The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-12

Minneapolis, Mimi, January 10
Eight persons dead of suffocation Or
! injuries sustained in leaping from a
fire proof hotel building, a score OF
] persons injured and a building dam
aged s25, 900 by fire, smoke and water
is an epitome of the revised ravages
caused by a disaster which befeil the
West Hotel, Hennepin avenue and
Fifth street today, throwing zoe guests
and employees into a panic.
The dead:
Fire Captain John Berwin, fell from
the fourth floor to the Fifth street
sidewalk, while attempting 10 save a
woman's life.
w. G.. Nickels, Minneapolis, suf-
located in his room on sixth floor.
Thomas Summerville, Springfield,
Mass. salesman for Atkins and Com
panv. suffocated in his room on sixth
floor.
J, E. Wolfe, northwestern agent Tor
Sperrv and Alexander Company OF
New York; ~suffocated in his room on
seventh floor.
Clinton B. Lamme, New York, traV-
cling man; suffocated in his room On
the seventh floor.
!. B. Peisniger, New York, travelling
man; jumped from the seventh story
Mrs. NJ. E. Hodges, Minneapolis,
jumped from seventh story.
William Black, New York, su1focat-
ed in Don
: TIL. fire was confined to the eleVa-
tor shaft and the two top floors IN one
:. corner of the building, but a dense
. smoke pervaded everywhere n Tue
wild excitement which followed the
: first alarm hurried people into mans
8 and out on window lodges in a iran
! tic tempt to save themselves. Inc
,, fire started in a. packing room on the
= first floor near the elevator. Inc Wooo
in the elevator shaft caught fire ano
'. burned like finder. A sheet OF name
:, twenty feet wide mounted the shaI'
:, to the seventh story, carrying an LUZ
mense volume of smoke which fright.
ened the guests out of their senses ano
started q panic. The smoke spread tt
most all parts of the hotel. causlns
many persons to lose their way IN INT
confusion. Five persons were IouI'
- suffocated in their rooms after the TT
q was out.
e, Cantain John Berwin, of a hook an
= ladder ma having broken open
* window on the seventh floor which n
had reached bv means of a scaling lad
, aor stumbled on to the body OF MRS
of Eme]ine Barlow, an aged woman. n
strained the unconscious form TO ~
-, hack and started down the laduei
midway between the seventh and slAt
!. floor the strap broke. Bending owe
20 to balance the body for a mollen
he then leaned, at the risk OF HE an
&c threw the woman toward a ploJoo1n,
no ledge on the floor below. Appdrent u
g being revived by the fresh air or u
"a the shock, the aged woman grdspe
10 tbo nroiection and held on. Later sn
-, was rescued. but in throwing the o
~ an TO safety, Captain Berwin lost n
a. balance and fell to the pavement. II
was instantly killed.
T Wolfe. fifty years old, travel1h
representative for Sperry and AleAai
dor wholesale hardware merchants
"a New York. met a horrible deatn. :!
hnrned in his room and the condito
of he furniture indicated tnat lie 10
~ fought the flames until the last -
the clothing had been torn from u
he'd and it was apparent that the ud
20 had sought to smother the HAN
10 which eventually consumed MIN.
Va The excitement was so intense u
- D p~eisniger. of New York, n MI
N, NJ. E. Hodges, of Mlnneapolls w y,
}" we've IN window lodges near an ali
:, not being encouraged by the crowd
30 Fifth street, leaped from the seven
nS aoor TO the pavement. Pelsn1gsl
Nd clothes caught fire and he tumDl
: q burning through the air. lie slruen
NJ railing near the Hennepin avenue 81
Az of the hotel and was cut in two.
81. There were many thrilling rescu
oto from the top floor.
&C. .x,rron~