Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-03-23


which was near the building came to
halt in a few minutes and the parade
was uisbanded, for the police as far as
they were able, drove the people from |
the streets. In addition 20 the regular |
guests of the hotel, the windows were |
crowded by large number of specta- |
tors, residents of this city, who had |
congregated there to witness the pa
rade. Soon after the fire alarm was
given the people on the lower floors of
the hotel commenced to pour out of
the building in great numbers, but it
very soon became apparent that a
great majority of the occupants of the
hotel were either panic-stricken or I'M
able to make their way to the ground
floor. Windows were thrown open on
every side of the building and guests,
mostly women, made frantic appeals
for assistance. AS the flames gathered
about them they became more and
more terror-Stricken. Presently some
of them STOOD on the narrow window
stills and beckoned to the spectators that
they were about to leap. Men collect
ed upon the sidewalks ready to render
any assistance possible as some of the
women dropped to the streets. In
most instances efforts to break their
awful fall were unavailing. AS soon as
the firemen could get their
scaling ladders into position they en-
tered every window where an unfortu-
nate guest appealed for assistance, and
many cases of heroic rescue were wit
messed by the throng in the streets.
Directly across the street from the ho-
tel is the home of Miss Helen Gould
and at her direction many of the in
jured were carried there and treated
by physicians and number of women
she sent for. Ambulances forced their
way through the crowds and the in
jured people who made frightful leaps
from the hotel windows were placed in
them and removed to hospitals. Sew
eral of the occupants of the hotel ap-
peared at the windows of the sixth and
seventh stories and even on the roof
and leaped to the streets from those
points. Few OF them escaped either
instant death or injuries which re-
suited in death a short time later.
Within 40 minutes after the fire first
broke out the walls on the 5th avenue
side showed indications of falling and
presently, with an awful crash, they
struck the asphalt street, causing hun
| dreds of people standing there to scat
ter in every direction. The walls on
the 10th and 47th street sides followed
a moment later. Doorsteps and iron
fences in front of. the houses on the
opposite side of the street from the
hotel were wrecked by the falling
walls anu the amount of debris piled
in the streets is so great that travel
will be impeded for several days. The
| adjacent buildings, including Miss
| Gould's residence, were in imminent
| danger but the flames were brought
under control before they were
reached.
There were many thrilling scenes in
! the hotel during the early stages OF
the fire. A hall boy discovered the
flames while he was passing along the
fourth floor, Immediately over the
rooms occupied by President McKin-
ley's brother, Abner Mckinley and
family. The boy pulled the chain at
tached to the fire alarm, but the chain
broke. Then he cried out an alarm OF
fire and ran to the floor below, alarm
ing the occupants of the dining rooms
and main floor. Then the boy rushed
into the basement and alarmed the
women at work in the laundry. 1t is
is believed that all of them escaped
One of the most daring rescues effected
by the firemen occurred on the fifth
floor in the 9Th avenue front An
elderly woman was seen at a window
Two firemen succeeded in reaching the
window Immediately underneath
One climbed to the coping of the win
dow of which she was standing then
swung the woman clear of the window
and landed her safely in the arms OF
his companion, who with the assist
ance of several other firemen passed
| her down to the street.
How many persons are buried in the
ruins is not known, but at least three
| !,
whose bodies have not been recovered.
A young man, apparently an employee,
| jumped from the roof on the 46th
street side of the hotel Another I'M
known man jumped on the 9Th avenue
! side and two more were seen to Jump
! from the rear. Shortly after tnat two
women jumped from the roof to the
court yard below. 1t is known that
two of these at least are dead. Eye
witnesses say that they saw a woman
throw child from window and fan
a moment later herself, just before the
collapse of one of the walls. AS yet
no trace of these bodies has been
found.
Abner Mckinley, brother of Presi-
dent Mckinley, had four rooms on the
ground floor Of the hotel Mrs. Nc
Kinley and daughter Mabel occupied
rooms with Abner Mckinley. Miss
Mabel was dressing for drive when
the alarm of fire was given. She
opened window, and was assisted
out by some unknown man. She
walked half block and found her car
riage in waiting. She was driven to
the Hotel Buckingham, where she tel
ephoned to her father Abner McKin-
ley, at his office Mrs Mckinley and
daughter Helen were entertaining Mrs.
John Sherwood, the authoress. All of
them got out safely assisted by two
men. The McKinleys lost everything
except the clothes that thew wore