Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-06-16

! the elevator shaft IL was Q1SCoVoA0u
soon after it started, but had reached
the roof before those who rushed In TO
alarm the patients got beyond the hrsl
floor. A cry of fire rang through the
building and before it could be pre-
! vented several patients jumped from
the windows. When the department
! arrived the windows were filled with
! people shrieking for help. The ire
| men devoted the first efforts to saving
lives and allowed the fire to burn. q
large number of people were carried
down ladders by the firemen. The nre
in the meantime had gained such mead
way that there was almost no chance
OF those on the upper floors to escape,
but such of them as were not sutfocat-
co were killed or badly injured
by leaping from the windows.
DR.. Bunker, who recently lost a leg
! in an accident, was in bed naked at
the time He climbed to window
! sill, but seeing the crowd went PACK
! into the smoke. He reappeared
wrapped in blanket and was res
cued by fireman. He said later he
|
crowd undressed. A scene that
wrought the crowd to a pitch
of madness was enacted at
the fourth story window. Across
! the window was a heavy wire
screen and outside were iron bars.
Behind the bars were gathered about
thirty men. Escape in other direc-
lions was impossible for the fire filled
all the halls and was steadily eating
it's way toward the window. The one
chance for life for the men lay
through the screened and barred win
dows. The men closest to the screen
tore and tugged in vain effort TOT
tear it from it's fastenings and the
men behind fought madly to get close
enough to fasten their fingers in it.
So fiercely did the prisoners pull at
were plainly visible tiny streams of
blood that trickled from the lacerated
fingers and hands and flowed over the
window sill A number of men at the
window were in straightjackets and
manacles, and those not being able to
help themselves were widest of all in
their frantic efforts to- break through.
AS TIE flames came steadily toward
the men the people in the street
jumped up and down and screamed in
helpless rage. 1t seemed as though
nothing could be done, and that all OF
the men would die within six inches
of freedom. That any of the men es-
capped at all is owing to the work OF
w. E. Davis of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a
patient of the institution. He in
duced the men to cease disconnected
pulling at the screen and unite their
efforts. Four men took hold but were
forced away, but after a fist fight Da-
Wis managed to get his men to the
window again, and they managed to
tear down portion of the screen
Putting all of their strength into one
last effort, the screen was wrenched
away.
Alderman Kent was in a room on the
fifth floor with an attendant A. w
Wattles. The alderman, who has
been totally blind for many years.
was in a straight jacket, his hands
being manacled to his belt When the
alarm was sounded Wattles ran to in
vestigate He found the elevator
shaft a mass of flames and ran back
to help the alderman, who, blind and
unable to do anything with his hands,
was almost mad with fear and shout
ing like an insane person. He had
CROPPED his way to the door and by
the time the attendant reached him,
he had fallen to the floor, overcome
with smoke. Wattles tried to drag
him to a place of safety, but Kent had
become so crazed that it was almost
impossible to do anything. Wattles
was finally compelled to run Tor his
life, as the flames were already scorch-
ing his clothing. He ran to the win
dow across which were iron bars. He
managed to tear two from their fast
enings and with two other men who
followed him, climbed out on the sill
The f1remen ran ladder as high as
possible and the two men with Wat
ties were taken down. He became
crazed with excitement and sprang
for the net held on the sidewalk be-
meath. He sustained injuries which
probably will cause death. Kent evil
IDENTIFY died of suffocation. Three
hours after the outbreak Of the fire
his body was found on the floor of his
room, one leg burned to crisp and
his head burned off.
Five Die in Saratoga Fire.
Saratoga, N. Y, June 10.-Fire yes
terday destroyed the Arcade, the Citi-
zens' National bank block, and the
Shackelford building and caused al
loss of 100000 and five lives. The
dead are: