The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-22
DEATH TRAP
IN OMAHA.
Patterson Block Burned Result
ing in Two Deaths
And the Injury OF Twenty
Others, Mostly Women.
A HOME OF LODGES
Members OF Maccabees were
Holding a Meeting.
Fire Started From Gasoline
Stove Explosion.

Omaha Neb., March PA fire par
- ,zas+roved the Patterson block at
Seventeenth and Douglas streets yes
terdav afternoon. Two of its Victims
have already passed away, one more -
not expected to live and about twenty
are suffering from broken limbs anu
burned and lacerated flesh
KILLED. ,isI a.
MRS THOMAS TAYLOR. lI8iil1
MRS. ANNA SCHAMEL-
INJURED.
Mrs. c. E. Brosius. face and hands
burned. ,,-- 4,,.,,..d
Ms A L SamueIson, face and hands
severely burned. both wrists broken1- -,
Nav Samuelson, five years, burned OH
hands and face. z
shoulders burned x5a
Mrs. ]. c. Holt, face and HANDS
burned. 1000 IN,
5ured Internally, may die 800
Mrs. Mary Hopkins. face and nead
badly burned 600
severely burned. -
Mrs. w. A Rex, hanoS anu Aac1 SC
Verely burned. -
Mrs. p. ID. Schineer, face, body and
hands burned, bad cut on head; Will
Mrs. French, South Omaha, face and
Mrs. A. A. smith. face and hands bad
" burned, cut by glass
Mrs Thomas Thornton, face ana
hands burned severely.
Walter Scott, hands and face severely
burned.
Unknown man, badly burned on hands
Steve Williams. five years old, face
and hands burned
Fireman William Guider, sumocaleo
and fell from ladder, internal injuries;
will probably die. ..
Lieutenant James Adams. injured
about hips by falling down stairs
a group of happy women, busy with
the affairs of the secret orders with
which they were affiliated, were IN a
moment brought face to race with
death Sixty seconds later seven OF
them lay burned and bleeding on the
pavement to which they had dropped
thirty feet below, and the others were
rescued after they had been more or less
severely injured in their desperate dash
down the single pair of stairs that led
to safety.
The blaze started from a gasoline
stove explosion in room in the rear
of the third floor of the building ana
next to the elevator shaft. 1t was not
discovered until it had spread to the
adjoining apartments and the entire
floor was filed with smoke and flame.
About twenty members of the women's
lodge of Maccabees were attending a
committee meeting in the waiting room
in front of the middle of the building
sciouS of danger until a janitOr threw
open the door and told them to get out
before the flames cut them off. The
warning came too late. The fire swept
through the door and down the single
stairway. Those nearest the door fed
through the binding smoke and reach
ed the street with hands and faces burn
ed and blistered. The rest faced
d solid wall of flame.
There was a fire escape at the south
front of the building, but no one seems
to have thought of it They rushed
panic stricken to the windows through
which the smoke was already pouring
in suffocating puffS. The fire was
scarcely a foot behind them. 1t caught
their clothing and scorched their faces
with increasing intensity.
In another instant the spectators, at
tracted by the clouds of smoke were
Mortified to see one after another spring
from the open windows and fall heavily
to the pavement. Not one arose. They
lay in an inert and apparently HfeIesS
heap until carried into the office of a
physician across the street Most of
them were bleeding from severe cuts
and bruises, and all were burned until
their torn and blackened skin hung in
Ehreds.
In few minutes all except Mrs. Tay-
Tor recovered consciousness and physi-
clans and nurses hastily summoned did
all that was possible to relieve their suf-
ferings. AS fast as haSty dressings
could be applied the victims were taken
to the CIarkson hospital by the am
balances. The body of Mrs. Taylor was
taken to the morgue and others whose
injuries were less severe were treated at
neighboring drug stores and at the Of
fees Of down town physicians.
Aside from the fatalities and the in
juries to persons, the fire was not a
serious one. Few of the losers are able
TO place an exact estimate upon their
losses. but the total will not exceed $780,
900. The loss on the building is less than