The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-03-25
A vERITABLE FIRE TRAP
Many woman Barsed and Injured
Two of the Victims Already
81 ~Deud-Others Nny Die.

Omaha. March 2-Comparatively in
significant in material destruction, but
appalling in its harvest of death and
suffering was n fire that partially de-
stroved the Patterson block, at Seven
tenth and Douglas streets, yesterday
afternoon. Two of its victims have IL
ready passed away, one more is not en-
pected TO live and about 20 others are
suffering from broken limbs and
burned and lacerated flesh.
Suddenly Confronted With Death
\ group of happy women, busy with
the affairs of the secret orders with
which they were affiliated. were in n
moment brought face TO face with
death. Sixty seconds later seven of
them lay burned and bleeding on the
pavements. 10 which they had dropped
80 feet below. and others were rescued
after they had been more or less Sc
vereIy injured in their desperate dash
down the single flight of stairs that LED
to safety.
& Gasoline stove Exploded.
The blaze started Just after three
o'clock from Il gasoline stove explosion
in Il room in the rear CT he third floor
of the building nex 10 the elevator
shaft. 1t was not discovered until af-
ter it had spread to the - adjoining
apartments. and the entire floor was
filled with smoke and flames.
Committee Hceting of ;~ia"rabces-
About 20 members of the women's
Il. r y-l.,- ,--, a+4a,Vt,a. n
committee meeting in the sitting room
in the middle of the building on h
same floor. They were unconscious OF
the danger until Il %ianitnr threw open
the door and told them 10 get out be-
fore the flames cut them of.
The Warming CaEic Too Late.
The warning came too late. The fire
swept through the door aud down the
single stairway. Those nearest the
door fled through the binding smoke
and reached the street with hands and
faces burned and nliStercd. The rest
faced n solid wall of flames. There
was Il fire escape at the south front of
the building. but not II OF them
seems TO have thought of it. They
! AANilNNs tiailiiN ~ II
through which The smoke was already
pourin" in suffocating puffs. The fire
was scarcely Il foot behind them. 1t
caught their clothing and scorched
their faces with increasing intensity.
4 Horrifying Spectacle.
In another instant the spectators. at
tracted by the clouds of smoke. We're
I,rriF,1 To enn m 1f-pg. .1G.h.r
sCrin@ from the open windows and fall
heavily to the pavement. Not II
arose. They lay in an inert and APP
parcntly ~lifeless heap until carried mt
the office of Il physician across the
street. Most of them were bleeding
from severe cuts and bruises. and all
were burned until th%eirtorn and black
med skin hung in shreds.
Injuries Dr~csscd-Sent to Hospital.
In a few minutes all except Mrs.
TAYLOR recovered consciousness, and
physicians and nurses. hastily UNI
moned. did all that was possible to re-
ieve their sufferings. AS fast as hasty
dressings could be applied the victims
were taken to the Clarkson hospital Ivy
the ambulances. The body of Mrs.
Taylor was taken TO the morgue. and
others. whose injuries were less severe,
were treated at the neighboring drug
stores and at the offices of downtown
physicians.
LOSS Not Serious.
Aside from the injuries to persons.
the fire was not a serious one. Few
of the losers are bic 10 place an exact
estimate on their losses, but the total
will not exceed $4,000. The loss on
the building is less than half that sum
and aside from that the heaviest losers;
are the proprietors of the Boston store.
who had n large surplus stock in the
basement of the block.
Secret Societies Suffer.
The loss of the various secret So
~cieties occupying the halls on the see
ond and third floors is largely b. Wit
ter and smoke. and is difficult to esfi-
mate. One lodge of the \. q. L. W..
two lodges of Red Men. two lodges of
the Legion of Honor. four lodges of
the MaccaheeS and several others lost
regalia and various items of furniture
The building is injured up To the 81
percent. clause. and most OF the other
losses are largely covered by insur-
alec.