The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-01-28
PANIC AT a FIRE.
Masonic Temple, Chicago, the Scene Of
a Threatening Blaze,

a Threatening Blaze.
| Chicago, Jan. 26.-Fire broke out in the
Masonic temple, a twenty-five story build
ing a block from the ~Iroquois theater.
the building and there was much ex-
element. The fire started at the fourth
floor. All the elevators were Kept run
ming, and the building was quickly emp
tied, while smoke was pouring OUT. A
thousand shoppers We're attracted to the
building, and the sight of the majestic
building in clouds of smoke was one long
to be remembered.
The fire soon spread to three floors,
the chemicals In a number OF doctors
OFFICES furnishing food for them. File
vator conductors continued to run their
cars and allayed somewhat the fears
OF the fright stricken occupants. Every
corridor was soon filled with people
trying to get to the lifts. Several wom-N
en- tainted, but 1t is believed every per-
son In the building escaped without in
jury.
Firemen Arrived Promptly.
Firemen were summoned by the au-
tomato fire alarm sent in from the
rooms in which the fire occurred. The
hremen quickly made connection with
a stationary standpipe in the building
and began throwing water on the floors
where the fire began to make head
way. The danger was increased by the
1NeP~SeSd piCSCilSS d Iudltlly OK
chemicals which the occupants de-
clared We're stored near the place
where the flames originated. The oc-
cupants were warned by the smoke and
lanes and lost no time In seeking the
exits. Guards were placed at the ele-
vator entrances on each door to pre-
vent congestion, and the panic-strickan
people were easily aiken out and hur-
ried from the building.
The origin of the fire was an explos-
ion of chemicals in a DOCTORS office on
the fifth floor. The explosion was heard
distinctly or the floors Immediately be-
low n above, but not by handreds OF
other occupants of the building. Flames
ollowed the explosion and quickly
spread to adjoining floors above. Men
and women rushed madly for the ele-
rvators n stairways. So rapidly did
the ~skyscraper fill with SNAKE that the
firenen found it almost Impossible to
wark.
Fire on Three Floors.
En- a short time fire was raging on
three floors containing the chemicals
of many doctors. In the height of ex-,
element q man climbed out Of the
fourteenth floor onto the fire escape
and made his way to the ground. The
men for h most part kept their
senses, but the women were soon in a
panic, and several tainted and had to
be carried from the building. The po-
ice were early on hand and assisted
The firemen to control the fire and quiet
The people. Armed with axes the fire.
men broke the windows and doors to
get to the seal of the lanes.
In an our after the alarm was
turned in the fire had been extin-
guished. A Number of persons were In
jured as a result OF the fire. r.. Fried
lander. in whose rooms the flames orig,
mated. was found unconscious, aver
come by fumes from chemicals. Twelve
girls employed by him made escapes.
The injured are as follows.
The List of Injured.
julius Ernest, stock clerk, hands and
face burned.
Jock Stack, boy.
Henry Buell.. stock boy.
Walter Downey, laborer.
Walter s. Parker. advertising soiio-
itor.
w. c. Preston.
John sullivan.
John Long.
Z. Leonard.
George Mueller.
red Lynch.
John earns.
Lewis Tremair.
All We're slightly burned. B.. s,miti..
aged 80. was thrown down aa area
way and found unconscious and re-
moved to his home.
For a time 1t was feared the water,
which threatened to food the basement.
would put out the fires in the boilers
and stop the elevators. The drains
We're found ample, however. to carry
off the water and elevators continued
to run.
At they passed the burned floors they
were subjected to intense heat and
smoke sWept through them to the win
dows In the rear. The great rotunda,
with fourteen elevator shafts, made an
ideal chimney for escaping smoke. and
the elevator men were forced to
breathe the smoke-laden air until the
people We're removed. Faint and weak.
however, they remained at their posts
in a heroic manner and helped the peo-
pie to escape.
i. Friedlander, brother of the propri-
etor of the establishment where the IRE
started, went back to his post to se-
cure $1,000 which had been left in a
drawer, and made his escape without
serious injury.
Owing to the extraordinary precau-
tons adopted in the construction or the
building against loss by fire. it is esti-
mated the damage will not exceed
s50,000-