Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-11-24
FIERCE FIRE IN FRISCO
Baldwin Hotel and Theatre in Flames;
Its Destruction Inevitable.
LOSS MAY EXCEED ONE MILLION
Rumors That Many People
Have Perished.
EXCITED CITIZENS CROWDlNG STREETS
Associated Press dispatch BY specia, wires.


Associated Press Dispatch by Special Wires.
San Francisco, CAL, Nov. 23.-Fire
broke out in the Baldwin Hotel and
Theatre about $50 o'clock this morn
ing. At the time this dispatch is sent,
the destruction of the building ap-
pears to be inevitable. Many guests
of the hotel jumped from windows,
some of them receiving injuries that
neeessitated their being sent to hos
pitfalls. The hotel is Of brick, with
wood interior and high mansard roof.
h. J. Baldwin owns the building,
which, with its furnishings, cost 81
The Baldwin Hotel is only second to
the Palace among the great hotels Of
this city, and is furnished in elegant
style. The first floor is partly occupied
by stores, and the basement by q
fashionable cafe. The Baldwin Theatre,
now under lease of Gottleib Marx &
Co.. is leading place Of amusement
on the Pacific coast. The play "Secret
Service" produced by William Gillette
and his Eastern company, was played
there last night, and 1T was some time
after the performance that the fire
broke out. All the scenery and prop
erty of the piece are doubtless lost.
Smoke was first seen issuing from
the roof of the hotel, by several young
men who were standing on the side
walk across Powell street. They rushed
into the office of the hotel, and, with
the aid of the Baldwin Hotel en-
ployes, went through the corridors,
giving the alarm. The house was full
of guests, it being popular stopping
place of racing men and strangers who
are visiting the city in large numbers.
Most of the people in the building are
believed to have escaped. While the
roof was in flames, a man was seen
endeavoring to escape from an upper
window, attired only in his night shirt.
To those below, III seemed that he fell
backwards into the raging flames, as
he suddenly disappeared. His identity
is unknown. Those connected with
the hotel are convinced that several
persons persisted in the flames, but,
owing to the great excitement pre-
vailing, the names of those who are
missing cannot he ascertained. One
man, named Morris, was taken to the
receiving hospital, having been injured
in his attempt to escape.
The whole interior Of the hotel and
theatre is a raging furnace. ~
The hotel above the third floor is
certainly loss. 1t may be possible to
save some of the merchandise from the
stores on the ground floor, and possibly
a portion of the furniture and fixtures
of the building. Thousands of people
crowd the streets in the vicinity, and
the guests of the hotel are making
frantic efforts to get. their personal
property to places Of safety. The en-
tire city is illuminated by the blaze,
which is one of the largest ever seen
here. At present. it appears that the
loss will be in the neighborhood Of
Later The Mr.. Morris taken to the
receiving hospital is dead. He recently
returned from the Klondike, and was
not well-known in this city. N. d.
Noon of st. Louis was carried to the
receiving hospital, having sprained his
ankle and sustained NUMEROUS bruises
in lonping from window. The patrol
wagon has just been called, to take
another man, reported to be either
dead or in q dying condition, to tho
hospital. E4. III .grls
400 a. m.--The Ellis street wall Of
the hotel appears to be swaying slightly /,
outward, and fears are entertained that
it will fall. As the street Is narrow I
one, and the wall very lofty, its fall +
would mean much damage to the
Golden Eagle Lodginghouse and Golden
West Hotel and other buildings op-
posite the Baldwin. (
Across Powell street, are the Col
umbia Theatre, st. AIMS Building
and several lodginghouses, which ore
also in danger. The corner on which
the hotel stands is one OF the business
centres of the city, and street car
traffic will be interrupted for the
greater portion of the day.
The Baldwin Hotel is leased and
managed by Stone & Co., who recently :
refurnished it at great expense. The.
building is understood to be mort
gagged by its owner, e. j. Baldwin,
for several hundred thousand dollars. q
$50 q. m.--The fire is still beyond
control, though it appears probable
that it will be confined to the hotel
building. There is a report current
that eight servant girls. who slept on
the top floor, have been burned to
death. but this has not yet been con-
firmed. Shortly after the flames broke
out two women were seen at the win
dow Of the cupola on the northwest
tlemen on the street volunteered to go
to their rescue, but it is said they
were prevented by the police from
doing so. Soon after that, two other
women were seen at one of the upper
story windows, and they have not been
accounted for. The members of "Secret
Service" are all accounted for. 1t does
not appear that the loss of life will
be as great as was at first feared, owing
To the timely warming given to the
guests, but at this hour it is i'm
possible to state definitely the number