The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-02-27
's1 OF INJURED is LONG

kNm HELE l
Ewbom a Number Will Die-Thrili-
ina Experiences of Some Who
Escaped.
Eroaar Rapids, Ia, Feb. Civ. A.
kowery of What Cheer. Ia. a stock
ON two unidentified girls, and pos
INV several others, met death in a
that destroyed the Clifton house
Cedar Rapids at 2 o'clock Friday
Three others, DR.. Groves of Cedar
onids. Conductor Strickland of the
Ebicago and Northwestern railway, of
siirton. and L. c.. Burnett of Nebraska
Eity, will die.
The condition OF several other VIC
Inns is so serious as to make recovery
ferry doubtful.
,rhe state Y. NJ. c. A. convention and
convention Of Knights of Pythias
Were in session In the town and the
$otal was crowded with 120 guests.
i For several hours after the fire it was
S,1v believed fifteen to twenty people
here dead in the ruins, but more com
ple,e reports make the list of dead
u o'clock this morning. 1t originated
From the electrical appliances in the
Easement. Night Clerk Wilson was
Extending to some duties on h third
foor when the blaze started. With the
aid of bell boy, who was first to dis
Ecoyer the blaze, the clerk hurried from
Room to room notifying the sleeping
Epuasts. He realized that the building
,,,4 - I,1y shall on6 IL tho a ira haI
Ia fair start the entire structure and its
|contents must be destroyed, entailing
NOss of life.
GUESTS IN A PANIC.
Upon receiving the alarm the guests,
frightened. ran into the halls in their
hight clothes and crowded each other
down the stairways. Some thought Of
1.-The fire escape and made use Of it.
eOthers huddled together, dazed and
Unconscious, while many did not
b,eave their rooms until the second
alarm.
BY this time the entire first floor and
basement We're enveloped and the
flames began shooting through the
halls and up the stairways, where the
/ now thoroughly frightened guests were
herded together or fighting their a
10 places Of safety.
In thirty minutes after the. alarm the
widest terror reigned about the hotel
and in the streets about the burning
building. From every window could be
seen white, imploring faces. 70 leap
meant almost certain death, and to re-
main was sure cremation.
A THRILLING ESCAPE.
Many shrank from the windows and
struggled through the smoke and
flames to safety. Others turned back
to perish in the fire. Miss Burns, head
the alarm. Her room was in the e "a
ri the building on the third floor, re-
served for employees.
Every venue Of escape was cut off
when she left her room and ran Shrek
Ing to a window opening upon the
street.
The flames were sweeping along the
caves Of the roof and even licking her
IN the face, when some one below
shouted for her to leap. Casting one
look upward, the raised herself
10 the sill and then, leaping far out,
swept through the air to an improvised
net. She was picked up unconscious
ana at first was believed to be dead.
SEVERAL SURELY LOST.
Night Clerk Wilson, who risked his
'Wn life TO a the guests, and who re-
NAMED in the building until the very
last, said: Il am satisfied several were
lost. When l gave the first alarm only
part Of the guests got up. They were
sleeping SO soundly that it was hard to
awaken them. was compelled to go
around the second time and knock and
pound on the doors before I got them
all aroused. Then when they did awake
1t seemed ages before they could be
made to understand the situation. I
ulu not dare pause long before a door
mere were SO many to waken. l was
on the third floor when the bell boy
,oid me of the fire in the basement. |
turned in an alarm and then spent the
leIAalnder Of the time in awakening
guests. 1t was a fearful experience"
ESCAPED MANS STORY.
=. =. Winniger, a tailor from Water
w. mere attending the Y. M. G. A. con-
Vehtion, was seen this morning as the
physician was bandaging his hands.
Nihnleer's right wrist is badly sprained
anu ms face is burned. He leaped from
tae tnlrd story to the roof of a near
/ ~ building, and escaped.
when the alarm was given this
morning. he said, "I ran from my room
thVo The hall and started to escape down
snt stairway. The smoke and fire
uIoVe me back, and I returned to my
a"uh' BY this time the smoke was
Guilty.
! ran to the window in the rear and
nnmAe1 out. My nerve failed me at
amSl' but seeing oil n of escape
n.y. ~ or knew what was the only thing
20. l saw that by leaping far out ]
ti"pla make the roof of the other build
fns. Screams from the rear and shouts
~ +! the outside nerved me to the eff
n ru!t, leaped. and struck or the ROOT
Tnniy hands and feet. One wrist was
Guy sprained. I then ran along the
-'"t 10 the edge and jumped over.
y man lay i'll the alley, moaning.
hTrn,Uht assist him because OF my
tr,t,Fd face and almost broken wrist
d r Is about all I remember until the
GOULD SEE HUMoR IN IT.
t"'!A!ger escaped in his night shirt
We Nuinor of the situation dawnec
h!|m MN as the doctor was dressing
H. ""Nhds. and he laughingly said, "A
'"t'pl n M NO -. 80 fBrrt