The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-22
NO WATER, SWEAR
HOTEL EMPLOYEES
Two Bellboys Tell Coroner's jury
at Inquest They Gould
Get None. :.
Building Inspector Says Hotel
Was Complying with ALI Pro-
visions of Ordinance.

There was no water in the West hotel
standpipes on the morning Of the fire
that claimed eleven lives.
This fact was established by James
Wood and Arthur Atwater, employees
OF the hotel, in their testimony before
the coroner's jury which convened il
the grand jury room in the courthouse
today to formally investigate the death
Off. S. Peisinger, who was killed by
jumping from the seventh floor.
Arthur Atwater is employed at the
hotel as bellboy and was on duty the
morning OF the fire. It was he who
saw the flames in the guide rail of the
elevator shaft and reported it to the
clerk, who turned in the alarm. AT
water says after reporting the fire that
he ran to the second and third floors
Arriving at the third floor, he unreeled
the hose and tried to get water from
drop of water and leaving the host
and faucet open he laid the hose Oh
the floor and began arousing the guests
and leading them to the stairway
Later he returned to the hose, but il
was flat and no water had passed thru
it. =
Hose Lay Flat.
James Wood, another bellboy, also
ran upstairs as soon as he heard of the
fire. He saw the hose that had been
unreeled, but it lay fat and no water
was going thru it. He aroused the
guests and helped them to the stair.
way and when the fire department ar.
rived, went back on duty at the desk.
| X. w. Schimmel, a special Insurance.
agent living at ILL Harmon place.
was one OF the first men to visit the
upper floors, and he testified as to the
condition of the standpipes. He was
on streetcar as he passed the hotel,
and seeing smoke coming out Of the
upP,e1r: windows, got off and ran into the
building. This was about tbs and be-
fore the department. had arrived.
He ran to the fourth floor and in.
tended to help the guests, when he saw
| the hose unree1ed and lying on the floor
! of the corridor. Thinking the water
q had not been turned on, he went to the
faucet, but found it wide open. The
hose was dry and fiat. At that time
the fourth floor was only smoked and
good could have been done. Returning
from the upper floors, he went to one
of the clerks at the desk and asked him
why the water was not turned on in
the standpipes. He says he received
no answer from the clerk.
Could Have Stopped Fire.
At the afternoon session, County At.
torney AL J. Smith, who examined all
evidence to show that had there been
water in the pipes the fire could have
been extinguished before it spread
from the elevator shaft, as there. were
men there who would have done it.
James G.. Houghton. building inspec-
tor, was on the stand for nearly an
hour. Altho he admitted that at the
was complying with all the provisions
Of the fire ordinance, his testimony
showed that the ordinance affords lit.
tie protection, and that it is easy to
dodge around it.
The ordinance, he said, was meant to
!, govern only the construction of build
ings erected after the ordinance was
passed. He has the power, however. to
ordas &e-escapes changed or the num-
Der Increased on all buildings. new and
old AS to changes in general con-
struction Of buildings erected before
the ordinance was passed he said he
had no power to demand that they be
made.
Some Strange Conditions.
County Attorney Al J. Smithi ques-
5 toned Mr.. Houghton at length regard
, ing his Interpretation OF the ordinances
! and incidentally brought to light some
strange conditions in other buildings.
8 AS an example, to get the building in
5 spector to explain his Interpretation of
| his powers, Mr.. Smith referred to the
2 Andrus building.
"Why is there no escape therefo
asked the county attorney.
3 TBecause the owners refused to put
3 one there and because / cannot get a
: warrant for the arrest of the response
S BILE persons from the city attorney q
: Office
J. Mr.. Houghton said that he was salts
fed that the hall fire started above tha
1 second floor, probably from a gas leak
a in the elevator shaft. The fire could
0 not have started in the basement fol-
e there was no evidence of fire there
$ The fire seen in the guide rail wal
1 started by falling brands from above
r Other witnesses will be introduced
e later to testify concerning the gas leal
g which is said to have been of severa
g years standing.
7 Miss Helen Wood, proprietor Of tn.
= hotel, attended the inquest with hel
!, attorney, Judge w. A. Kerr. When tn,
9 gas leak was mentioned Judge Ker
y asked Mr.. Houghton if he had no
!, learned that two weeks before the fir,
:. the flexible tubes supplying the gas t,
. the elevators had not been replaced b,
4 new ones. Mr.. Ho1chton said he ha,
X not.
~ At the afternoon session several fire
- men who were the first on the scene o
the fire were called and employees O
the hotel who were about the buildin,
at the hour of the fire also testified.