The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-05-04
Leaped From Window.


seen wildly waving his arms at > third .
story window. He shrieked for help ,
in vain, and then leaped from the win
dow and went swrling to the pavement
below He was desperately hurt.
r. S. Lewis of Chicago was driven /.
from his room on the third floor TO the
window ledge The flames were leap
ing out above him and he swung down
from window 10 window Firemen
hoisted a ladder to aid him, but it be
came entangIed in wires. Lewis be
came exhausted. his grasp Ioosened /
and he dropped Just as the ladder was
raised under his feet. He seized a
round of the ladder and escaped un- .
hurt.
A. r. Sallot Of New York had sim |
liar experience, The flames were in /
his room after he aWOke. He CROPPED !
his way through the smoke to win /
dow and CraWled out on the ledge and
hung there precariousIy, edging away
an inch at It time as the flames curl
ed from the window. He was just
about to take chances in Il leap Of four
stories to the asphalt pavement be
meath when a hand was thrust down
to him from the roof of an adjoining
building and he was pulled to safety.
Frenzed Women.
A score of women employed in the
hotel were in the upper rooms in the
rear of the hotel. Most Of them es-
capped without injury but some in their
frenzy leaped to the alley. During the
first excitement many were accounted
dead that were later found to be safe.
That there are several bodies still in
the ruins is the belief Of Fire Chief
Filbricht and Chief of Police Anchen-
bruck. Chief AnchenbruCk placed his
estimate of the dead still in the ruins
as high as twenty.
Aged Women Missing.
Among the missing are two aged wO-
men, Miss Hathaway and her cOmpan-
ion, of Mishawaka. Ind. They came
here to receive some children from an
orphanage with which they are con-
nected at MishaWaka. Their bodies are
still in the ruins. Travelling men who
escaped are searching for acquaintance
eS who were known to be in the hotel.
In this way only can 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 begun in
tS52, but it was not completed until
several years later. In 1880 the
building was extensively remodeled
and two stories were added. The hotel
and furnishings were valued at $50,
tset
Throughout. the framework of the
interior was of wood. dried like timber
from half a century's seasoning and it
burned with great rapdity. 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 a roaring furnace and
! from basement to roof all was blazing
at once. In rapid succession the floors
fell to the basement, carrying their
! toll of dead.
Occupants and Losses.
Other occupants of the hotel block
and their losses are:
Jones 4 Stevens. proprietors Of the
hotel personal, 5000
G. H. Brown. saloon, $1,000.
c. B. Wordsworth & Co., druggists,
$4,000.
Postal Telegraph company, 5000.
StrauS Bros bankers $1,000.
George Streicher, barber shop. S.
800.
Lee Wins, cigars and news stand.
$4,000
Bass Block, adjoining the hotel, 81
JOO.
All losses in the hotel block save the
Strauss bank, were total
The bank vaults are intact. Losses
are fully insured.
John P. Strohccher, of New York,
after a thrilling escape from death in
the flames. reached the ground almost
naked. He had no time to gather any
of 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 man and women and
all who needed apparel We're supplied
without question:
Mayor w. J. HOSey, who lives with
ing four blocks of the hoteb PERSONAL
ly directed much Of the rescue work.
! I, ;-,. Z -,