The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-11-24
LUCKY BALoWIN's ILL LUCK.
Three Million Dollar Hotel Owned b.
Him Destroyed by Fire.

Three Million Dollar Hotel Owned by
Him Destroyed by Fire.
o'clock this morning the Baldwin hotel
caught IRE and 1t has been entirely de-
stroyed. Thsre were eight hundred
people. guests and employees, in the hotel
when the fire broke out and a number OF
these people are thought to have lost their
lives. A. j. White is one of the victims,
but before he gave up his life. he saved
the lives of three women. The tire is said
to have started in the kitchen, located in
the basement on the Ellis street side.
The death of White was most dramatic
Three women appeared on the cornlce OF
the fifth floor on the Market street side OF
the hotel. The firemen could not reach
them with ladders and they stood help
less screaming with terror Suddenly
White came out of window carrying a
| small rope. With this he lowered the
women Into the arms of the firemen who
were waiting at the windows OF tine next
floor Then he started down the rope.
handover hand. Half way down the rope
parted and the man who had JUST saved
| three lives was dashed to the pavement
| At 9. 10 Il. M, the Market street side
seemed to be crumbling. An alarm was
sounded and the crowds scattered. a rev
moments later stream was turneo on
the chimney. The fall of the chimney
caused the remaining portion OF the nitn
floor to give way and it came down wlsn
| a crash.
The Baldwin theatre was completely de-
molished by the falling of the fifth moor;
| The entire effects of the "Secret Service
company. which was filing an engage
ment at that theatre, were destroyed.
! The Columbia theatre and places OF ousi,
! fiess opposite the Baldwin were damaged
| by water to tina extent of $4,000. II j..
| Baldwin, owner of the hotel is Frustrated
and unable to tell much about his affairs.
| He says he will not be able to estimate
his loss for several days he carried sluU,
| 600 insurance, but cannot remember In
what companies. 81. W. Lake, manager
of the hotel barely managed to get out
| with his wife and child. he says there
| were 302 guests In the hotel.
"Luoky" Baldwin had narrow escape
from perishing in his own hotel. Amid
| all the din he slept peacefully until his
room was broken into and be was dragged
| from his bed.
The building of the hotel began in 1874
and was finished in 1877, It's total cost IN
GLIDING ground and furniture being ",
| OOO, O0O The building was in the French
renaissance style with Corinthan columns
| and mansaTd roof. six stories high. and
| with a principal dome 1872 feet in height.
\ The hot / occupied the location at the In
tersection Of Market and Powell streets,
extending about 200 feet on Market street.
In the blilding WAS the Baldwin theatre.
| The street floors were occupied by the
| hotel offices and a number of stores.
7. B. MoCune of Boston occupied room
| No. 30 on the first floor of the hotel. de
lost all his personal property but escaped
/ without much trouble.
Mrs. Sharpe, a wealthy lady from New
York, escaped from the burning building
by sliding down a stand pipe on the
| Market street front. She fell part Of the
distance and was badly bruised.
Harry Frolich, a Chicago bookmaker.
Lclambered down the fire escape from the
second to the first floor. There this iron
ladder stopped. Fearful lest the fremen
should not reach him, he dropped to the
street below and fortunately escaped I'M
injured.
Jack Purdy, we'll known commission
agent who had room on the fifth floor IL
missing. blu t it is stated that he was seen
on the street after the fire broke out.
| "a number of hookmakers were guests
of the hotel. NJ any of them carried large
amounts of jewelry with them and 1T IL
thought the gems have been lost in the
general effort to escape with their lives
| Looters were on the scene and began to
make way with what they could carry,
Many were observed. carrying trunks and
other similar luggage which had beer
left on the sidewalk. Policeman O'Keefs
| called on them to halt but they refused K
do SO until the officer fired two shots from
his revolver. Then they dropped theil
burden aud made thclr escape.