The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-23

ridors at the time and firemen and po-
Hcemen were trying to lead them to the
Market and Powell street windows. The
top floor was a blazisg mass The
in the street below could see through
the rafters in the smoke along the at
tic cOrniceS, forms of men and women
crouching and clinging to the wood
work. which was already beginning to
shoulder.
Streams from thirty engines were be-
ing poured upon the blazing building
from every point of vantage, but with
out any apparent effect. Explosion fol-
lowed explosion. The roof of the build
ing collapsed, taking with it back into
the building a number of those who mad
been clinging for life to the attic gables.
The death Of White was most dra-
matte.
Three women appeared on the cornice
of the fifth floor on the Market street
side of the hotel. The firemen could
not reach them with ladders and they
stood helpless. screaming with terror.
Suddenly White came out of a window
carrying a small rope. With this ne
lowered the women Into the arms of the
fremen who were waiting at the Win
dOWs of the next floor. Then he started
down the rope hand over hand. HaIf
way down the rope parted and the man
who had just saved three lives was
Mr.. Baldwin Narrowly Escapes.
Lucky Baldwin had a narrow escape
from perishing with his fire trap. Amid
all the din he slept peacefully until his
room was broken into and he was drag
ged from his bed. He will recover.
One of the most thrilling incidents
of the fire was the rescue of A. H. Chris
tie, by Fireman keOgh. Eor 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 ap-
preaching flames. Fireman KeOgh, af-
ter many efforts, managed to reach
Christie and bring him down in safety.
The Baldwin hotel has been known
and dreaded for years by hremen and
insurance people. 1t has been stated
often that there was no fire walls in it,
except those enclosing the theater and
that no insurance company would write
a risk on the building except for small
amount and a heavy premium
The building of the hotel began in
1873 and was finished in 1877, its total
cost including ground and furniture be-
ing SO, 000,0 600. The building was in the
French renaissance style, with Corin-
THAN columns and manSard roof, six
stories high, and with a principal dome
162 feet in height
The hotel occupied the lot at the gore
formed by the Intersection of Market
and OPwen streets, extending about
200 feet on Market, 400 feet on Powell
and 300 feet on Ellis streets. In the
building was the Baldwin theater The
street floors of the immense building
were occupied by the hotel offices, bar
room and a number of stores. In the
basement was an elabOrately fitted cafe.
Z J. Baldwin stated this morning that
he carried $1,000 600 insurance, but he
could not remember in what companies.
"SeCret Service" Co. s Loss.
At $40 a. m. the Market street side
seemed TO be crumbling.
An alarm was sounded and the
crowds, together with the employees of
the emporium watching the fire from
the sidewalk scattered. A few moments
later a stream was turned OF the chin
ney. The falling of the chimney caused
the remaining portion of the fifth floor
to give way and it came down with
crash. The entire front and center OF
the hotel wall settled and the f1remen
working at the engines stationed OppO-
site the west wing deserted their posi-
tiOn expecting the mass to fall in their
direction but the walls moved only two
or three feet and remained stationary.
The chief of the fire department issued
orders to his men to take every precau-
ton. The fire is still eating the base
at the west end of the hotel and only
frau iron work supports it. When it
falls the dome, which for many years
has been a land mark, will be destroyed.
In this dome were stored many relics
of the Baldwin theater.
The Baldwin theater was completely
demolished by the falling of the fifth
floor. The entire effects Of the Secret
Service" company, which was filling an
strOyed. Nothing whatever was saved.
The scenery and stage sittings were
very valuable. A great deal of jew
elry and money belonging to members
the contracts were burned
The Columbia theater and Easements
and places of business opposite the
Baldwin were damaged by water to the
extent of $4,000.
But Two Lives Lost.
San Francisco, Nov 23.-The Baldwin
hotel is still burning but the fire is un-
der control. The number of lives lost
is not yet known Only two are def
nitely known, A. J. White and Louis
Meyer, a cigar dealer of Skagway. Mey-
er dropped dead from heart disease
caused by the excitement. He was
guest of the hotel.
1t is thought that White and Meyer
were the only people to lose their lives.
All the other guests are thought to have
escaped and all the employees have been
accounted for.
Heroic Elevator Boy.
Carroll D. Calvin, mining engineer
from Boise, Idaho, who occupied rooms
on the fifth floor of the hotel was the
last person to enter the elevator de-
scending to the ground floor Mr.. Gal
vim was sleeping sOundly totally un-
aware of the calamity going on around
him when he was awakened by the
watchman on the fifth floor. He hur-
r1edly dressed. and gathered a few val
ia ables and opened his door. A sheet of
flame famed by the draugbt from many
open doors confronted him. but fOrtu-
nately flames crept upwards and bend
ing low he made a rush for the eleva-
tor which he reached almost simultan-
eOusly with a lady bearing an infant in
her arms. The elevator was just de-
scending when Mr.. Calvin called to the
elevator boy to stop. The young man
took the chances and opened the door.
Mr. Calvin assisted the lady and child
into the cage and then managed to
squeeze himself into the already over
crowded car. Down the heavily laden
case shot to the first floor without stop
ping. It was the last trip. The fortu-
nate passengers looked up to see flames
Surgine around the upper part of the
shaft and it was all over. The elevator
how conll1z aisc his erars 4