The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-16
HEROIC RESCUE.
Hotel Porter Saves Two Lives
at a Fire.
Narrowly Escapes Losing His
OWn-2 Burned to Death.

Chicago, May 1.-two persons were
killed, one is missing and fifteen were
injured in a fire which early today de-
stroyed the Hotel Helene at 10 to ia
Fifty-third street. Five of the injured
will probably die. The dead:
Charlotte Peterson, dining room girl,
found in her room, burned
Lena --, surname unknown to Do
lice, found burned almost beyond rec
ignition in room with Miss Peterson
The missing:
- Patterson, man last seen in
hotel Office at IL o'clock last night.
The seriously injured:
W z. Horn, burned about the face
and hands and body, leg broken; viii
| die
S. c. McHaddin. flesh partly burned
| from body; Will die.
| E E. Tarbux- burned about the body;
recovery doubtful
Elizabeth Florence, internally injured
and skull fractured; unconscious, recov-
cry doubtful.
L. B. Allen, both ankles sprained and
internally injured in jumping from third
| story window.
Mrs T. D. Allen, back broken and in
terEally injured; Jumped from third
story window; will die.
Miss Helen Joseph, badly bruised and
| overcome by smoke.
jumped from first floor: overcome by
smoke and injured internally.
| L. ]. Mcneil, porter, burned about
Miss Sarah Hutchinson. a high school
teacher; injured in falling from second
| floor.
James Costin, fireman, cut by falling
Mrs. Bruce and baby. overcome by
Thomas Morgan, policeman, back in
jured.
Mrs. Adelia Lawson, badly bruised
The loss to the building and furnish
ings was $4,000.
The destruction of the hotel was re-
plete with daring rescues and narrow
| 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 swayfng ladder
from the third floor. and then amid
| the cheers of the cnlOokerS returned
to the second floor where a woman was
lying unconscious, her clothing on fire
He carried her to the window and
dropped her into the arms OF Police
man Wolf The effort and the heat
were too much for Mcneil and he stag
gered back into the smoke. The PEG
pie below thought he was lost A pO-
Iiceman mounted to the shoulders of g
brother officer and clambering ovel
the window ledge caught Mcneil by the
feet and dragged him from the room
Mcneil was passed down to the ground
and soon recovered consciousness.
. The rescue of woman and her baby
aroused the enthusiasm of the crowd
Mrs. Bruce, with one arm around hel
infant child was clinging with the othel
arm to the ledge of a second storl
window Smoke was pouring out il
sEiotheIing clouds and Mrs Bruce
seemed on the point of falling. He
fingers were relaxing when suddenly
three policemen, carrying a blanke
held t3ut among them, rushed into th'
flames which were then darting from
the basement windows just in time t
! catch the woman and her child il
| safety. Mrs. Bruce was badly burned
but had succeeded in protecting he
baby, so that not one hair Of its heat
had been scorched.
There were many other narrow escape
: and exhibitions Of courage during tn
| burning Of the structure, as there wa
only one entrance to the building, whicl
compelled the greater number Of tn
r guests to make their exits through tn
| windows.
4 The rescues were nearly all accom-
! I plished before the firemen arrived Tn
: | blaze spread so rapidly that had tn
: | people in the hotel been compelled t
: await the arrival of the hook and lad
= der company many more lives WouI
= have been lost. The policemen and 9th
4 ers on the ground early however wer
able to secure ladders from a paint stoT
4 nearby, and by this means saved man
{ of the guests from DEATH
The fire started in the basement an
+ spread with the greatest rapidity. Bu
: for the heroic action of Porter Meme
every person in the building would III
!, doubtedly have persisted.