The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-26
AND WE'RE TERRIBLY MANGLED OR
CRUSHED TO DEATH.
One Hundred Persons I'm the Place,
and the Number Who Escaped Is
UnknOwn-Loss S5OO,OOO.

hospitals. Police and firemen are tonight
deving into the ruins in search OF bodies
supposed TO have been buried beneath the
debris, as it is feared that others besides
the known dead may has lost their lives
in the flames. The buildings destroyed We're
the eight-story structure at 1919 and l2-l
Market street. occupied by Hunt. Wilkin-
son &, Co. uphOlsterers and furniture deal
ers. and three three-story buildings occu-
pied by small merchantmen. The big fur
niture building extended back half block
to Commerce street, and was owned by
Henry c. Lea. The list of known dead
follows:
DOROTHY KRAMER.
MARTHA BAKER.
MARGARET HEBDEN.
SUSAN GORMLEY.
HARRY HOUSE.
H. A. SPARROW.
CHARLES E. SPARROW.
FRED wITTINGTON.
CHARLES lands.
WALTER STEARLEY-
j. f. ARMSTRONG.
MRS. MARTHA BANKS, colored.
MRS. MARY MITCHELL, colored
MARGARET GRADY.
ONE UNKNOWN WHITE WOMAN.
UNKNOWN COLORED WOMAN, sup
posed 70 be named Wilson
THREE UNKNOWN WHITE MIN.
Never in its history has Philadelphia
perienced a fire which spread with such
great rapidity. At 1920 o'clock this morn
ing the blaze broke forth in the building
occupied by Hunt, Wilkinson & Co, and
one hour later the horrible sacrifice OF life
had been made and the immense loss OF
property had been accomplished. The
origin of the fire is unknown. 1t Is said an
explosion of naphtha or gasoline I'm the
basement was the cause, but this is denied
by Mr.. Wilkinson, who says there never
was a sufficient quantity Of either explosive
about the building to be responsible for to-
DAYS terrible disaster. Rumor has IL. also.
that an elevator constructor at work i'm the
basement permitted the flame of his Ian
tern 10 communicate with some OF the
gaseous liquids stored I'm the basement and
that this was the cause of the confagra-
tion.
Such a disastrous fire, attended with so
great a loss of life in such brief period.
was never before known in this city. Men
and women died lingering, agonizing death
in the presence of thousands of spectators
who were unable TO lift hand TO their as
sistance The rear of Hunt Wilkinson &
Co.'S building faces on Commerce street
small thoroughfare On the fire escapes at
this end of the building two men and one
woman were slowly roasted TO death while
the horror-stricken throng on the street
below turned sick at the sight. In the
'front.' on Market street woman. driven
to desperation, leaped from a window on
the pavement. These are but few OF the
heart-rending scenes attending the conha-
grafton. Firemen claim TO have seen men
and some women unable 10 reach the win
dows or fire escapes burned to death in the
interior Of the buildings. If this he 80. lit
tie or nothing remains Of these victims.
and it is doubtful if any portion OF their
bodies will be recovered.
Seventy-nine OF the 100 persons in Hunt,
Wilkinson & Co.'S building when the fire
started were employees. and the remainder
were customers and outside workmen, who
were engaged i'm putting the finishing
touches on the new eighth floor. More
than half OF the firms employees were on
the upper five floors. and IL was among
these that the greatest number were killed
or injured. With the possible exception OF
the engineer, who is missing. all persons
on the first three floors got out OF the
building safely. The members of the firm
had their offices on the third floor. and
their familiarity with the exits is ali that
saved them from suffocation. Mr.. Wilkin-
son said the smoke came up the stairway
and the elevator shaft i'm such great vol
ume that he and MIR. Hunt had much diff
Guilty in reaching the street. Most Of those
killed were at work on the sixth floor,
where women were engaged in sewing.
They were at work i'm the rear OF the build
ing. close 20 tho fire escapes. and became
confused by the great quantity OF smoke
that rushed up through the building. IL
was reported that goods were stored
against the windows. which prevented the
women from getting out on the fire escapes.
but this was positively denied by a member
OF the firm.
SAVED BY COOL-HEADEDNESs
On the seventh floor there were twenty
upholsterers al work and. thanks 10 IN.
great presence OF mind OF the foreman OF
the floor. who is an official OF the volunteer
fire department at Mount Holly. " j.. sIl
escaped urhurt. As soon as ne learned CT
the fire he marshaled his men and led
them through the thick smoke down the
stairway and safely into the street. There
were eleven employees and a number OF out
side workmen on the eighth floor. ladder
reached from this floor 90 the roof. which
would have enabled those on that door 10