Evening journal., 1901-06-15
HOTEL GUESTS
In A Big FIRE
Many Narrow Escapes From
Mineral Springs House
BUILDING TOTALLY DESTROYED
Rntailing Loss Of Quarter Of Million.
Guests Lose $4,000 in Clothing
and JeWeIrV

West Baden. Ind. June 15.-The Min
eral Springs hotel, which cost $1,000
600, was totally destroyed by fire yes
terday morning. OF the 26S guests It is
now believed that every one escaped
with his life. The loss on the hotel
building is estimated at $3.50, 900, with
insurance aggregatlng $4,000 The
loss in diamonds, jewelry and clothing
belonging to the guests. It Is estimated
will reach $50 1000. The proprietor. Mr.
Sinclair. is unable to say what his
plans 10, the future will be. further
than that the hotel will be rebuilt as
soon as possible.
There were IL people from Indian
apolis In the hotel. They include some
Of the most prominent residents OF the
city. Nearly all of them returned
home yesterday. Sixty persons left
here for Chicago But few of them Sc
cured all their property from the burn
ing building as they fed. and many on
the train we're dressed in odd pieces
OF clothing
The conhagraton had it's origin in
the kitchen. located on the ground floor
OF the hotel, Immediately under two
rows of sleeping rooms, all of which
were occupied. The fire was discover
ed by the night watchman, who at
tempted TO extinguish the blaze with
hand grenades but seeing his attempts
were in vain he rushed to the Office.
notifying the night clerk, and together
they ran rapidly through the halls.
bursting open the doors and yelling
"nre" at the top of their voices.
To add to the great excitement 1t
was but few moments after the dis
coyery OF the fire that the electric light
circuit was burned out. and the panic
stricken guests CROPPED around In their
rooms for wearing apparel and other
personal property. Out of the 26S
guests who had registered at the hotel
the evening before only ~ succeeded
n escaping from the burning building
with all their personal property.
Amy Leslie. the theatrical critic of
a Chicago paper, who has been at the
hotel with her niece for the past two
weeks, escaped with nothing but her
night robes. Miss Leslie's travelling
wardrobe yesterday consisted OF
night robe, a gentleman's shirt, which
she purhased at the village store, and
her bath robe. Her little niece was
provided for by an old cclored woman.
who presented her with one of her
little daughters dresses.
Miss Sinclair, daughter Of one Of the
proprietors of tho hotel, had a very
narrow escape, losing all her wearing
apparel. diamonds and other personal
property.
Fifty or 60 female employees OF the
hotel, who were quartered in the rooms
on the upper floor of the new bath
house. which had just been completed
at cost Of $4,000. escaped uninjured.
This building was also destroyed.
The fire was discovered shortly af-
ter 1 o'clock, and by 1880 o'clock the
entire building was a mass of ruins.
The building was provided with fire es-
capes and on the front of the building,
extending from the ground to the roof,
was an escape built in a spiral fashion.
It was through this that many OF the
guests got out.
Col Howard, general manager Of a
life insurance company of New York.
barely escaped in his night clothes.
Many others had narrow escapes
The massive fire proof safe in the Of
fee contained $4,000 in cash which
the guests had deposited for safe keep
ing. The safe is in the cellar, CON-
pletelg covered with the burning de-
bris. and it win not be known for sew
eral days whether the valuables there
in are safe.
The guests were high in their praise
of the Monon railroad. They boarded
the trains with absolutely nothing ex-
cept the few articles of wearing ap-
parel they had saved from the flames.
The officials had been notified Of their
destitute condition, their tickets and
money having been destroyed, and 1t
was but a short time before a message
was received from the general superln-
tendent inviting all to proceed to Chi
cago or any other point of their line
free of charge.
It was a noticeable fact that every
one seemed perfectly contented with
the awkward surroundings after the
fire. Women dressed in their night
robes. mems overcoats. hats and shoes.
mingled in the crowd congratulating
each other on their narrow escapes.
The proprietor of the little country
store at West Baden did a thriving
business after the fire. The guests. or
those of them who saved enough
money. soon cleaned out his little
stock. Women purchased mems shirts.
sweaters and other articles Of clothing.
and seemed TO be perfectly contented
with these.