Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-29
TEN DIE IN FLAMES
twenty-five Others Injured By Jumpins
From Windows Of urning House
ST, LOUIS LODGING HOUSE is DESTROYED
Flames Break From Old Air shaft Before
Inmates Know Of Fire,
FIVE HUNDRED ASLEEP IN BUILDING
WatcbmIn Awakens the People, But Some
Are Unable to Escape.
MEN lump DESPITE EFFORTS or FlRsMEN
Crased by Roarins FLAMES inmates
Of House DO not watt for
the safety Nets co BE
Stretched.
Flames Break From Old Air shaft Before
Inmates Know Of Fire,
v HUNDRED ASLEEP IN BUILDING
Watchmsn Awakens the People, But Some
Are Unable to Escape,
MEN lump DESPITE EFFORTS OF FlRtMtN

stretched.
ST LOUIS. Nov. s.-rhe Lighthouse
hotel three-story structure on the north
west corner OF Ninth and Market streets
utilized as a Salvation Army buiding. was
damaged by firo early today when probably
500 men were lodged within n.
over 700 men were asleep IN the building
when the fire was discovered, tho greater
number being on the second and thlld
floors. All became panicstrickcn and be-
fore the fremcut arrived and could stretcn
nets many had jumped from the upper
windows and were picked up crushed and
unconscious on tho street below. Tho four
dead have not been identified, as their
bodies we're burned 20 a crisp.
Ten lost their lives and probably thirty
five were injured, about half that number
being seriously injured, some not being ex-
poctsd to live. -Four were burned and two
died from injuries received IN jumping from
upper windows, Six others Of those who
jumped are lying unconscious at the city
hospital and arc not expected TO live.
The fire started on the third floor and
swept through the old building rapidly.
Men fought at the windows to secure the
ifelines and slide TO the street, but so
great was the frenzy with which tho ropes
were seized and held that they were OF
little avail and those who could not escape
by the stairway loaped from the windows.
a large number of those who Jumped were
caught in nets, out many jumped before
the nets were stretched and were injured
There was only one stairway and the
panic stricken men surged down this stair
way 10 the street only 70 ilnd the door
locked. jam resulted and probably great
loss of life would have occurred had not
flremen promptly hurst the door out, per-
hitting the frenzed men. 10 pour out Into
the street.
The cause of the fire has not been ascer-
tanned.
About three months ago the salvation
Army barracks at the corner of Eighth and
Walnut streets were comp;etely destroyed
by FIRE and one man was killed.
KiiIcd and InJurcG.
I The following. Is a partial list of .the
; casualties:
i>med:0
FvCk UNIDENTIFIED MEN;
: OSCAR +. DAVIS. 7e; old soldier Of
! Quincy IL; iuInpeuj dieu at nospnai.
! tIlsUttGE u. ROSE, Jumped; died At hos
pital.
.nsurcd IN jumping:
! Jopn Braoy, - years old; serious Internal
i2arles J. Ross. 30 years old, shoulder
A
Jonn shaw, o. years uid, une-legged man.
/ les IrHcturcu.
James VarIey, unconscious; burned
George NJ. Perry, unconscious aged 76:
Thomas walsn, aged 50; uneonsciousi
/ burned; jumped.
( Thomas tICming Jumped; unconscious
/ because of injuries
John Butler, jumped; unconscious
Charles Meier, aged 30, NO - i-erk aYe@
/ nuc, chicago; burned md 1umpedi uncon-
scious.
JuIus Vlerhbflig, aged 2s, from Grand
I Rapids, Mich; face and BODY burned.
runOwing injured VIII proDabiy recover:
/ William owen, aged So fractured ribs
from jumping.
/ Pearl hyatt, aseo Il, lnOianapolis; frae-
Edward Howard, aged SC; badly burned.
condltion serious.
! --,i4 4lsu -u nae;
Alfred Broad, 72 years old; hands aud
THOMAS callahan, fireman; face ANA
james Clark, 30 years old; all over body.
Wnnam, IIadt 50 years old; face anu
! hanus.
James Burkhardt, 50 years old.
james lsynch, 20 years Old.
John Brauy, ~ Years Old.
Charles kuss, day eIerk.
Thomas mooney, & years old
]. W. Mueller, SS years old.
Oscar Anderson, 26 years old
George Muller, 20 years old
FRANK Louise, 80 years old.
William Gllliland, So years, HagerstOn,
John Moor. 30 years old.
Charles Doland, 30 years old.
Fire from Closet.
The building was a three-stoTy struutura
and fully 90 men were sleeping ia II when
the fire broke out Watchman O'Connelg.
who was stationed on the third noor dis-
a clothes closet to get some wearing ap-
paraI for several OF the men, who wele
practically without clothing, aud upon
opening the closet door sheet OF fame
belched forth. burning off his hair ana
= eyebrows The watehmau was unable TO
shut the door and the waoic room wa s
quickly nlIed with flame and smoke O'Cou-
nell gave the alarm and hurried around
waking up the sleeping inmates
1 The closet had formerly been an old
, elevator shaft, and with the door open a
, draft resulted that quickly spread the fire
throughout the building.
At every window could be seen the forms
p Of half-naked men, calling 10 ilremen iu
terror. ard a few minutes later leaping
, from the burning building to be crushed on
The sidewalk below. Life lines, fastened
! al windows, provided means OF escape for
scores OF the 800 lodgers
Men Run Through street.
. Terror took possession Of the men and a
,,,,,,te, Of them started 20 run through the
streets as soon as they escaped from tine
buiIdiug. Thinly clad, frenzled men ran
madly until they were pursued and caugh'
and taken IN smbulanoes 70 places ol
warmth. Many OF them were taken 70 So,
! engine house nearby. poSeus mere slcn
} from tho enects OF smoke and eas ehhaled
some of the men, apparently not hurt al
an we're crying abiectly and were not able
to tell what was the matter with theaa
p About eighty men were crowded into the
: basement. sleeping when the frc was dis
covered. They we're unable 10 get out. a.
the door was apparently locked. Their cries
attracted the attention Of policemen ano
the basement door WAS broken in. Ihc
+ men poured out Of the basement like rats
from a trap.
! The hremen called 10 those in the win
q dows not 20 jump until the nets could bs