The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-01-28
GUESTS FLEE
FROM HOTEL
Chicago Firenen Fight a
Dangerous Blaze at An
Early Hour Today.
A 4o-MILE GALE TANNED THE
FLAMES, WHICH BROKE OUT IN
FLORENCE HOTEL AND THREAT
ENED OTHER BUILDINGS IN THE
VICINITY.
Rx Associated Press.

Chicago, Jan. 27.-Fanned by a 4c-
mile gale fire, which broke out in
the Hotel Florence, 1913 Adams street,
about the southern portion c. the
loop district, endangering a score of
structures and causing a loss estima-
ted at 100000.
Twenty guests of the hotel, which
was a four-story structure, were
aroused from their beds by police and
firemen. All of the inmates are he
lieved to have escaped.
Adjoining the burning structure on
the east is the partially completed
sixteen-story building Of the Corn FIX
change National Bank. The new sky
scraper was given a severe test, sGut
with the exception of some emDorRry
woodwork, resisted the flames success
fully Two members of the f"e de-
partment were struck by boards which
fell from a burning scaffoldinS on the
fifteenth floor of the bank bIilding.
One of them. Edward Wakefield, a
truckman. was knocked unconscious.
The other. Herbert Scanlon,. a pipe
man, escaped with slight bruises.
The wind drove the flames directly
against the bank structure; which
| formed q complete barrier 20 the
spread of the fire. but at the same
time acted as a chimney to- carry
burning brands, sparks aad enltIers
hundreds of feet into the air.
Cascade of Fire.
! At the height of the confla grafton.
! flaming cascade of sparks poured
upon the Rookery building at LaSaIle
and Adams streets, and uponS the
board of trade, Grand Pacific Hotel,
| Illinois Trust and Savings Bank,
Western Union, Home Insurance and
other big structures. Some of these
! buildings were erected so long ago
that their freproof qualities are 4
matter of doubt. and detachments of
| firemen were sent out to keep watch
of them Some of the guests of he
Grand Pacific Hotel were awakened
/ by the noise of the fire engines ana
| the glare of the flames, but whatever
fears they may have entertained
were allayed by employees of the
/ house.
Started in Hotel.
| The fire started in the rear of the
i second story of the Hotel Florence.
Before il was discovered it had gained
considerable Roadway, and shortly af-
ter lie firemen arrived the second
and third floors and a portion of the
! u
j ing the hotel on the west caught fire
and was partly Quilted. 1t was occu-
pied by a printing and two tailoring
/ concerns, most of which suffered
| heavy damages. In three of the print-
/ ing Offices night shifts of employees
were at work and these men were
driven to the street SO hurriedly that
/ many were forced to face the bliZZerd
! clad in the sleeveless garments of the
! workroom Many of the guests Of
the hotel were also scantily clad
when they reached the street. The
/ refugees were cared for by. the po-
lice.
Despite the threatening nature of
the fire hard work by the iremen
! confined it to the two scruetures.
THE fight called for the complete fire
4 department forces of the downtown
and wholesale district and the men
I swarmed upon the roofs and fire es-
capes of an adjoining building, pour
ing tons of water upon NE flames
from their vantage points. Two hours
after the first alarm had sounded the
4 flames were under control