divided
among % companies, the National of
Hartford being responsible for another
81 800.