Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-02-26
GUESTS I'M A PANIC.

|
Upon receiving the alarm the guests.
Enlightened, ran into the halls In their
night clothes and crowded each other
down the stairways. Some thought of
| the fire escape and made use of it.
Others huddled together, dazed and
semi conscious. while many did not
/ leave their rooms until the second
alarm.
BY this time the entire first floor and
basement were enveloped and the
| flames began shooting through the
now thoroughly frightened guests We're
herded together or lighting their way
to 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. To 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
waitress, was one of the last to receive
of the building on the third floor, re-
served for employees.
Every avenue of escape was cut off
When she left her room and ran Shrek
ing to n window opening upon the
street.
The flames We're 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 woman raised herself
to the sill and then, leaping far out.
swept through the air to an improvised
net. She was picked up unconscious
and at first was believed to be dead.
SEVERAL SURELY LOST.
Night Clerk Wilson, who risked his
own life to save the guests, and who re-
manned in the building until the very
last, said: II am satisfied several were
lost. When I gave the first alarm only
part of the guests got up. They were
sleeping so soundly that it was hard to
awaken them. l was compelled to go
around the second time and knock and
pound on the doors before got them
all aroused. Then when they did awake
1t seemed ages before they could be
made to understand the situation. l
did not dare pause long before q door
| there We're so many to waken. l was
on the third floor when the bell boy
told me of the fire in the basement.
turned In an alarm and then spent the
remainder of the time in awakening
guests. 1t was a fearful experience"
ESCAPED MANS STORY.
A. U. Winniger, tailor from Water
loo, here attending the Y. NJ. G. A. con-
venticn. was seen this morning as the
physician was bandaging his hands
Winnigers right wrist is badly spraincd
and his face is burned. He leaped from
the third story to the roof of n near
by building, and escaped.
when the alarm was given this
morning" he said. II ran from my room
into the hall and started to escape down
the stairway. The smoke and fire
drove me back, and 1 returned to my
room. BY this time the smoke was
getting so dense l breathed with diff
Guilty.
Il ran to the window in the rear and
looked out. My nerve failed me AT
first bat seeing all avenues of escape
cut off, I knew what was the only thing
to do. saw that by leaping far out
could make the roof of the other build
ing. Screams from the rear and shouts
from the outside nerved me to the eff
fort. l leaped, and struck on the ROO
on my hands and feet. One wrist was
badly sprained. I then ran along the
roof to the edge and jumped over.
"a man lay III the alley, moaning.
couldn't assist him because of my
| burned face and almost broken wrist
| This is about all remember until the
| doctor had me-"
COULD SEE HUMoR in 1T.
Winniger escaped in his night shirt
| The humor of the situation dawnet
| upon him as the doctor was dressing
| his wounds, and he laughingly said, "a
| tailor and not even a pair of trouser:
| to wear!
| j. N. Dunvar a travelling man, said
| 81 think we had little foretaste of hell
I never wish 10 repeat the experience