The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-05-09
Twelve Meet Death in Terrible
Holocaust at Fort Wayne,
in Indiana.
AWFUL SCENES ARE WITNESSED
Most OF the Persons Who Lost Their
Lives Were Sleeping on the
Top Floor Names Of
known Dead.

Thorough inquiry has been started
to punish those whose carelessness is
believed TO have been responsible for
the fire that killed az least twelve and
brought serious injury TO thirty or
more In the Avellne hotel at Fort
Wayne. Ind
state, county, and city officials
backed by AN aroused public. have
joined in the move. The coroner and
the mayor took up the investigation
early In the day, and already have de
veloped the fact that the building was
a firetrap. Built Of brick aud wood, II
burned like paper, giving the victims
no chance TO escape.
Twelve Bodies Recovered.
Twelve bodies have been recovered,
and II Is feared three more are in the
ruins. Thirty are suffering from in.
juries In the various hospitals OF the
city. and some OF these likely will die.
or the sixty-sevcn guests Ia the hotel
at the time of the blaze, hardly one
escaped without some injury, slight or
serious.
The fire was discovered In the ele-
vator shaft by Night Clerk Hlppins.
He rushed through the building, alarm
ing the guests. until the flames drove
him back When the first engine ar
rived the whole interior OF the hotel
was a mass OF flames Cut of from
the elevator and stairways by the
flames, men and women in the upper
stories rushed TO the windows. md IN
firemen gave their first effort N an at
tempt TO rescue these.
Forced 10 Jump from Windows
Several were taken out IN this man
nor. but as the flames burst from the
windows others were forced 10 jump
before the ladders could be raised e.
their place OF refuge. Others, having
rooms nearer the FIRE escapes. were
able to reach them during the first few
moments OF the fire. but II was no;
long before the falling walls broke
these last paths to safety.
While the clerk was send ng In tlr
alarm and Il spatchlng boy 10 ell II
proprietor OF the hotel OF the laze. Oh,
sixty-seven grests slept on. uncol
scious Of their peril when az last il
guests were aroused call wGs sen
for 4 chemical engine instead of IN,
regular apparatus. Most OF thos
killed were sleeping on the top floor.
The Known Dead.
or tie twelve bodies recovered, ten
were identified as Follows
Frank Baxter, Auburn, Ind Charlie
Benjamin. Detroit. Mich; Miss Man
Burkett. Mishawaka, Ind. J. w
Deviney, Camden. n. j.; Il. j. Ellis
Chicago; Sarah Hathaway. Mishnwaka
Ind: Maurice Hirsch. Chicago; Rober
s. Johnson. Pana. Ill: j. Il. Miller
Philadelphia. Pa; w. A. Pitcher, Du
mth. MINI; e. II. Atty, Wabash, Ind
Jonn Burke. Fort Wayne, Ind; X. Il
Tribee, Delhart Ind.
Among the most seriously injured 1
Lyman Campbell Chicago. who was
hurt in escaping from the building.
Cries OF women could be hear
above the roar OF the flames and III,
crash Of falling timbers. They wer'
not long nor continuous, for those VIII
were NOT quickly lost in the smoke
that filed the corridors sa1lk suffoclte
10 the floor.
Fire Escape Crowded.
Within n few minutes after tn
alarm the fire escape on the Berr,
street side was crowded with men
women ana few children. Befor'
they could descend there WA a crasl
Of breaking glass and AN immense VOL
ume of flame swept out below then
through the Pcond-story window. Cu
on from escape they huddled on tn
iron stairway.
a vast cloud of smoke hid them from
sight and when IL cleared away the,
were gone. Whether they went bacl
inside or fell could not be- seen.
from the windows leaned men an.
women, and some OF them. panic
stricken by fear. or seeing death hc
hind and the approaching aid IN FROM
leepcd TO the pavement below.
Jumped from Fifth story.
X. - Johnson. Of Pana. Ill. jumped
from fhe NTH story His body strucl
balcony and bounded far into tn
street lie was crushed and bleed
ing macs when picked up and died 4
short time later In ST Joscph's hos
rital. "A the fury OF the danes In
creased ihen ana women were seen il
the Nindowsof their rooms. where the'
wildly impiored help some did NJ
wait for the efforts Of the fremcn, an
leaped 80 the street Several were 81
rlnusly Injured In this way.