Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-11-05
WALLS FELL IN.
Wild Rumors That Several Men Were
Buried Under the Rims
Proved InGoundcd.

The entire SiX-Story building occupied by
the Jones Dry Goods Company WAS 4
seething carIdron Of flames by 1880 Il. m,
or Ore-half hour after the first alarm
turned in. Immense crowds Were packed
and iammcd on Main street. both north
yiind south of the burning building and also
on Sixth street, between Main and Della
ware streets. The flames. meanwhile,
Were growing iercer and fiercer and the
intense heat drove the crowds back iully
800 feet from the burning corner The
great flames We're rolling and lcaping over
and through the building and it was soon
nothing but molten mass of fire. sur
rounded by mere shell of walls.
On the corner of Sixth and Main streets
number of tiremen were directing a six
inch hose on the north wall of the Hum
boldt block and firemen We're lined mp
Sixth street. between Main and Walnut.
for half block, with hose playing on
the doomed dry goods building occupied
| by the Jones company. Suddenly ter
rible note of warning burst from the hor
rifed crowd of spectators. Swayng far
over the heads OF the heroic firemen the
! siX-story corner wall of the Jones build
! ing began to fall. There was blind rush
| on the part of the crowd up Main street.
| Those who turned to view the appalling
! spectacle were Mortified. Hidden in the
! smoke directly under the falling walls We're
| three firemen of the insurance patrol. TC
| add to the horror of the scene it was
| known that seven fircmen were in the
| Humboldt building. The entire wall of this
| building fronting Main street and thirty
! feet of the Sixth street wall had been
struck by the great mass OF falling brick
| and stone that were coming down. The
enormous mass fell with crash like thun-
IL.
the three fremen in the street and the sew
en men seemed inevitable, but they were
rescued from their perlous position. Fire
man Tom Wilson was the only one VINO
| sustained any injuries and he escaped with
| a broken thumb
| Fireman John Hobby was standing in
| front of the Humboldt building, at Sixth
and Main, and was hit on the head by a
! stray brick
/ Captain Marvin. of No ! fire company,
had close call and narrowly escaped with
his life. He was carried down by falling
timbcrs but beyond a few severe bruises
he was not injured seriously.
Captain F'elletier, of the insurance patrol.
had six men grouped near the Emery
building and when the walls fell il was
feared that several were seriously hurt.
lie called the roll of his men. however,
and all responded but one man. 1t was
afterwards learned lfal thiS was an SAlEd
man who WAS not working last night
4 report was current that Chief Hale
had been killed, but this was merely one
of the wild rumors that got into circula-
tion and after disappearance OF a few
minutes the chief reappcared. uniniured.
When the great cloud of smoke and flame
had rolled away an immense cheer arose
from the crowd. The three outside men
were seen To have escaped and three of the
men inside the Humboldt block came run
ming through the front door Just in time
/ 10 save their lives. II was thought that
the other seven men inside the building
: were doomed and it was only by a miracle
. that they were not instantly killed. Their
/. lives We're saved ny Tie immense iron shut
tiers and gratinGs in the wall.
These Tell in such a position that pro-
. lection was afforded the iiremen vino hud-
/. died together in a little space in the rear
OF the Enrich store. As soon as the dazed
; fremen and spectators recovered from the
. shock of the awful catastrophe. multi
. tude of willing hands were engaged in
. the work OF rescue. Ladders were run
: over the debris and the Cooped-up firemeu
. were dragged out Their escape was the
. most miraculous in the history Of the fire
department.