The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-04
Several More Are Thought to Be Burned to Death in
 Mass of Wreckaga i.
WOODWORK OF HOTEL
 BURNS LIKE FINDER
Many Thrilling Escapes Are. Made By Guests Who Are Caught By Flames. Some Leap To Death From
 the Windows.

Fort Wayne, Ind, May 3.AAt least 12 persons lost their lives in a fire which de- stroyed the New Avelin hotel here early today. The entire interior of the build- ing is smoldering heap of ruins, ard how many dead are concealed by the debris can only be conjectured.
 The hotel register was consumed by the fire, and there is no accurate means of determining who is missing. The known dead are:
 R. S. Johnson, Pana, III.
 M Hrsch, New York.
 J. B. Miller, sheboygan, Wis.
 J. E. Ellis, salesman for Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co., Chicago.
 w. A. Pitcher, Fort Wayne salesman for s. F. Boyser & Co.,, Fort Wayne.
 J. w. Deviney, salesman for Crawford & Lehman, Philadelphia.
 Three unidentified men,
 The known missing:
 Max Wessam, wrestler, Fort Wayne, formerly of St. Louis.
 Frank Baxter, attorney, Auburn, Ind. Companion of Frank Baxter, Auburn, Ind.
 E. E. Atty, Wabash Ind.
 Charles Benjamin, salesman for Detroit Neckwear company, Detroit.
 Mrs. Sarah Hathaway. Mishawalza, Ind. Unknown woman, companion of Mrs. Hathaway
 Mass of Debris.
 The complete destruction of the interior of the hotel makes the work of recovering of bodies difficult. Charred wood, bricks, and twisted girders are piled up between the walls to the second story. Piece by piece this must be removed before the roll of dead can be completed. Some of the bodies taken out are mangled and charred beyond recognition.
 The fire was discovered at 3:30 this morning in the elevator shaft by Night Clerk Ralph Hopkins. He rushed to the upper floors alarming 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 century ago and the wood work was dry as finder Within few minutes from the time the fire was discovered the whole interior of the hotel was a mass of flames and the only ave- nue of escape was by the windows.
 The fire department rescued many of the guests by means of ladders, but some, frenzed by the rush of the flames, leaped from windows to the street.
 R. s. Johnson of Pana, Ills, jumped from the fifth story. His body struck balcony and bounded far into the street. He died short time later.
 As the flames increased, men and won- en were seen in the windows of their rooms imploring for help. Some did not wait for the assistance of the firenen and leaped to the street. Those who left their rooms before the flames cut off their retreat were able to make their way to the fire escapes and were saved.
 Thrilling Escapes.
 Soon the flames broke from the win dows and curled about the fire escapes. Some of the more hardy ones braved the flames and made their way through smoke and fire down the iron stairways. There were many thrilling escapes Claude H. Varnell of the Fort Wayne baseball team, his sister, Mrs John Hen dricks, and John Hendricks of Chicago, manager of the Fort Wayne team, to- gether with Master Hendricks, aged , years, barely escaped with their lives. varnell lost all his personal belongings, valued at several thousand dollars. Hen dricks with his wife ahead of him and his boy in his arms was descending the fire escape from the fifth floor. At the third floor the fire broke out below them. He swung Mrs. Hendricks over the rail ing and she dropped to the platform of the story below. He then dropped his son into the waiting arms of his wife and all made thtir way to the ground. Other reScueS as thrilling ana eScdpeS as idI- row were numerous.
 When the fire was at it's height man at third-story window was seen wild 1y waving his arms. He shrfeked: My Godl Men save mel Will no one save me?'
 Leaps From Window.
 And he then leaped from the window and went swirling to the pavement below. He was picked up desperately hurt. He was from Columbus, D., but his name could not at the time be ascertained. A score or more of women employed in the hotel were in the upper rooms in the rear of the hotel. Most of them escaped without injury, but some, in their frenzy. leaped to the alley. That there are still many bodies in the ruins Is the belief of Fire Chief Hilbrecht and Chief of Police Anckenbruck. Chief Anchenbruck, passing his estimate on the reports of the police gives the number. of the dead yet in the ruins at o'clock at 20 At that hour eight bodies had been recovered. A guest on the fifth floor who was aroused at the outbreak of the fire and escaped, says he believes very few on the fifth floor or in the rooms in the mansard escaped. Other bodies are believed to be at the foot of the elevator shaft. But it will he some hours before the diggers clear inc debris from the basement.
 The Avelin hotel was q six-story build- ing of brick in the business ceEter of the city, It's erection was begun in 1852. but it was not completed until several years later In 1895 the building was, as,extensively remodeed and two stories were added.
 Tie hotel and furnishings were valued at $S0.000.
 The loss of other occupants of the hotel block aggregate s34,00o.
 The losses are fully covered by in- surance Scores of the men and women reached the ground slightly clad. None tried to save their effects. Dry goods and clothing stores were thrown open to ,..o,, a m u,oroap and all who needed ap-