The Mankato free press., 1902-06-13
TEN LOSE THEIR LIVES
eANITARlUM AT CHICAGO The
SCENE OF A DISASTROUS
CONFEDERATION.
OVER THIRTY ARE INJURED

Greater Portion of the Patients at the
Institution Were Those Seeking
Cure From the Drink Habit-Several
Had DeIirium Tremens and were
Strapped to Their Beds Where They
Perished-Many Narrow Escapes.
Chicago. June 10.-Nine men and
ONE woman were killed and about
hirty injured in fire which destroyed
The sanitarium conducted by the st.
Lukes society at the corner Of Wa
bash avenue and First street. The
society occupied the building which
was long known as the Hotel Wood
ruff. and for brief period as the Hotel
Lancaster. By far the greater portion
of the patients received in the lnstltu-
ton were those seeking cure from the
drink habit and those who were addict
ed to the use of drugs. When the hre
broke out, there was on the fifth hoor
a number of patients suffering from
delirium tremens and some deranged
by drugs. Several of these were
strapped to their beds and it was
found impossible to save them, so rap
idly did the fire spread through the
building. The list of dead, as far as
known at present, although it is pos
sible it will be increased later, is as
follows: S. ]. Newell, Carl A. Carlson,
Joseph Harrington, Samuel Dalzell, N.
S. ]. Stanton, George A. Ribbeck,
Hillsdale, Mich; w. Kent, alderman,
Fourth ward, Chicago, John B. Knapp
man, Mrs. M. Bauman, B. H. BOYD,
seventy-eight years of age and mem
Der of the medical staff of the instltu'
tion.
The fire originated in the basement
of the building and spread rapidly TO
the upper stories through the elevator
shaft. The blaze was discovered by
James Newell, a grocer. He noticed
smoke coming from one OF the base
ment windows and ran into the en-.
CINE room to discover its cause. Be-
hind the boilers in the center or the
cellar and within few feet of the ele
vator shaft he saw small name. The
next instant the flames were caught
by the draught in the elevator shaft
and
Carried Up With Roar.
Newell shouted to several men in the
alley to give the alarm, and to warn
the inmates of the danger. Several
hurried to do this, but by the time
they reached the first floor of the build
ing the flames had been carried to the
roof, had eaten through it, and were
leaping high in the air.
As the cry of fire rang through the
building patients sprang from theil
beds, and, before they could be pre-
vented, several had jumped from the
windows to the pavement. The fire
department was on the scene within &
few minutes, and as the windows were
filled with people shrieking for help
the iremen devoted their first effort!
to saving lives and allowed the fire tt
burn. While this was the means o
saving a large number of people wh'
were carried down the ladders by tn
firemen, it gave the fire such a head
way that there was almost no chanc
for those on the upper floors of tn
building to make their escape, an
such of them as were not suffocate
were killed or badly injured by leaI
ing from the windows. Aldermal
Kent was in his room on the fifth foo
with his attendant, w. A. Wattles
The alderman, who has been total
blind for many years, was In a straigh
Jacket, and his hands were manacle
TO a belt that passed around his wais
When the alarm of fire was sounde
wattles ran to investigate. He foun
the elevator shaft a mass of flame
and ran back to help the alderman
who, blind and unable to do anythin
with his hands,
Was Almost Mad With Fear
and was shouting like an insane pc
son. He had groped his way to til
door and by the time his atten
ant had reached him, had fallen
the floor, overcome with smoke. Wa
ties seized him and tried to drag hi
down the hall to place of safet
but Kent had become so crazed TIL
1t was almost impossible to do an
thing with him. Wattles was final
compelled to run for his life, as Il
flames were already scorching b
clothing. He ran to window on Il
south side of the building across whi'
were iron bars. Wattles managed
tear two of these from their taste
ings, and, with two other men who b;
followed him, climbed out on the 81
They were seen by the firemen, w
called to them to remain where tn
were and they would save them.
ladder was run up as high as poss1t
and the two men with Wattles we
taken down. He became crazed wi
excitement, and, not waiting for t
return of the firemen, sprang for
which some men were holding on t
sidewalk beneath. He fell partly
Il and partly on the sidewalk and s.
tanned injuries which probably "
cause his death in short time.
Kent was left lying on the floor
his room and probably died of suffo
ton. His body was badly burned g
er death. Three hours after the o
break of the fire 1t was found on
floor of his room, one leg burned K
crisp and the head burned off.
Terrible Scene at a Window.
A scene that wrought to the pitch
madness the great crowd that
gathered around the building was
acted at fourth story window on
north side. Across this window wa
heavy wire screen, and on the outs
of the screen were iron bars rum
parallel to the sill. The space
tween these bars was too small
allow the passage of even small b
and behind them were gathered
crowd of men whose numbers W
afterward found to be between tweI
five and thirty. Escape in other dill
tions was impossible, for the fire fl
ali the halls and was steadily work
IT'S way toward the window at VIII
the men were standing. The
chance for life for the crowd of z
lay through the screen and bar
window. The men closest to
screen tore and tugged at it in v
effort to tear it from its fasteni