The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-06-10
IEN lives lost IN TIRE

Patients in Chicago Sanitarium
Driven Mad With Terror.
THIRTY PERSONS ARE INSURED.
Score Of Imprisoned Men Break Iron
Bars and Save Each Other From
Fire-Enveloped Buldns,-Mob in
Streets crazed With sympathy.s,>.
Chicago, June 10.-Nine men and
one woman were killed and about
thirty persons were Injured in fire
which yesterday afternoon destroyed
the sanitarium conducted by the st.
I4uke's society, at Wabash avenue and
Twenty first street. The society oc-
cupied the building, which was long
known as the Hotel Woodruff, and for
brief period as the Hotel Lancaster.
BY far the greater portion of the pa.
tients received in the institution were
those seeking cure from the drink
habit and those who were addicted
to the use of drugs. When the fire
broke out there were on the fifth floor
number OF patients suffering froM
delirium tremens and some who were
deranged by drugs. Several of these
were strapped to their beds and it
was found impossible to save them, SO
rapidly did the fire spread through
the building. The list as far as known
at present is as follows:
The dead: William Kent, alderman
of the Fourth ward; S. ]. Newell,
Carl A. Carlson, Joseph Harrington,
Samuel Dalzell DR.. j. T. Stanton. G..
A. Ribbeck, ]. B. Knapman, Mrs. M.
Bauman, DR.. B. H. Boyd.
AEe injured: a. w. Wattles, fatally
burned; Mrs. Amelia Wilson, will
probably die; Mary McMannus, ba.!y
burned; John Downey, Omaha, jumped
from third story to roof of adjoining
building, :eg sprained; Mrs. B. IL.
Bowman; Mrs. Leah. Omaha, over
come by smoke, not serious; ]. T.
Suit, jumped from third floor into net
injured internally. will probably die;
Michael Luby, will probably die; G.
S. Gott, fatally burned; ]. B. Bishop,
will probably die.
Origin of the Blaze.
The FIRE originated in the basement
of the building and spread rapidly to
the upper stories through the ele-
vator shaft. The blaze was discov.
cred by James Newell grocer, who
shouted to several men In the alley to
give the alarm and to alarm the in.
mates of the building. Several hurried
to do this, but by the time they
reached the first floor of the building
the flames had been carried tc the
roof, had eaten through it and were
leaping high in the air.
AS the cry Of fire vang through the
building patients sprang from theh
beds and before they could be pre-
vented, several had jumped from tbs
windows to the pavement. The fire
department was on the scene withir
few minutes and as the windows
were filled with people shrieking fol
help. the iremen devoted their frs
efforts to saving lives and allowed
the fire to burn. While this was the
means of saving large number o
people, who were carried down lad
ders by the firemen, it gave the fire
such headway that there was almos
no chance for those on the uppe
floors of the building to make thei
escape, and such OF them as were no
suffocated were killed or badly in
jured by leaping from the windows
Alderman Kent Burned to Death.
Alderman Kent was in room OF
the fifth floor with his attendant, A
w. Wattles. The alderman, who ha
been totally blind for many years, wa
in straight jacket, and his hand
were manacled to a belt that passe
around his waist When the alarm o
fire was sounded Wattles ran to il
vestigate. He found the elevate
shaft mass of flames and ran bac'
to help the alderman, who, blind an
unable to do anything with his hands
was almost mad with fear and wa
shouting like an insane person. H
had groped his way to the door an
by the time his attendant had reache
him had fallen to the floor, overcom
with smoke. Wattles was finally con
PEELED to run for his life, as the flame
were already scorching his clothing
He ran to a window on the south sid
of the building, across which wer
iron bars. Wattles managed to tea
two or three of these from their fas
enings, and, with two other men, VIII
had followed him, climbed out on tn
Sill. They were seen by the ffremel
who called to them to remain wher
they were and they would save then
A ladder was run UP as high as poss
BILE and the two men who were wit
Wattles were taken down. He b
came crazed with excitement, an,
not waiting for the return of the fir
men, sprang for net which SON
men were holding on the sidewalk b
meath. He fell partly in 1t and part
on the sidewalk and sustained il
juries which probably will cause b
death in a short time.
Spectators Crazed With sympathy.