The Detroit times., 1908-05-04
MAY Be Is DEAD
IN FORT WAYNE
HOTEL FIRE

by Night Clerk Ralph Hipkins. He
rushed TO the upper floors alarming
y the guests until the flames, which had
spread with great rapidity, drove him
back. His efforts. however, saved
& many lives
The hotel was erected half a cen
/; tury ago and the woodwork burned
like matchwood. Within few min
ntes the whole interior OF the hotel
( was mass OF flames and the only
means OF escape left was by the
windows
The fire department rescued many
+ BY means OF ladders, but some. fren-
xied by the rush OF the flames, leaped
from windows TO the street.
r. 5. Johnson. OF Pana, H.. jumped
from the fifth story His body struck
"a balcony and bounded far into the
street He was badly crushed and
died short time later in St Josephs
hospital
Baseball Mems Narrow Escape.
Claude III. varnell, Of the Fort
4 Wayne baseball team, his sister, Mrs
John Hendricks, and John Hendricks,
of Chicago, manager of the Fort
Wayne team, barely escaped with
their lives. Varnell lost all his per-
Sonal belongings, valued at several
thousand dollars.
Hendricks, with his wife ahead of
hun and hts son in his arms, started
down the fire escape from the fifth
f1oor. AT the third floor the fire broke
out below them at the turn In the iron
stairs. He swung Mrs. Hendricks
over the railing of the third floor plat
form and she dropped 10 the platform
Of the story below, thus avoiding the
blaze-swept portion OF the fire escape.
Then he dropped his son into the arms
oil his wife. and he followed them in
this way to the ground I'm safety. Other
ssirpiiarly narrow escapes were numer-
{t,sx.
When the fire was at It's height. f.
Matthews, OF Columbus. o.. was'
t en- wildly waving his arms at third
ks5ry window He shrieked for help
*. vain, and then leaped from the win
low and went swirIing 10 the pave
Inent below. He was badly hurt.
Spectacular Scenes.
r. 8. Lewis. of Chicago. was drizen
from his room on the third floor TO
the window ledge The flames were
3 leaping out above him, and he swung
down from window to window. Fire
men hoisted ladder TO aid him. but il
became entangled In wires. Lewis be-
came exhausted. HIS grasp loosened
md he dropped just as the ladder was
3 raised under his feet. He seized a
round OF the ladder and escaped I'M
hurt.
A r. Sallot, of New York. had a
similar experience
The New Aveline hotel was a six
Story building of brick Ii stood In
fbe business center OF the city. It's
rfection was begun in 1852, but IL was
y bot completed as four-story building
fintil several years later. In 1896 the
bnilding was extensively remodeled
land the two top stories were added.
The hotel and it's furnishing we're
valued at $4,000.
Heavy individual Losses.
Some OF the occupants OF the hotel
block and their losses are:
Jones a Stevens. proprietors OF the
hotel. personal, $4,000; q. RI. Brown
saloon. 10000: G. b. Woodwork &
Co, drugs, $4,000; Postal Telegraph
q Co. $1,000; Strauss Bros. bankers
\ $1,oous george Stre1cher, barker shop
$500; Lee WINS, cigars and news
ftand. $4,000; Bass block. adjoining
bctel, $500.
All loses In the hotel block. save
<|he Strauss bank. are total. The
3os1k vaults are intact. All losses are
..<fliIIy insured.
Late at night the Barnet Transfer
CO. moved three large trunks to the
New Aveline hotel. Instructions came
Y with the order to move TO have the
trunks carefully watched. as they
tontained thousand OF dollars worth
re iewelry. No Information as to the
o~ner can be obtained at the com
rnny's ONCE. as the checks only were
tent over with instructions. AS the
o5Iicers have heard nothing OF the
missing jeweiry. II is highly probable
flac owner persisted in the flames.