The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-26

reach the roof of an adjoining eight-story
building. but I'm the excitement this means
OF escape was forgotten. Several made the
terrible leap to the sidewalk and were
crushed. while the others ran the gauntlet
Of smoke and fire down the rear fire
escapes.
Among those on the eighth floor who
jumped and were killed were II. a. Spar
row. an expert electrical contractor, and
Charles Z. Sparrow his nephew and assist
ant \ coIored scrubwoman also jumped
from this floor and was crushed IN the
street
It was exactly 1920 o'clock this morning
when Howard f. Street young man en-
pIoyed by Hunt. Wilkinson < Co, OBJ
served flames shooting Up the elevator
shaft from the basement. lie was on the
second floor, and Immediately gave the
alarm TO the other employees. He then
FASTENED to the street 20 notify a police
man In the meantime the employs OK
the electrical bureau at the City Hall, two
blocks away, saw smoke issuing from the
building and transmitted an alarm 10 the
fire department. When the engines ar
rived the flames had enveloped the building
from top 10 bottom, and the intense heat
from this mass Of flames made il almost
impossible for the firemen 10 get within
close range of the seething furnace. lg-
noring the flames for the time being the
brave fire fighters devoted their whole at
tention TO the work Of rescue. As some
of them stood within the scorching heat
of the fire with nets outsDread TO receive
those who leaped from the building their
comrades played lines Of hose upon them
When their work in this respect was end
ed many Of the fremen were completely
exhausted.
LEAPED TO THE STREET.
Most of the fatalities occurred in the
rear of the building As IL by common
impulse, the majority of the employees
attempted 90 reach places Of safety by
means Of the fire escape on the Commerce
street end Of the structure. Many Of them,
rendered practically insane by fright
leaped to the ground, and others, becom-
ing unconscious from the smoke and in
tense heat, fell TO tie pavement
When the hremen arrived Commerce
street was filed with these unfortunate
victims. and for the space of an hour the
police and hospital service was taxed to
its utmost capacity.
For an hour the roaring flames threat
ened the life of every one VINO was COM
PEELED to work fighting the fire pro-
cry minute Of the time threatened many
other thousands of dollars worth OF prop
erty or all sides OF the principal building,
in which the blaze started. 1t looked for a
time as IL the entire brock would become
prey TO the flames, but the falling OF the
walls of the burning building prevented
the spread of the fire. Adjoining the Hunt,
Wilkinson x Co. building is an eight-stOry
structure nearing completion. When the
walls of the blazing establishment coll
lapsed the firemen secured better oppor-
tunity Of playing upon the adjoining bust
ness houses and thus prevented the flames
from attacking surrounding property.
BY noon the fire was under control, and
at O'Clock this afternoon force of men
ordered by the Department of Public Safety
began the work OF clearing away the debris
for the purpose of recovering the bodies
of the victims buried in the ruins.
Small buildings In the rear of the furni-
ture building, and also to the west Of the
burned area, were crushed by falling walls.
The front of the stores on the south side
OF Market street, opposite the fire. were all
more or less damaged by the heat. Great
tongues Of flame, swept along by the north
west wind. shot across the broad thorough
fare, and for time il looked as if the fire
would spread to those buildings.
The loss tonight is estimated at half a
million dollars most Of which falls on
Hunt. Wilkinson q CO., whose loss Is esti-
mated at $4,000. Henry c. LEAFS loss on
the building is about $4,000. William Il.
Potts x Son suffered loss OF So, 900, while
ether occupants of the Potts building and
surrounding property owners suffered losses
aggregating $500.