The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-11-24
BIG HOTEL IN RUINS
Lucky" BaIdwin's San Fran
cisco HosteIry Burned.
ONLY TWO DEATHS KNOWN
Gallant Work in Getting Out
the 800 or More Guests.
ONLY TWO DEATHS KNOWN

hotel, for almost thirty years one of the
principal landmarks of San Francisco, is
no more. A fire which broke out in the
east end of the building shortly after
O'clock this morning. supposedly in the
property room of the Baldwin theatre.
totally destroyed the immense structure.
entafling a financial loss of nearly mill
ion and half dollars, besides destroying
property that no amount Of money or
science can replace
The loss of life so far as reported has
been miraculously light, but two deaths
having occurred as far as known. The
list Of dead, injured and missing, so far
as known, is as follows:
Dead:
CAPTAIN ]. L. WHITE, San Francisco.
LEWIS MYERS. skaguay, Alaska, mer-
chant
Injured:
F. P. Moon, St Louis. No; both ankles
broken.
George Huber, san Francisco; cut about
body.
Miss Bridget Mitchell, San Francisco;
badly bruised
Fire Marshall Towe. San Francisco; cut
about head
Missing:
]. NJ Leighthead, San Francisco; pur-
ser steamer CITY of Sydney.
F. Weatherbee and wife, Haverhill,
Mass.
Tate Pryor, st. Louis.
+. r. Andrews. cashier cafe.
Fred Webster.
Two chambermaids.
John Carter. race track Judge.
Thomas Berkey and wife, assessor, Sac
ramento county. Ca.
THE FINANCIAL LOSSES.
The financial losses are very far-reach-
ing, almost every branch of commercial
trade being directly affected.
The ground floor of the hotel was divi
ded into a number of large stores and
few Of their occupants saved anything
worth mentioning, the majority reporting
total losses. Two of the most Sandstone
cafes in the city were Quilted and their
stocks destroyed. The Baldwin theatre,
the fashionable amusement place of this
city, was totally destroyed, with the rest
of the building and the Secret Service
company, headed by William Gillette,
now playing an engagement at the thea
tire. lost all its paraphernalia and accou-
trements.
Many of the members OF the company
lost most of their belongings, and trunks
containing the official papers of the COM
pany were destroyed.
The flames were confined 10 the Bald
win structure, but much adjoining prop
erty was seriously damaged by water and
smoke.
The Columbia theatre building on Pow
ell street, on the west sid eof the Bald
win, suffered considerably. and the base
ment of the Columbia theatre, another
fashionable play house. was Quilted and
much valued theatrical apparatus de-
stroyed.
The Gay Coney Island" company will
lose considerably and DR.. Freeman,
guest at the Baldwin, lost a trunk con-
tanning valuable papers and $500 in
cash.
AROUSING THE GUESTS.
There were upwards of 500 guests in the
hotel when the fire was discovered and
the scenes that followed beggar descrip-
tion. The watchmen. bell boys an. other
hotel employees worked nobly in arousing
sleeping residents. 1t is believed that
every person in the building was apprised
Of the danger within ten minutes after
the fire broke out but rumors are rife
that many Of those IN the east wing,
where the flames were discovered, were
cut off from escape and lost. How true
these rumors are cannot be definitely told
for several days vet. as many parts OF the
building have collapsed. burying any who
may have been left in the building, under
the debris. 4 force Of messenger boys
employed IN an all-night Office adjoining
the building did excellent work I'm con-
nection with the warning OF guests and
several brave rescueS are credited 10 the
boys OF the messenger service. IN con-
junction with the employees OF the hotel.
the police and firemen. they went through
the building awakening guests and warn
ing them 20 dress. and rendering other as
sistance. The employees OF the ho-el are
highly praised by the guests and the FIRE
men and police are spoken Of in unmeas-
urably complimentary terms. Half an
hour after the first alarm was sounded Il2
policemen were on the scene. Of the con-
hagraaou.
Many OF the guests 81 the hs.sl are
eastern turfmen. many Of whom lost all
tneIr effects. The hotel vas a favorite
stopping place for sporting people. the
location being an admirable one and con-
venient 70 all sporting resorts and places
/ Of amusement.
ONLY TWO DEATHS CERTAIN.
W9ae the loss OF life VIII be cannot he
stated ar this writing. but 50 far only
No deaths have been rported- Captain
I 4 J. Waite. who occupied room on the
T fourth foo-. vas killed while crying %
escape by means Of rope which dangled
( from the fifth floor 20 the street below.