The bee., 1908-03-26
BLAZE N CHICAGO HOTEL.
FIRE FOR A TIME THREATENED
ENTIRE DESTRUCTION OF
GRAND PACIFIC.
BUT THREE PEOPLE INJURED
Blaze Caused by Crossed Electric
Wires Drove Many Of the Guests
Down the Fire Escapes.
Erected in 1871.

/
Chicago, March 21.--Fire resulting
from crossed electric light wires dam
aged the Grand Pacific hotel Friday
to the extent of 100000 and for a time
threatened the entire destruction Of
the building. No lives were lost, al
though many OF the guests we're com
PEELED to make hasty exits by fire
escapes. and but three people were
| injured. Two OF these we're in the
crowd in front of the hotel and were
elightly cut by falling glass. The
third was fireman, Walter English,
who fell from the fire escape, and
suffered a fracture Of the left arm.
| The fire was discovered by James
Ryan, q mechanic, who was at work
upon the roof OF the building. Two
weeks ago a portion of the hotel
smokestack was blown down in a gale
of wind, and Ryan was in charge OF a
gang which was putting up the new
stack. He was in the act of placing a
block under one corner of a derrick
when a small tongue OF fame shot up
into his face. He at once gave the
alarm.
Not Believed Serious at First.
For a considerable time II was not
believed that the Are would be seri-
GUS. 1t was generally known that re-
pairs on the smokestack were in
progress and when the first clouds of
smoke rolled along the roof and drift
ed down into the hotel court they
were generally believed to come
either from the defective stack or
from the apparatus in use by the
workmen on the roof Manager E.
A. Whipple of the hotel for some time
contended that there was no FIRE and
assured guests that there was no dan
ger. He was soon informed by
bellboy, however, that the flames had
broken through the roof at the north
west corner OF the building and I'M
mediately issued orders to warn ali
guests to leave their rooms and come
to the office. The telephone switch
board was at once put into reQuisition
and all guests possible were advised
to leave their rooms. A corpse OF
walters and other hotel attendants,
under the leadership of Frank Copa,
steward of the hotel. hurried through
the Railways, giving additional warn
ing.
Flames Made Fascinating Sight.
The flames at times shot through
the roof thirty feet into the air, form
ing a fascinating sight for the oecu-
pants Of the neighboring ofhes build
inEs, who crowded to the roofs and
jammed all available windows which
commanded a view of the hotel.
The flames, although several times
almost under control, were obstinate
and broke out repeatedly In sudden
and violent fashion. On one of these
occasions a score Of hremen who were
carrying n lead Of hose up one OF the
are escapes were caught by the flames
and compelled to fee in great haste.
Several of them we're slightly scorched
about the hands and face before they
were able to makep4heir escape.
The federal building, which Is just
east of the hotel. suffered severely
from the dense strangling smoke
which poured out of the building. II
allied the postoffce and all the depart
ment offices so densely that all work
in handling the mails and in the court
rooms was suspended until the fire
was practically under control.
Thief Caught on Fire Escape.
During the progress of the fire two
men were arrested while robbing
rooms. One Of them was discovered
by Detective Magyar of the city po
lice force while ransacking a room on
the sixth floor The thief, closely pur-
sued by the officer, ran through the
hallway to the fire escape on the Jack
son boulevard side of the building and
had reached the third floor before he
was overtaken by Magyar and dragged
In through a window. The chase
caused great excitement in the dense
crowd which filled the street and the
success OF the officer was greeted with
cheers. Several pickpockets were also
taken into custody just outside the
building
The Grand Pacific is one OF the
best known hotels in the country. II
was erected Immediately after the
great Chicago Are OF 1871, and when
built occupied one-half of a city
square. Later one-half of II was torn
down. The building is owned by the
! - h. I.ka u 1