The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-24

be saved. The two brave girls gave prece-
dence TO the guests, and then Miss Johnson
took her position on the rope and went down
hand over hand.
CAPTAIN WHITES DEATH.
Miss Richardson was the last to leave, and
she had gone down but one story when
Captain White. who occupied a room on that
floor. called to her appealingly, begging her
not to jump. Miss Richardson stopped and
begged the captain to taAe her place on the
line This he refused to do, and only after
dint of much persuasion could he induce
Miss Richardson to save herself, promising
TO follow in her wake. Miss Richardson
reached the ground in safety and Captain
White had launched himself in the air, when
suddenly the rope broke and he fell to the
ground below, a distance of nearly a hum
dred feet The rope, weakened by the in
tense strain to which it had been subjected
and chafed with the contact with the Win
dow sills, which had become intensely hot,
| could not stand the strain of Captain
| Whites weight, and broke.
The other known death was that of Louis
Myers, a merchant of Skaguay. Alaska, who
was in this city on business connected with
| his Alaska store. Mr.. Myers, who is So
years of age, had been safely rescued, but
the shock had been so great that his heart,
weakened by fright and old age, could not
| stand the strain and he died.
The most sanguine hopes are expressed
that the loss of life will not be added to-
but the indications are that the death roll
must increase. The police department is
busy computing a list of the guests and
checking them off as fast as they are re-
ported safe. Manager Lake, of the hotel,
feels certain that all of the employees have
been saved, though two chambermaids are
missing.
For years the Baldwin has been regarded
by the fire department as the most danger
Gus fire trap in San Francisco. Built of
wood, six stories high, with a narrow, tor
tuous hallway, it is wonder that half or
the people in the hotel this morning escaped.
In the interior of the hotel an explosion in
the theater caused that portion of the build
| ing to cave in. This explosion also ex-
tinguished the electric lights throughout
| the building. There were many people in
| the upper halls and corridors at the time,
and firemen and policemen were trying to
lead them to the Market and Powell-street
windows.
Streams from thirty engines were being
poured on the blazing building from every
point of vantage. but without any apparent
effect. Explosion followed explosion The
roof of the building collapsed, taking with it
back into the building possibly d number
of those who had been climbing for life to
the attic gables.
SOME NARROW ESCAPES.
Lucky Baldwin had a narrow escape
| from perishing with his fire trap. Amfd all
the din he slept peacefully until his room
| was broken into and he was dragged from
his bed. II. /. Kowalski, a weIl-known at
| torney was also dragged unconscious from
| his bed. He will recover.
| One of the most thrilling incidents of The
| fire was the rescue of A II. Christie by
| Fireman Keough For a few minutes
| Christie ran to and fro on the cornice of
| the fifth floor, seeking in vain for some
way to escape the rapidly approaching
flames. Fireman Keough, after many ef-
forts. managed to reach him and bring
hiill down in safety.
| u. w. Lake. manager of the hotel, bare
| ly got out with his wife and child. He says
there were 302 guests in the hotel. J. b.
| NIccune, of Boston, occupied room No.
40 on the first floor of the hotel. He lost
all his personal property. but escaped with
out much trouble. James F. Mckee,
of Cincinnati. occupied Room 22s on the
third floor. He had a hard time getting
the corridors. Mrs. Sharp a wealthy lady
| from New York escaped by sliding down a
standpipe on the ,Market-street front. She
| fell part of the distance, and was badly
bruised. Harry Frolich, a Chicago book
maker, clambered down the fire escape from
| the second story to the first floor. There
| his iron ladder stopped. Fearful lest the
| firemen should not reach him, he dropped
| to the street below and fortunately escaped
uninjured.
| Thomas Sweet ser, a commercial man
known throughout Indiana, narrowly es-
capped with his life. He lost all his trunks
and samples and his personal clothing. He
lives at Wabash. and he Immediately noti-
| fled his family of his escape.
Looters were on the scene and began to
make way with what they could carry.
| Many were observed at the corner of O'Far-
| rell and Mason streets carrying trunks and
other similar luggage, which had been left
on the sidewalk. Patrolman O'Keefe called
| on them to halt, and they refused to do so
until the officer fired two shots from his
revolver Then they dropped their burdens
| and made their escape.
THERE WAS LITTLE INSURANCE.
Il. j. Baldwin, proprietor and owner of
| the hotel, said he could not figure up his
/ losses IOf SeVefal Gays yet Ire Insurance.
| he said, was light, in comparison TO the
loss. Owing to the extremely heavy in
surance rates charged by the insurance
companies on the building and contents
he carried but little protection on his prop
erty, and the high rate also prevented ten
ants on the ground floor stores from in
suring their stock heavily. The insurance
on the building may reach 100000. and $780,
GOO of this is divided among sixteen COM
panies, the National. of Hartford, being the
heaviest loser among the companies, $500
being carried with this concern. The in
surance on the contents of the building, so
| far as known, amounts to S77,6O0, and is
| divided among twenty-three companies, the
National, of Hartford. being responsible for
| another $3.50.
| Late this afternoon the fire engines were
! being withdrawn from the scene, only one
or two streams being left to subdue any fire
| that might break out among the debris
The Baldwin Hotel has been known and
dreaded for years by firemen and insurance
people as the worst kind of fire trap. 1t
has been stated often that there were no
| fire walls in it except those inclosing the
| theater and that no insurance company
would write a risk on the building except
| for small amount and heavy premium.
| The building of the hotel began in 1878 and
was finished in 1877, its total cost including
I md nd he int ~,