The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1898-03-18
HOLOCAUST IN CHICAGO.
Fifteen Human Lives Believed &c
Have Been Lost by Burning
or Through Jumping.
SEVERAL OTHERS ARE BADLY INJURED.
and Adams street. Proved PArtieu-
larry Severe Upon the Music Houses
Presbyterian Board of Publication
Burned Out

CHICAGO. March lit is believed
that Is people lost their lives in a fierce
fire which broke out at Wabash avenue
and Adams street, across the street
from the Wellington hotel, in build
ing occupied by number of business
firms The guests of the hotel were,
with difficulty. restrained from jumping
to the street. A number of people
in the burning building did jump. and
four were killed outright Fifteen
others were injured by jumping, but
the greatest loss of life occurred among
those who did not even have q chance
TO get to the windows or decide whether
to take the fearful alternative of
jump to the stone sidewalks and street
pavements.
The entire front of the building was
blown out by terrific explosion fol-
lowed by several others in rapid sue
cession. and the entire building was
quickly enveloped in flames. II seemed
impossible that anyone in the front
part of the building who did not
jump from a window could have es-
capped. The police could scarcely carry
the dead and injured to places of safe
ty on account of the dense crowd.
The fire was brought under control
shortly before noon.
The building and contents are total
loss In less than half an hour after
the fire broke out the structure, which
was seven stories high, so feet front by
$50 feet deep, was level with the
ground. 1t was of what is known as
mill construction" with front of
plate glass and iron columns.
The occupants were the Emerson
Piano Co., Conover Piano Co., Chicago
Cottage Organ Co., Decorators Wall
Paper Co., National Music Co., H..
Holtzman & Co. piano stools, Presby-
terrain board of publication, Alfred
Beril, sheet music publisher; Sweet,
Wallach & Co. Photographic supplies;
w. A. olmstead, school supplies.
The building was owned by Fred X.
Ayers, of Lowell, Mass. It was worth
about SIS, 900, and is said TO be partial
ly insured. Insurance men at the fire
stated that the loss on contents will be
in the neighborhoodo Of $3.50. 900.
The elevated railway tracks. which
pass the building, were badly dam
aged, and there will be loss of $40, OOO
or $4,000 from the breaking Of plate
glass in the stores on the opposite side
of Wabash avenue.
The six-story building adjoining on
the north, Nos. 2ll-13, was badly dam.
aged, and its contents soaked with
water and partially burned. The oc
cupants of this building are the But
terick Publishing Co., Educational
Publication Co., Thomas Charlie.
4 Co., kindergarten supplies
Ideal Music Co., sheet music
New Haven Clock Co., Waterbury
Watch Co, F. II. Butler & CO., pub
fishers; r. c. WichbrodA Turkish rugs
George b. Ward & Co., photograph fin.
ishers, and N. G. Uhlein, musical in.
strument repairer. The loss on the
building and contents is estimated a,
$4,000, though it may be more
According to some, the fire started
in the third floor of the building oc
cupied by Alfred Peats. dealer in wal
paper. This floor is used as a store
room for wall paper, and is provided
with gas jets in swinging brackets
One of these brackets had been turned
In such manner as to ignite the wall
paper.