Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-03-20


rain more than two hundred men con-
tinued to-day to work among the de-
bris and smoldering ruins of the Wind
sor hotel, searching for the bodies Of
those who persisted in the flames and
to recover any valuables that might
have escaped the ravages of the fire.
The efforts of the searchers were
futile, however, as the ruins were too
hot to permit much progress, and the
smoke issuing from the burning
material was rendered more dense by
the dampness of the atmosphere.
At intervals during the night flames
burst forth from the burning embers
and drove back the workmen. Work
was begun this morning to demolish
the fragmentary portions of the walls
on the east and north sides of the
burned building, and later the number
of workers was reinforced and the work
of removing the rubbish pushed as Wig
orously as was practicable.
The chimney, So feet high, standing
ON the Forty-sixth street side of the
ruins, near Fifth avenue, was blown
UP to-day Thirty pounds of dyna-
mite were placed under the base of
this chimney and electricity was used
to explode it.
Smoke and steam still rise from the
debris, and now and then tongues of
flame shoot up, even at this late hour
after the fire. The workmen have been
able to do only little superficial work.
When they dig down a little way the
debris is so hot that they are obliged
to move to another locality.
During the day workmen were en-
gagged in picking to pieces the six
story wall that is standing on the
Forty-seventh street side of the hotel
site, in order to make the search in
the ruins safe.
The second So foot chimney was dy-
namited shortly after three o'clock this
afternoon. The explosion wrecked
number of plate glass windows and
doors in nearby residences.
A large force of men were at work
during the afternoon on what was the
main entrance to the hotel. 1t was ex-
peeted that bodies would first be found
there. A large amount OF small arti-
cles, principally the personal property
of guests, was found.
Daniel Sweeney, the emergency
wrecker of the building department,
and three men had a narrow escape
from injury and possible death about
5 o'clock. The four men were on top
of the six-story wall, which was still
rear corner of the hotel, tearing it
down. A stiff north wind blew up sud
denly, and Sweeney felt the wall trem-
bling beneath him. He cried out
warning and the men hurried from
their dangerous position. They were
just outside the danger line when
great section Of the wall, thirty or
more feet square, and including that
portion on which they had been work
ing, went down with roar. A por-
ton OF it fell on the roof of the house
back of the hotel, wrecking the roof.
The house had been emptied by order
of the building department. and nobody
was injured.
A. P. Demorest called at the East
51st street police station to-day and
reported that he had a small safe FLIED
with jewels valued at 100000 in the
ruins of the fire. He, his wife and
daughter and son occupied rooms on
the third floor near Fifth avenue and
47th street. They were all in their
rooms when the fire occurred. His
daughter, when the fire was discovered,
went to the small safe containing the
jewels and tried to open it, but forgot
the combination in her excitement
Mr.. Demorest stated that when he
opened the room door he saw three
men running about in the smoke and
going into rooms. They were not fire.
men and he was certain they were not
employees. He thinks they were rob-
bers. He and his family then went
( out on the fire escape. and were res
cued by the firemen. Mr.. Demoress
was apprehensive about the safety OF
the safe and its valuables.
Thomas Cleary, of 81 Third avenue,
called ON Inspector Harley and stated
that he assisted woman from the
hotel whom he afterwards ascertained
.Eas Mrs. Abner Mckinley. He took
sher to the street and put her in a cab.
Mrs. Mckinley told him that she had
dropped a bag containing some jew
elry. He ran back and gothic bag and
gave it to Mrs. Mckinley and she
drove OF. Inspector Harley held
Cleary in order to verify the story
OF three trunks taken from the debris
at 47th street and Fifth avenue Satur-
day afternoon, two were claimed by
Abner Mckinley.
Up 10 midnight no bodies had been DIS
covered ard no more deaths from injuries
received at the ire We're reported from the
hospitals but number of the injured
we're st.I! in serious condition.
The death list remains the same as yes
tsrday-sixteen-and the list Of missing