The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-05-18
Two Persons Killed, One Missing
and Fifteen Injured in a
Fire in Chicago.
FIVE OF THE LATER LIKELY TO DIE.
Many Daring Rpscues and Narrow Es-
capes, in Which Porter Proved
Himself to Be Hero.
There Being But One Exit From the
building Many of the Guests
Got Out Through the
Windows.

Chicago, May 1.-Two persons
were killed, one is missing and Is
were injured in fire which early
Wednesday morning destroyed the
Hotel Helene, at 10 to ia Fifty-third
street. Five of the injured will prob
ably die.
The dead: Charlotte Peterson, din
ing room girl; found in her room
burned to crisp. Lena -, surname
unknown to police; found burned al
most beyond recognition in the room
with Miss Peterson.
The missing: Patterson, man,
last seen in hotel office at II o'clock
Tuesday night.
The seriously injured: W. E. Hor-
neil, burned about face and hands and
body, leg broken; will die. s. c. Nc
Haddin, flesh partly burned from
body; will die. E. f. Tarbux, burned
about body, recovery doubtful. Eliza
beth Florence, internally injured and
skull fractured; unconscious; recov-
cry doubtful. f. B. Allen, both ankles
sprained and internally injured; jump
ed from third-story window.
Mrs. T. D. Allen, back broken and in
ternally injured; jumped from third
story window; will die. Miss
Helen Joseph. badly bruised and
overcome by smoke. Stella Neilwol-
ski, chambermaid, jumped from first
floor; overcome by smoke and injured
internally. l.. j. Mcneil, porter,
burned about face Miss Sarah Hutch
inson, high school teacher, injured
in falling from second-story floor.
James Costin, fireman. cut by falling
glass. Mrs. Bruce and baby, over
come by smoke. Thomas Morgan( POI
liceman, back injured. Mrs. Adelia
Lawson, badly bruised.
The loss to the building and fur
nishings were $4,000.
The destruction of the hotel was
replete with daring rescues and mar
| row escapes, in which James Mcneil,
the porter, earned himself the title OF
hero. He was the first to warn the
sleeping occupants of their danger
He carried Helen Joseph down a
swaying ladder from the thsrd floor
and then, amid the cheers of the on
lockers, returned to the second floor
where woman was laying uncon-
scious, her clothing on fire. He car.
ried her to the window and dropped
her into the arms of Policeman Wolf
The effort and the heat were toe
much for Mcneil, and he staggered
back into the smoke. The people be
low thought he was lost. A police
man mounted the shoulders of &
brother officer, and, clambering ovel
the window ledge, caught Mcneil by
the foot and dragged him from the
room. Mcneil was passed down tC
the ground and soon recovered con
seriousness.
The rescue of a woman and hel
baby aroused the enthusiasm of tn,
crowds. Mrs. Bruce, with one arm
around her infant child, was clinginf
with the other arm to the ledge o.
a seeond-story window. Smoke wal
pouring out in smoSlering cloud:
and Mrs. Bruce seemed con the point
of falling. Her fingers were relaxing
when suddenly three policemen, car
rying a blanket held taut among
them, rushed into the flames, which
were then darling from the basement
windows, just in time TO catch tn,
woman and her child in safety. Mrs
Bruce was badly burned. but had sue
ceeded in protecting her baby, so tina
not one hair of its head had beer
burned.
There were many other narrow es
capes and exhibitions of courage dur
ing the burning of the structure. A
there was but one exit from the build
ing the greater number of the guest
were compelled to get out as bes
they could through windows.
w. T. Morrow, a farmer who's
home is in Columbia, Tenn, owe
his escape to his horror of fires. II
was living at the hotel while under
| going medical treatment and Away
had a rope under his pillow. Wher
. the alarm was sounded he grasped hi
Rible in. one hand and usiih a. -