Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-12-04

JufleS. lie was taken 10 the county
| hospital
W. j Thomas a mail clerk Of Cedar
Rapids, jumped through u window on
the fourth floor and in his blind haste
narrowly escaped falling to the street.
He managed to make his way to the
fire escape and climbed to the ground.
| Previous to Thomas escape % 10 80 per-
sons had climbed down the fire escape
to the street. All were IN their night
clothing
From what could be learned from
persons who escaped from the building,
II appeared that the fire was accidental
ly started, probably by dropping a
lighted cigar on the carpet in the hall
way on the second floor The shoulder
ing fire filled the building with heavy
smoke and several We're suffocated.
A PERILoUs DESCENT.
Allen Oldorf, Of Milwaukee, made a
perilous descent from the fourth floor
by scaling the wall by means of the iron
shutters. Oldorf stated that he had
seen at least dozen persons on the top
floor vainly endeavorlng 10 make their
way from the building by means OF the
front stairway. Many OF the bodies
Were found in the beds In position OF
s.unher. Others were found in the hall
ways lying face downward In positions
that showed had they had vainly en-
deavored 10 save their lives. Some
were half clad and others wore nothing
but night clothing. 1t was by means Of
articles, and letters in the pockets Of
what little clothing some OF the dead
persons wore that many identiications
were made.
THE PRoPRIETOR's STORY.
f, A. Smith, proprietor of the hotel,
said
81 am certainly not to blame for this
awful catastrophe Three weeks ago
the agents OF this building were notified
to place 4 stairway in the rear OF the
building and also to build a fire wall
around the freight elevator shaft in the
rear. The contractors came and looked
the building over but nothing was done
Last night our 10 rooms were all filled,
and ] should judge that We had from
l25 to 100 guests. From what / eau
learn the fire started in the rear of the
building on the second floor. This prob
ably accounts for the escape of the
guests who occupied front rooms on
the upper floors. They had an oppor-
tunity to reach the stairway before the
flames reached that part.of the build
ing, but the occupants of the rear
rooms were cut Off by the flames. Most
of our guests last night were persons
who came TO Chicago TO visit the stock
show and knew little Of the building.
DIED AS IN A CAGE.
Chief Musham Of the fire department
said that 1t was the worst fire he had
attended during his career as a fireman
and that so dense was the smoke that 1t
was impossible TO reach the imprisoned
guests who died like rats IN a cage.
When the firemen finally managed 10
make their way into the rooms the sight
that met their gaze was appalling. Men
and boys lay about the floors of the
rooms and Railways whore they had
fallen In their eagerness to escape.
'The building said the chief, was
one of the worst fire traps | have ever
seen. The floors in places had cracks
In them large enough To drop a penny
through and the smoke just sifted
through and suffocated the inmates OF
the rooms before they had time TO
make their way into the Railways
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The fire started on the second floor,
presumably from lighted cigar drop. |
ped on the carpet. Guests occupying |
upper rooms In the front part of the |
hosiery, aroused by the screams of |
woman, were able to escape down the |
stairway and about 80 people reached |
safety by means of the fire escape. To |
add to the horror, however, this gave |
way while others were attempting TO
escape and three men were dashed TO |
death on the pavement OF the alley |
below.
For the people in the rear there was
now no escape save by jumping. The
stairway was in flames and the fire es-
cape gone. ror-stricken faces ap.
peared at the windows and cried fran.
tically for help. Flremen cried back az
them to wait until nets or mattresses
could be brought and those who did Ia
most cases escaped with slight injuries,
But some, crazed with fright Jumped |
TO the pavement and were either killed
or badly hurt.
With great difficulty the fire. although
small one, wss sub
dued, but 1t was some time before res
cuers could penetrate the dense bank
Of smoke which filed the place IL was
an awful scene which met their
gaze, the dead or unconscious lying
stretched on the floors, and, In some
cases, on their beds Some had at
tempted to slip on garment before
making for the street, but had been
over come, but most OF them were In
their night clothes.
Every store and other hotels In the
was filed with men and wo-
men who had escaped with only their
night gowns. An investigation will be
made. A fire wall around the freight
elevator and other precautionary alter
ations had been ordered some time ago,
but the matter had been neglected.
OF the peIle injured II was neces-
sary TO take only three to the hospital.
Others. suffering from slight cuts and
bruises, or from the inhalation OF
smoke, were cared for at neighboring
drug stores and departed without their
names being reported to the police.
one OF the injured taken to the hospl-
tai Is w. G. Thomas, OF Cedar Rapids.
n /