The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-24

n1aea adjoining properly was seriously
damaged by water ana smoke Tie Co.
lg-nhla building. On Powell street, on the
west side q ne Baldwin. suffered. and the
aasemen. OF the Columbia sheater. another
fashionable playhouse. was gutied- The
Gay Coney Island company will lose CON
siderable arG Dr.. Freeman. manager Of
tie company. wao was a g8ess a. The Bald-
win. los; a trunk containing valuable pa
pers worth S,sp
There were upwards os - guests IN The
h3tel when ,he fre was discovered. ard the
scenes which followed beEgar description.
TIE watchmen. bell boys ard other hotel
employees worked nably n arousinS the
sleeping guess. - Is believed that every
Person n The building was aaprised ot the
danger within ten minutes after the fire
hr1ke out, but -uu1ors are rife that gnsny
ot thase in the east wing. where the flames
Sere discovered. were cut off from escape
and lest.
How true these runners are cannot be def
initely told for several days yet, as many
parts q the building have collapsed. bury
Ing any VINO have been left in the building
under the debris.
4 force Of messenger boys employed IN an
ali night office adjoining the hotel lid ex-
ce!ent work in connection with the warn
ing Of guests. and severa, brave rescues
are credited 10 the boys % the messenger
service.
In conjunction with the employees az the
hotel. the police and firemen, they wen;
Through the building, awakening guests
and aiding them 10 dress ard renierlns ash-
er assistance The employees OF he hotel
are highly praised by the guests. and the
hyenen and police are spoken Of In un-
Eaeasure1iy complimentary terms. Haf an
acur after the FIRST alarm was sounded, IL
policemen We're on the scene Of the con-
nagraIl0u. Many Of the guests Of the hotel
are Eastern tgGfnlen many of whom lost
all their effects This hos,elry vas a IA
vorite stopping place fer sporting people,
the location beng an admirable one. con-
venient 10 all sporting resorts aad places
OF anusem ment
What the loss 81 life viii be cannot be
stated al this writing, bat only two deaths
have been reported.
Capt \. j. White, who occupied a room
on the fourth floor, VAS killed while trying
10 escape by means OF a rope, which dan
gled from the dfth hcor almost 20 the
street below. The rope had previously done
good service. being he me ans by when
five persons escaped from the burning bald
ing. The s;ery Of the rope IS u thrilling
one.
Fer eight years Kate Richardson has been
an employe Of me hotel. occupying room
on the nth foor. Five years ago Miss
Richardson, as a precautionary measure In
just such an emergency. procured a lengthy
n Hsr srsY3
10 the street. When the alarm was gwen,
Miss Richardson. with the assistance Of
Gussie Johnson a companion, secured the
rope 10 a piece Of heavy furniture AMI threw
the free end out OF the window. The two
girls were bout 10 make the descent. when
three lady guests rushed into the room ana
begged 70 he saved. The two brave girls
gave precedence to the guests. and then
Miss johnson took her post.on on the rope
and went down hand over hard.
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 10 her appe aiingiy. begging her
Eot to jump Miss Richardson stopped and
begged the captain to take her place on the
line This he refused 10 do, ani only after
dint OF much persuasion could ne induce
AAlSS kkact3dFl~NI 10 save ltESG.I,
to follow in her wake.
Miss Richardson reached terra frma In
safety ard Capt. White had launched HIM
self in the air, when suddenly the rope
broke and ne fell 10 the ground below.
distance Of nearly 100 feet.
The rope. weakened by the intense strain
70 which Il had been subjected. and charred
ty contact With the window sills. which had
become intensely hot, could not stand the
strain OF capt Whites weight ard broke.
The other known death IS that OF Louis
Myers. a merchant Of Skagway. Alaska.