The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-11-24
HOW TT sTARTEp.
SIauy Narrow Eseapes-Ibs Tragic Death
oTcap'nlnWhlls.


sIauy Narrow Escapss-Ihs Tragic Death
Of FCap'nin,WhlGe.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 2S.-At 1925
this morning the Baldwin hotel caught
FIRE and It has been entirely destroyed.
There were 800 people, guests and en-
ployes, in the hotel when the fire broke
out and a number of these people are
thought to have lost their lives. j. L.
White Is one Of the victims, but before
he gave up his life the gallant fellow
saved the lives OF three women. The
fire is said to have started in the kltch-
en-, located In the basement on the Ellis
street side. The fire worked IT'S way up
through the fiue to the sixth floor and
before the first alarm was sent in the
fire had gained grea. headway. The
first alarm was followed by others in
rapid succession until Ave calls had been
sent in, summoning every piece OF ap-
paratus at the command OF the depart
ment. Thousands Of people were at
tracted by the succession of alarms. and
the glare from the burning building
and before the police stretched ropes al
most blockaded Market Eddy, Powell
and Ellis streets.
Regarded as n Fire Trap
For years the Baldwin has been re-
garded by the fire department as the
most dangerous fre trap in san Fran
cisco. Built of wood. six stories high,
with narrow and tortuous Railways, II
Is a wonder that half Of the people in
the hotel this morning escaped. They
were slow to waken. Many were daaed
and supplied by smoke when the police,
the fremen and hotel employees, hurry
ing 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 we're no ladders. Many attempted
10 iump from the windows to the
streets. but were warned not to do so
by the crowds below. Then the iremen
cot up their ladders and commenced
taking people to the ground, resculng
many in this manner.
fcxpIoaiOm ia tlIc Theatre.
In the interior of the hotel an explos-
ion in the theatre caused that portion of
the building to cave in. This explosion
also extingulshed the electric lights
throughout the building. There were
many people In the upper halls ana cor
ridors at that time, and flremen and po-
llcemen were trying to lead them to the
Market and Powell street windows.
The entire top Of the hotel was
blazing mass. Those In the street be-
low could see through the riffs in the
smoke along the attic cornice forms OF
men and women crouchIng and cling
ing to the wood work, which was a.
ready beginning to shoulder.
Streams from thirty engines were be-
ing poured upon the blazing building
from every point Of vantage, but With
ont any apparent effect. Explosion fol-
lowed explosion, The roof OF the build
ing collapsed, taking with 1t back into
the building a number Of those who had
been cllnging for life to the attic gables
The death OF White was most dramat-
ic Three women appeared OH the cor
nice of the fifth floor on the Market
street side OF the hotel The tiremen
could not reach them with ladders ana
they stood helpless, screaming with
terror. Suddenly White came out OF q
window carrying a small rope. With
tbjs ne lowered the women into the
arms OF the firemen who were waiting
af the windows OF the next floor. Then
he started down therope hand over hand.
Half way down the rope parted and the
man who had Just saved three lives was
dashed to the pavement one hundred
feet below.
"I,uckV" Baldwin had a narrow es-
cane from perishinG with his FIRE trap.
Amid ali the din he slept peacefully
until his room was broken into and he
was dragged from his bed.
II. /. Kowalsky, a well known attor-
new, was also dragged Unconscious
from his bed. He will recover.
Tho Most ThrllIInE Incident.
one OF the most thrilling incidents of
the fire was the rescue OF A. H. Christie
by Fireman KeouRh. For few min
utes Christie ran to and fro on the cor
nice OF the frth floor. seeking In vain
for come way TO escape the rapidly ap-
proaching flames Fireman keough ni-
ter many efforts, managed TO reach
Christie and bring him down In safety
The Baldwin hotel has been known
and dreaded for years by firemen and
Insurance people as the worst kind Of
fire trap. It has been stated often that
there were no fire walls In It except
those enclosing the theatre and that no
insurance company would write risk
on the building except for r small
amount and a heavy premium
The building OF the hotel began In
1871 and was finished In 1871 It's total
cost. including ground and furniture
bcinu S3,00O0OO The building was IN
the French renaissance style, with Cor
Inthian columns and mnnsard roof. six
stories high aud with a principal dome
iCg feet In height The hotel occupied
Inc lot at the Gore formed by the inter-
section OF Market and Powell Streets
extending about 200 feet on Market
400 feet on Powell and 300 feet on Fills
streets. In the building was the Bald