Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-05-04
braved the flames and made their way
thru smoke and fire down the iron
stairways. They had many thrilling

brayed the flames and made their way
thru smoke and fire down the iron
stairways. They had many thrilling
Claud H. Varnell of the Fort Wayne
base ball team, his sister, Mrs. John
Hendricks and John Hendricks of Chi
cago, manager of the Fort Wayne
team, together with Master Hendricks,
aged years, barely escaped with their
lives. Varnell lost all his personal be-
longings, valued at several thousand
dollars. Hendricks with his wife ahead
of him and his boy in his arms, was de-
scending the fire escape from the hfth
floor. At the third floor the fire broke
out below them. He swung Mrs. Hen
bricks over the railing and she dropped
to the platform of the story below.
He then dropped his son into the wait
ing arms of his wife and all made their
way to the ground.
When the fire was at its height a
man at third story window was
shrieked: "My God! Men save me!
Will no one save me?" and then
leaped from the window and went
swirling to the pavement below. He
was picked up desperately hurt. He
was 3. M. Matthews of Columbus,
Ohio.
Women Jump to Death.
A score or more women employed
in the hotel We're in the upper rooms
in the rear part of the hotel. Most of
them escaped without injury, but
some in their frenzy leaped to the
alley.
That there are many bodies in the
ruins is the present belief of Fire Chief
Hilbrecht and Chief of Police An
ckenbruch Chief Anckenbruch, bas-
ing his estimate on the reports of the
police, gives the number of dead yet
in the ruins at 6 o'clock at twenty.
At that hour eight bodies had been
recovered A guest on the fifth floor
who was aroused at the outbreak of
the fire and escaped, says he believes
very few on the fifth floor or in the
rooms in the mansard escaped Other
bodies are believed to be at the foot
OF the eleyator shaft, but it will be
some hours before the diggers clear
the debris from the basement
Among the missing are two aged
woman, Miss Hathaway and her COM
panion Of Mishawaka, Ind. They came
here to receive some children for an
orphanage with, which they We're con-
nected at Mishawaka. Their bodies are
still in the ruins.
Travelling men who escaped are
searching for their acquafntances who
were known to be in the hotel. In this
way only could it be determined who
some of the missing are.
The New Aveline hotel was a six
story building of brick, in the business
center Of the city. Its erection was be-
gun in 1852, but 1t was not completed
until several years later. In 1895 the
building was extensively remodeled.
and two stories were added. The fo-
tel and furnishings were valued at
100000.
Within quarter of an hour from
the time the fire was discovered in the
elevator shaft practically the entire
building was wrapped in flames. The
whole interior became roaring fur
mace, and from basement to roof all
was blazing at once. In rapid success
sion the floors fell to the basement,
carrying their toll OF dead.
Heaviest Losers.
Other occupants of the hotel block
and their losses are:
Jones & Stevens, proprietors of the
hotel, personal, $4,000.
H. G. Brown, saloon, 100000.
C. B. Woodwork & Co., drugs, &c.
900.
Postal Telegraph company, $4,000.
Strauss Brothers, bankers, $4,000.
George Streicher, barber shop, s2,-
500.
Lee 1vins,s cigars and news stand,
$4,000.
Bass block, adjoining hotel, $1,500.
All losses in the hotel block, save
the Strauss bank, were total. The
bank vaults are intact. Losses are
fully insured
John P. strohecher, Of New York,
after thrilling escape from death in
the flames, reached the ground almost
naked. He had not time to gather up
his apparel, the flames having burst
into his room before he was awakened.
Scores of men and women reached the
ground, some Of them with nothing on
but their night clothes. None of the
guests had time to save their effects.
Dry goods and clothing stores were
thrown open to men and women, and