The Washington herald., 1908-05-04

Fort Wayne, Ind. May 3-The new
Aveline Hotel, the largest in the city. at
Calhoun and Berry streets. was totally
destroyed by FIRE at $50 o'clock this morn
ing. and twenty persons are known to
have perished.
1t Is probable that the death list may
reach twenty-five. as a number have not
been accounted for. More than a dozen
persons are injured. some Of them seri-
ously.
Charles Baird. the elevator boy, took
a guest to the third floor at $3.50 o'clock
this morning, and as he reached the
main floor on his return got a call from
the sixth. He went up. but the elevator
refused to descend. and the lad ran down
the five flights OF steps to the Office to re-
port. Just as he reached the Office Night
Clerk Hopkins saw flash in the ele-
vator opening on the first floor. in a
moment the shaft appeared to be IN
flames. and benboys were sent in all d.
rections to warn the guests. all OF whom
were in their rooms fast asleep.
Whole Shaft I'm Flames.
IN FIVE minutes after Night Clerk Hop
kins saw the flash. the entire shaft OF the
elevator from the main floor to the sixth,
was in flames. and when the excited
guests clad in night clothes only,
reached the elevator escape by that
mean was impossible
Meanwhile the corridors Of ali the
floors were filing with binding smoke.
The guests We're forced back into their
rooms, as it was impossible to make their
way through the suffocating smoke TO the
stairways. and, besides. the majority of
them being strangers in the house, did
not know their location.
In an instant every floor was in a state
Of intense excitement. men. women. and
children lodging into the corridors and
back into their rooms. screaming and
calling for help. The fire alarm called
the entire department to the scene, and
it was but a few minutes before ladders
were run up az all available places and
many Of the guests taken from their
rooms through the windows and carried
TO places Of safety.
Many Plead for Help.
Many, however, could not be reached.
and stood with agonizing cries in the
windows and on the ledges around the
hotel. appealing in vain for help.
The scene from the ground below was
.heartrending in the extreme. One woman
on the fifth floor held her child out OF
the window and begged that some one
come TO its rescue, apparently forgetful
of herself in the desire 20 save her child
While the crowd was gazing at the
agonized mother, a heavy body was seen
to come out Of fourth-story window,
and a moment later it fell with a duh
thud on the pavement at the feet Of the
watchers. The man had jumped from
the window. and turning over in his
descent. came head downward and was
instantly killed.
Another guest was seen 10 throw HIM
self from a window with the evident in
tention Of alighting on the roof of a small
building between the hotel and the First
National Bank.
Dies on Roof
He reached the roof safely, but did not
move after striking IT, When picked I'D
he was found TO be dead. but it is thought
that he died from sunoeatiou, rather
than from the fall. as not a bruise was
found upon his body. Another guest
jumped from a fourth-story window, and
struck on the iron railing Of the veranda
around the second story. He was instant
ly killed.
Though the hotel was we'll provided
with Microscopes. the panic-stricken
guests, in many Instances, seemed OBJ
livious to the fact, and some of those
who are among the lost were travelling
men. and had stopped at the hotel from
time TO time for years.
There were about seventy-fye guests in
the hotel. as near as can be learned.
Thirteen bodies have been recovered from
the ruins and twelve are missing. Il IS
possible that other lives were lost, as
this number, with the injured in the hos
pitals and those known TO have escaped,
does not make up the full number sup
posed TO be in the hotel
Many Escapes Narrow.
Many Of the guests made narrow es-
capes A. r. Sallot. OF New York City.
was aroused by the cries. and found his
room IN darkness. He-eould not turn on
the light. but a glare came through the
transOm, and he made his way to the
window. and got out on the ledge that
runs around on the sixth floor The
smoke followed him, and when nearly
suffocated, he began TO grope his way
along the ledge. expecting every minute
to lose his footing and be hurled 20 the
pavement below.
Men on the sidewalk called to him en-
couragingly but he was SO blinded by
the smoke that be could not see. A sud
den glare of light from the burning
structure showed him a man standing
on the roof Of a building and a voice
calling, "Come on. brother" and in an
instant a hand was extended and he was
pulled from the ledge TO the roof Of the
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