The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-17
HOTEL DESTROYED
By Fire, Killing Two and Injuring
Flftsen othsra,
MANY DARING RfcUES.
Porter at the House the Hero, Res
cuing Several From Dsath-Woman
and Baby Caught in a Blanket.

CHICAGO, May 1.-two persons
were killed one is missing and fifteen
were injured in fire which early to-
day destroyed the Hotel Helene, at Nos.
ITO 10 1I4 Forty-thiTa street. Five Of
the injured win probably die.
The dead are as follows:
Charlotte Peterson, dining room girl
Found in her room burned TO crisp.
Lena -, surname unknown to po-
lice Found burned almost beyond
recognition in room with Miss Peter
son.
The missing:
- Patterson, man, last seen In ho-
tel ONCE at II o'clock last night.
W. r. Horn, burned about the face.
hands and body; leg broken; VIII likely
S. G. McFadden, flesh partly burned
from body: win die.
p. e. Tarbux, burned about body; re-
euvery doubtful.
elizabeth Florence, internally in-
jured and skull fractured; unconscious;
recovery doubtful:
Z. Is. Allen, both ankles sprained and
Internally injured in Jumping from
third story window.
Internally injured; jumped from third
story window: VIII die.
Helen Joseph, badly bruised and over
come by smoke.
stella NeiIwolslSl. chamber maid,
Jumped from first floor; overcome by
smoke and injured Internally.
L. James Mcneil, porter burned
about face.
DestructiUn to Hotel Complete,
Sarah Hutchinson. high school teach
er: injured In falling from the second
door.
James costiD. fireman, cut by falling
Mrs, Bruce and baby, overcome by
Thomas Morgan, policeman. back In
jured.
Mrs. Arelaide Lawson. badly brufsed.
The loss to the buildings and fur
nishings was $4,000. The destruction
of the hotel was replete with daring res
cues and narrow escapes. In which
James Mcneil earned himself the title
Of hero. He was a porter in the hotel,
and the fiTst to warn the sleeping occu-
pants OF their danger. He carried
Helen Joseph down a swayIng ladder
from the third floor. and then, amid the
cheers Of the onloekers returned to the
second floor, where woman was ly-
ing unconscious. her clothing on fire.
He carried her to the window and
dropped her into the arms Of Policeman
Wolf. The effort and the heat were
too much for Mcneil, and he staggered
back into the smoke. The people be-
low thought he was lost. police
man mounted to the shoulders OF a
brother officer, and, cInmbering over
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.
Woman and Baby's Strange Rescue.
The rescue Of a woman and her baby
aroused much enthusiasm among the
crowd. Mrs. Bruce, with one arm
around the infant, was citnging with the
other to the ledge Of second story
window. Her fingers were relaxing,
when suddenly three policemen, carry
ing blanket held taut among them.
rushed into the flames, which were
darling from the basement windows,
lust in time to catch the woman and
her child, saving them from almost GER
tain death, Mrs. Bruce was badly
burned, but she succeeded in protecting
her baby.
There were many other narrow es-
capes and exhibitions OF courage dur
ing the burning Of the structure, as
there was only one entrance to the
building, which compelled the greater
number OF the guests to make their
exits as best they could through the
windows,
Fire Spread With Rapidity.
The rescues were nearly all acconp-
llshed before the fremen arrived. The
blaze spread SO rapidly that had the
people in the hotel been compelled to
await the arrival OF the hook and lad
der company more lives would have
been lost. The policemen and Others
on the ground early however, were
able to secure ladders from a paint
store nearby, and by this means saved
many Of the guests from death.
The fire started In the basement, and
spread with the greatest raptdtty. But
for the heroic action OF Porter Mcneil
every person in the building would un-
doubtedly have persisted.
-S-o-
ETEcTRTC CAR LIME