The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-01
IN FIRE PANIC.
200 Women Caught on Upper
Floors of Burning Building.
Twenty Are Injured in Efforts
to Escape.


Chicago, May Twenty women
were injured today in a fire that broke
out in the building at 255 Wabash ave-
nue.. The first floor was occupied by
the Story & Clark Piano company and
the three upper floors by the Lotus
Lunch club, patronized exclusively by
the women.
When the flames were discovered
200 women, including the employees
were in the place. and at the first cry
of fire a panic ensued. A number
leaped from the windows of the sec
ond and third stories. By far the
greater number, however, rushed to
the fire escapes. These were filed in
a few seconds with a struggling mass
of women, making desperate efforts to
holds and fell to the street and others
were pushed off.
The flames started in the basement
and ran up an elevator shaft, with ter
rife speed, cutting off several women
in the front part of the building. Two
thirds of these despite the warnings
Of the spectators leaped to the ground.
The others who remained were taken
out by the firemen without being in
jured 1t is not believed that many of
the women will die from their injuries,
although this can not definitely be
established until after reports have
been received from the hospitals to
which they were taken.
- Mrs. Cecilia Malaney, one of the pro-
prietors of the lunch room was rescued
by fireman from one of the rear WIN
dows. Mrs. Malaney declared that at
least one employe, Miss Mary Stude-
meyer. and several patrons of the place
had lost their lives either by suffocation
by smoke or in the flames. The firemen
could find no bodies in the building to
substantiate the story of Mrs Malaney,
but for a considerable tome after Mrs.
Malaney was taken the flames prevented
a thorough search of the building. The
woman is positive in her assertion that
several persons could not have escaped.
Miss Wiley and Miss Rose Kate
O'Rourke, who were in the lunch room
at the time the fire was discovered were
injured internally. They with others,
made rush for the rear windows, there
being only one opening on the alley.
Policeman Daniel Kerr put up sho1
ladder, running up it, secured Miss
O'Rourke and was carrying her down
when several other women bumped from
the window squarely upon him and Miss
O'Rourke. All of them fell to the
ground Miss O'Rourke under them all.
She was badly crushed and the result
of her injuries is uncertain. Miss Wiley
was among those who jumped and was
badly hurt
The loss on the building and to the
tenants will aggregate $4,000.
Miss Mary Studemyer, who was
thought by Mrs. Malaney to have per-
ished in the fire, was later discovered
badly bruised, in the crowd outside the
building.
Following are some of the injured:
The Injured.
Mary Kennedy, jumped from the sec
ond story window, jaw fractured, arm
and leg broken.
Hilda Johnson, sprained ankle and
c. w. O'Hair, head and face burned
while helping girls out of the rear
window.
w. O. Mason, hands burned and head
cut.
Annie Young. leg broken.
Mary Studmyer, cut about head and
badly bruised.
Agnes Walsh, face cut and ankle |
broken.
Mrs. Celia Manrey, face burned and
badly bruised.
Rose Wiley, internally.
Kate O'Rourke, internally.
Policeman Daniel Kerr, knocked |
from ladder. bruised and head cut.
Mrs L. Cohen. hands and face cut.
Mary Dredeck, leg broken, internal
injuries.
Emma Edwards, hands and face cut. |
William Larsen. leg broken.
Jennie Malon, leg broken.
Mrs. Eleanor Brock, face burned.
Mrs Mary Webber, bruised.
Louise Peterson. bruised.
Mrs Sarah Cornish, face cut.
Mrs McNamee, bruised and face cut. |
Annie Machowski, arm broken.
Mrs. Anna Levy, bruised and head |
cut.
Mrs. Malaney's Story.
1--WE were trapped in the place. said |
Mrs. Malaney. before we knew what
was the matter. The girls were wait |
ing on the customers and l was doing |
some Office work, when a young man |
walked in and said to me quietly: |
Madam, 1 believe that a fire is burn
ing below and you better get your
guests out of here as quickly as pos
sible.'
''I Immediately hurried about as
quietly as / could. telling the mattresses /,
and guests to get out as quickly as
they could. 1 should think that there |
were about 100 people in the dining
room at the time. The women were |
frantic, trying to fin3 some way of /
escape, but there was only one. This |
was a single window that opened on a |
fire escape. Not more than half a /
dozen had made tn cir way to the fire
escape when the room was filled with /
smoke. If all of the people got out /
it is nothing less than a miracle