The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-10-19


hostey and al OF the contents, with
! the exception Of such effects as the
5stste, ests nnanaued to save is total loss,
Z ". time it appeared that the fire
! "a, Y struggled hard from the
M E>Q, = aTived-had gotten con-
troll on blaze. but the fire ate its
way through the floors and gradually
orent into the lower stories.
At this hour. 400 it is plain to be
seen that the building will be Quilted
though the walls appear to be so sub
stantaI that they will probably stand.
One of tho most dreadful features of the
connagrotion was the loss OF one life. ut
least There is Il possibility that several
persons persisted in the flames, though it
is not absolutely known that hut one life
was lost 1t is known, however that one
man lost his life.
lie was heard to cry ont in awfdl agony
from the interior Of the thltd story. aad
dremen working in the vicinity made a
determined effort 10 save him, but he was
overcome before he could be reached
The man was seen to fall back into the
flames. according to statement Of Mr..
John Boyle, one Of the proprietors of tho
hotel, and, Of course, it would have been
foolhardy for any one to enter the fierce
blaze that quickly spread beyond and en-.
vcoped the PROSTATE form of the unfor
tunate.
It is mpos IDLE al this time to learn the
name of the victim of the flames fury. hut
It is believed that he was sne Of the guest,
Of the hotel who either was not fully
aroused to an understanding Of his peril 81
some one, who thinking 1t safe to rc-entcl
HIS apartments, hid rushed back in an at
tempt to secure his personal effects.
The other persons who may possibly have
lost their lives were colored esploycs Of
the hosiery whose sleeping apartments
were over the kitchen and boiler rooms
where the fire is believed to have orig
mated.
The Hutchins is managed by T. j. and j
T. Boyles and Mr. Boylcs was one Of tn,
coolest persons about the building, calming
those of the guests who were disposed t.
be excited and keeping everything moving
so smoothly that there was nothing like
panic. The house was filed with guests
but there was not, so far as could learned
any one even slightly hurt.
AT $50 o'clock this morning the Hutchln
house, located on Franklin avenue, he
tween Main and Travis streets had yer
narrow escape from total destruction b
fire. and, rs II was, considerable damag
was done TO the anncX-the rear portlo
Of the building, used for the kitchen
mower plant, etc. At about the hour name
above the fire was discovered, though
was evident from appearances then tina
the flames had been smodering in tn
kitchen portion Of the building for som
time II Is presumed that the fire starte
in the kitchen, as 1t was that portion Z
the building that first developed the lume
As soon as II was found that the buil'
ing was on fire a general alarm was turne
In to the fire department, and to emph;
size the urgent necessity for quick actl0
b on the part Of the department, a. well q
10 arouse those who were sleeping In place
p that might be endangered by the threa
ened condagration. several persons ran
Il the middle OF Franklin avenue and con
menced a fusilladc Of pistol shots while
d had the desired effect.
The scene about the hotel in very fe
p. moments, was one Of confusion, men rusl
ing here and there in frantic efforts to GO
lect tnelr effects aud calling to member
Of their families in cases whore they ha
families. Lady guests Of the hotel, bein
aroused by such a sudden alarm. rushed
the streets in their night clothes, and the
finding they had time to return to the
rooms and secure their clothes and oth'
n effects. even II the FIRE could not be FINAL
e subdued even before the hotel proper woul
: burn they would hurry up the stairs agai
after articles left behind in their fri
flight However, considering the serioJ
anneorance Of the flames at that hour, Il
. crowd and. particularly. the guests
q ~ botel were remarkably cool and sci
The negro employees Of the hotel ha'
g APARTMENTS IN the part Of the building
which the fire broke out, and the first 4
tlmation that those in the office receive
9 thar there was a fire was through one
tha colored employees coming into the o
2 Acc and complaining To the clerk that
z could not sleep in his room on account
= What he considered 10 be smoke comiT
3 either from the smoldering kitchen fires
9 those under the boilers.
3 The night clerk. NIr. Locke. said 10
2 representative OF The Post that when Il
2 negro made the complaint he looked
. the direction of the building and sa
z smoke issuing In dense volumes from Sc
9 eral Of the windows, fre alarm W
2 Immediately turned In then and an q
3 gnests asleep In any portion Of the bun
z ing we're notified OF the probable dang
3 which threatened.
2 As soon as this was attended TO- %
z Locke and several other persons who ha