Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1899-03-23
HOW HE DID IT
Heroic Work of E. p. Wells
at the Windsor Hotel
Fire.
Saved HIS Daughter First, and
Then His Wife-Him-
self Last.
A Thrilling, Account Of Their
/ Narrow Escape From the
Holocaust.

n
A tire Friday afternoon burned toe
Windsor hotel in New York City. 1t
was large structure and many guests
we're obliged to jump to the streets be.
low from balconies and windows where
they were watching St. Patrick's day
parade. The house was in ruins in less
than an hour Some of the people were
caught IN blankets, some escaped on tlre
escapes, and many we're seen to fall
back into the runs. E. P. Wells was in
the building at the time. Alfred Diokey
received a dispatch from Mr.
Wells saying he had made his escape by
means Of rope, was unhurt. but had
lost his personal effects. Further ac-
counts say that the stairway AID tire
escapes we're crowded. Numbers OF peo.
ple On the streets were buried by falling
walls, including two fire engines and
crews. Nine persons were killed and ~
injured. Mrs. j. s. Kirk, wife OF the
millionaire soap manufacturer wss
fatally injured and died later. Presi-
dent MoKialey's brother Abner and wife
we're guests, but it Is believed they
escaped. Twenty persons, it is said, have
lost their lives. Lassr-Fourteen bodies
have been recovered; sixty are injured.
Manager Leland lost his wife and invalid
daughter. Hundreds jumped into nets
and escaped by ladders. 1t will be sew
eral days before full list Of casualties
ia known. The loss is over million
dollars.
The Alert received special Telegram
from Minneapolis inquir,ng about Mr.
Wells movements and saying that be
had made a gallant rescue OF his family
at the hotel fire.
Press dispatches give the following
osrt,culsrs Of the escape OF Mr.. snd
Mrs. E. p. Wells and daughter from the
Windsor hotel Ere IN New York. To
Mr.. Wells cooloess, pluck and physical
strength the lives Of all three are ue-
doubtedly due. Their friends csD only
express the wamlest congratulations
over the happy escape from a frightfud
death and admiration for Mr.. Wells
ooolness and nerve.
New York, March 18.-Edward p
Wells, his vile and daughter, of James
town, N. d., bad apartments on the
sixth aoor of the Windsor Hotel on the
fitth avenue side, and we're Watching the
St. Patrick's Day psrade when the tire
broke out. They had hardly time TO
realize thatsome this9 had gone wrong
when the smoke rolled through the
corridor snd their escape was cut OH 10
that direction.
The window was nov the only hope,
and to jump meant certain death. In
this emergency Mr.. Wells besonRht bis
family to remain calm, aad be then pro-
oeeded with great dellberstion to measure
the chances OF escape. He first paid out
the fre escape cope in the room until be
saw that it would resch>the ground. and,
hauling 1t back, be quickly but securely
fastened it about bis daughters waist.
He then lifted the form over the
window ledge aud slowly allowed it to
descend. BE wound the rope tightly
about his hands aud braced his feet
against the wall OF the room, meanwhile
slowly paying out the rope at the end Of
which dangled the almost inanlmate
body of his daughter. Smoke and flame
shot out at intervals from the windows
below, but the progress OF the girl was
not retarded, and IN few seconds she
had reached the ground.
There she was quickly taken care OF by
the tiremeu, who released her, and the
rope was quickly hauled back by Mr..
Wells and exactly the same performance
was gone through with in the case OF bis
wife who had meanwhile stood at hls
side At the window. For the third time
Mr.. Wells pulled the rope back, after he
had seen bis family in safety, and then
made preparations for his own descent.
He recognized seemingly that 1t wonld
bs impossible for hlm to 60 down hand
overland, and, knowing the lacerations
that would OCCUR il he slid down the
rope, hs first carefully tied up his hands
in towels, then be clam bered out on the
window sill and swung clear. He shot
down like lightning, bnt there we're
ready hands below to break tho fall, and
when the bandaQes had been removed
from the mans hands it was found that
hs had not even a blister on them. A
great shout went up from the crowd as
they saw Mr.. Wells land in safety. He