Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-24
FIRE NAGENS HOTEL GUESTS
Early Ones Have Just Retired in Barker,
When Alarm is Sounded.
DAMAGE TO BUILDING IS NOT HEAVY
Two People Overcome by Smoke, but
are Revived without Much Diff
hcuIty-orIgin of Blaze
Mystery.

The Barker hotel startled everyone at
1880 o'clock last night by starting in on
blaze Of glory from the rear upper story.
But the blaze was subdued without serious
damage to the building, and while the fire.
men were at work the usual amusing and
stirring scenes were being enacted in the
corridors which go with a night hotel fire
which is not dangerous. The damage to
the building will run between $500 and
81, 900, largely through water, and eight or
ten guests and employees of the hotel lose
nearly their whole wardrobes. Fourteen
rooms were more or less damaged by the
blaze, with some partitions burned through
and a piece OF the roof gone.
The FIRE originated in a storeroom at the
top OF the central stair and elevator shaft.
The cause is unknown. George Hart,
driver for the Fred Bush Transfer company,
and Electrician H. C. Lutzenberger Of the
Orpheum were rendered unconscious by
smoke, but suffered no serious injury. The
building is the property of the Joseph
Barker estate and Is Insured, with con-
tents, for $40 1000. The hotel is managed by
Frank Barker. There were about l50
guests.
A. B. Tonholm thinks that he was the first
to give the alarm. s. A. Hanson, who
roomed with Tonholm, says that he was
awakened by the crackle Of flames and
red glare through the transom. He walked
his roommate who opened the door and
shouted fre. others were awakened and
began to shout. Carl Frisbie, the small
elevator boy, hearing the shouts, ran his
elevator UP to the third floor and, seeing
the FIRE, ran down to the clerk, William
Gordon, who turned in the alarm. Man.
ager Barker, who rooms on the second hoor,
was one OF the first about. Most OF the
guests on the top floor we're able to make
their escape by one Of the stairways, but
s. e. Mitchell OF Chicago was cut on and
used the fire escape which opened from his
room. "Baldy'' Sewers and Harry Smith,
who roomed next the storeroom, also we're
forced down the fire escape. A. f. Robin
son ran through the hallway to the stairs
and was burned slightly on his hand. Tilly
Letz, the pastry cook Of the hotel, is said
to have become frantic with fear and to
have tried 20 jump through a window.
Hanson and Tonholm. after starting the
alarm, looked to their own safety. They
made a rope of sheets which would not
have reached to within three floors Of the
alley. Tonholm also dropped his vest, with
his watch in It, coat and overcoat out the
window. They we're later returned to him
by Detective Drummy, who found them.
Hanson and Tonholm finally escaped by the
stairs.
Two are Overcome.
After the flames had been practically put
out Fireman George Simpson found Hart
lying on the floor OF his room In a semi
unconscious condition. He was carried
down TO the bar and Police Surgeon Jung
bluth summoned. At the same time the
workers on the second floor saw another
man stagger TO the head OF the stairs and
fall. He was taken down and revived after
about half hours work by ARTIFICIAL
respiration. This was Lutzenberger, who
roomed on the floor Immediately under the
nre. He was absent when the fre began.
bat ran down 10 the hotel and demanded
to be allowed TO so up stairs. This VAS
refused by the policeman on watch. LatE-