Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-22

tor And tnen she spoke OF ner husband
and told the attendants that he was at
tending Masonic funeral and could not be
reached until he returned. There was not
word of the acute agony that she suf-
fered with fortitude almost sublime.
Mrs. A. l.. Samuelson was lying on a couch
In the same office when her husband came
In to look for her. He knew that she had
gone to attend the committee meeting and
that was all. AS he came in the door he
asked reporter II he had heard anything
or her, and low cry from the mass of
burned and mangled forms that almost filled
the small apartment was the answer. Her
face was so Scared and burned that she
was scarcely recognizable, but the first word
from her lips staggered him with the full
hllment OF his fears. After the first rush
OF emotion he bore his sorrow bravely
enough and assisted to arrange for Mrs
Samuelson's removal to the hospital
The wife of Jerry Sullivan, captain of No
Hose company, was one of those whose
injuries were most painful. All the way to
the hospital she begged pitifully to he put
out of her misery. Sullivan was one of the
first firemen at work on the building, but
when it was found that his wife was among
the victims he was released from duty. He
attended her to the hospital.
In the crowd around the building and
among the groups that besieged the doors
of DR.. Grossmann's office there were a score
of men who feared that their wives had per-
ished Some desperately endeavored to force
their way past the policemen who guarded
the door. Others waited quietly enough but
with q mute despair that was even more
pathetic. Everyone who came out was caught
by half dozen crazed relatives, but they
could give little information. For q time
every effort was bent in trying to afford
physical relief to the victims and only one
or two Of them were definitely known. Later
an effort was made to ascertain their names
but it was fully an hour before the anXieties
of those who waited were either confirmed
or dissipated. The identity of Mrs. Taylor
was one of the last to be discovered. A
number of people had been asking anXiously
about her ever since the tragedy occurred
but as they could find no one who had heard
her name they had begun to think that she
had in some way escaped. 1t was not until
after the wounded had been taken to the
hospitals that the dead woman was recog-
nized and the hopes of her friends blasted.
w. w. Scott janitor of the building, was
severely burned about the head and hands
while he was trying to assist in the escape
of the imprisoned women. He succeeded in
carrying one little girl down stairs, but he
had to pass through cyclonic swirl OF
flame. His hair and mustache were almost
completely singed away. His hands were
terribly burned, but he paid no attention
to his own injuries until after the dead and
wounded women had been carried into the
physcan's office. Then he was assisted to
drug store where his burns were dressed.
AS to the Origin of the Fire.
A new theory as to the origin of the fire
was given credence last evening because of
the statements of several persons, includ-
ing Chief Redell, who saw flames issuing
from the basement Of the building before
they made great headway in the upper
story.
Mrs. Cronin, who left the meeting in the
parlors on the third floor to do an errand
down town, returned just as the alarm was
given. While passing the alleyway in the
rear of the building Mrs. Cronn's attention
was attracted by the cracking of flames
and, glancing in the direction of the sound,
saw fire and smoke pouring out of the base
ment window.
Chief Redell says that when the firemen
entered the burning building with lines of
hose the flames were sweeping up through
the elevator shaft from the basement. He
directed his men to first eXtnguish the fire,
in the basement before carrying water to
the upper floors and this order was exc
cuted
w. w. Scott is the janitor of the build
ing. When the fire was discovered he was
in the parlor assisting the women who at
tended the meeting. Mr.. Scott is positive
the fire did not originate on the third floor,
believing it had its inception in the base
ment, for the reason that when he opened
the meeting room doors into the hall the
flames and smoke were pouring up from
below through the elevator shaft and STAIR
ways.
More Fire Protection.
The Harney street engine company dis
continued by the Board of Fire and Police
commissioners on March l. and which the
Commercial club has petitioned to have put
back into service, is to be organized imme-
dately, whether money is found for it's
maintenance or not, Mayor Moores made an
emphatic declaration to this effect while
viewing the scene of the tragedy.
"To be sure, the presence of that COM
pany would not have saved the loss of life
but l propose to take no chances" he de-
clared. Some ether fire may occur in which
terrible results like this may be prevented
with another fire company on hand The city
council may remain parsimonious If it de-
sires, but the company will go into service
as quickly as it can be gotten together. The
council then may find the means of main
tanning the company as it sees fit"
Accordingly the mayor issued orders TO
Fire Chief Redell to organize the company
as speedily as possible, and 1t will probably
be installed in its old house on Harney
street by tonight or tomorrow at the latest.
The council concurred IN the determination
of the mayor at the meeting last night by
adopting n resolution to the same effect.
At the meeting OF the council committee
Of the whole yesterday afternoon, the dis
aster was in a measure foreshadowed. One
of the members of the Commercial club
committee that waited on the council with
the request that the engine company be re-
instated said that some fire not unlike the
terrible Windsor hotel holocaust in New
York might occur, and that the crippling OF
the fire department would in such event be
condemned by the citizens.
The Occupants and Their Losses.
The Patterson building was erected In
1898 1t has always been a popular build
ing with civic societies and young people,
who have seen many happy evenings in the
Armory of the Thurston Rifles, The build
ing is now managed by the MDCague Invest
ment company. The manager WAS unable
last evening to estimate the damage done
to the structure. but as the walls are be-
lieved to be uninjured 1t is thought the