The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-23
UN-'' LUCKY"
BALDWIN.
Big Hotel Which Bears His
Name Burns Down.
The Building and Furnishings
Cost So, 100000.
THE FIRE BROKE OUT
In the Kitchen at 3 :25 and
Spread Rapidly.
Mr.. Baldwin Himself Narrowly
Escaped Cremation.
FILLED WITH GUESTS.
Only Two Known to Have Per-
iShed.


San Francisco, Nov. 23.-The Baldwin
hotel, on the corner of Market and Pow
ell streets is in flames and seems to be
doomed to destruction. The fire alarm
was turned in at BIS a. m. and since
then a general alarm has been sounded
The hotel is owned by Millionaire + j.
Baldwin, and cost with furnishings, 81
SOC, 600. It is of brick, but the interior
construction is wooden and high man
sard roof with tower on corner AFFORD
fuel for the flames
The fire is supposed to have started in
the Baldwin theater. which is in the no.
tel building. The flames extended rap
idly towards the roof and burst through
the windows of the upper stories. The
guests were panic stricken, and many
jumped from windows and number OF
them have been taken to the receiving
hospital, but thus far no fatalities have
been recorded The fire is still spread
ing. the height of the building making it
difficult for the fremen to do effective
work in extinguiShing the flames
There are many chambermaldS en-
plOyed in the hotel nearly all OF whom
sleep on the top floor, where the fire is
raging fiercest. Fears are entertained
that some of them are burned to death.
The firemen are making efforts to reach
them with ladders but so far without
success.
At 1850 a m the Ellis street wall of
the hotel appears to be swaying slight
ly outward and fears are entertained
LnaL II VIII IaI II the names are not
soon gotten under control As the
street is a narrow one and the wall very
lofty its fall would mean much dam
age to the Golden Eagle lodging house
and Golden West hotel and other build
ings opposite the Baldwin.
Across Powell street are the COlum-
bfa theater, St AIMS building and sew
eral lodging houses, which are also in
danger. The corner on which the no.
tel stands is one of the business centerS
of the city and the street car traffic will
be interrupted for the greater portion of
the day
The Baldwin hotel is leased and man
aged by Stone & Co., who recently re-
furnished it at great expense. The
building is understood to be mortgaged
by its owner, Z. J. Baldwin, for several
hundred thousand dollars. The stores
on the ground floor are as follows: Nose
Gustland & Co, cigars; WE'LL & Co,
gentlemen's furnishings; J. J. GrOm &.
Co, hats; Baldwin Clothing house;
Schneider & Co, candy; Baldwin Jew
elry company; Baldwin Millinery estab-
lishment; Grant & Cos. pharmacy;
Baccigalupi photograph parlOrs and Bo-
gan's grottO is in the basement. On
the first floor is a fashionable restau-
rant and grill room conducted by the
managers of the hotel.
At $50 this morning the fire is still
beyond control though it appears prob
able that it will be confined to the hotel
building There is report current
that eight servant girls who slept on
=
but this has not yet been confirmed.
Shortly after the flames broke out two
women were seen at a window of the
cupOla on the northwest corner of the
building. Several gentlemen on the
street volunteered to go to their rescue,
but it is said were prevented by the pO-
lice from doing so. Soon after that two
other women were seen in one of the up
per story windows and they had not
been accounted for. The members of
the Secret Service Co." are all ac-
counted for. 1t does not appear that
the loss of life will be as great as was
at first feared owing to the timely war
ming given to the guests but at this hour
1t is impossible to state definitely either
as to number of victims or their names.
Destruction is Complete.
San Francisco. Nov. 23-The Baldwin
hotel has been entirely destroyed. There
were 500 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. ]. 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 kitchen, located
in the basement on the Ellis street side.
The fire worked its way up through the
hue to the sixth floor and before the
nre alarm was sent in the fire had
gained great headWay. The first alarm
was followed by others in rapid sue
cessiOn, until five calls had been sent
in, summOning every piece of apparatus
at the COMMAND OF the department.
Thousands of people were attracted by
the succession of alarms and the glare
from the burning building and before
the police stretched ropes, almost block
AIDED Market, Eddy, Powell and Ellis
streets.
Known as a Fire Trap.
For years the Baldwin has been re,
garded by the fire department as the
most dangerous fire trap in San Fran
cisco. Built of wood, six stories high
with narrow and torturous Railways, it
is wonder that half the people in the
hotel this morning escaped. They
We're slow to awake Many were dazed
and stupified by smoke when the police,
the hremen and hotel employees, hur-
Tylhg through the Railways, kicked
open doors and notified people of THEN
great danger. When they managed to
feach the windows and fire escapes,
there We're no ladders. Many attempt
ed 10 Jump from the windows to the
stfeeIS, but were warned not to do so
Dy the crowds below. Then the fire.
men got up their ladders and COM
menced taking people to the ground,
resculng many in this manner.
In the interior of the hotel an explo-
sion in the theater caused that portion
Of the building to cave in. This expIo-
sion also extinguished the electric lights
throughout the building There We're