The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1908-05-08
AWFUL sCENEs ARE WITNESSED
Cries of Victims Can Be Heard Above
Roar of Flames.
Most of the Persons Who Lost Their
lives Were Sleeping on the
Top Floor Names of
known Dead.

started to punish those whose careless
ness is believed to have been respOn-
sibIe for the fire that killed at least
twelve and brought serious injury to
thirty or more.
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-
velcped the fact that the building was
q firetrap. Built Of brick and wood, it
burned like paper, giving the victims
no chance to escape.
Twelve Bodies Recovered.
Twelve bodies have been recovered,
and it is feared three more are in the
ruins. Thirty are suffering from in
juries i'll the various hospitals of the
city, and some of these likely will die.
OF the sixty guests in 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 Hippins
He rushed through the blu lding, 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 off from
the elevator and stairWays by the
flames, men and women in the upper
stories rushed to the windows, and the
firemen gave their first effort in an at,
tempt to rescue these.
Forced to Jump from Windows
Several were taken out in this man
ner, but as the flames burst from the
windows others were forced to jump
before the ladders could be raised to
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 it was not
long before the falling walls broke
these last paths to safety.
While the clerk was sending in the
alarm and dispatching boy to tell the
proprietor of the hotel of the blaze, the
siXty-seven guests slept on, uncon-
scious of their peril. When at last he
guests were aroused call was sent
4for a chemica! engine instead of the
regular apparatus. Most of those
killed were sleeping on the top floor.
The known Dead.
OF the twelve bodies recovered, ten
were identified as follows:
Frank Baxter, Auburn, Ind; Charles
Benjamin. Detroit, Mich; Miss May
Burkett, Mishawaka, Ind; J. w.
Deviney, Camden, n. J.; E. ]. Ellis,
Chicago; Sarah Hathaway, Mishawaka
Ind. Maurice Hirsch, Chicago; Robert
IS. Johnson, Pana, H.; 7. B. Miller,
Philadelphia, Pa; W. A. Pitcher, Du-
luth, Mimi; E. B. Atty, Wabash, Ind:
Jonn Burke, Fort Wayne, Ind; r. e.
Trihee, Delhart, Ind.
Among the most seriously injured Is
Lyman Campbell Chicago, who was
hurt in escaping from the building.
Cries of women could be heard
above the roar of the flames and the
crash of falling timbers. They were
not long nor continuous, for those who
were not quickly lost in the smoke
that filled the corridors sank suffoca
to the floor.
Fire Escape Crowded.
Within Il few minutes after thu
alarm the fire escape on the Berry
street side was crowded with men,
women and few children. Before
they could descend there was a crash
of breaking glass and an immense vol
une of flame swept out below theml
through the secOnd-story window. Gu:
off from escape they huddled on the
iron stairway.
Z A vast cloud of smoke hid them from
sight and when it cleared away they
were gone. Whether they went back
inside or fell could not be seen.
From the windows leaned men ana
women, and some of them, Panic,
stricken by fear, or seeing death be-
hind and the approaching aid in front,
leaped to the pavement below.
Jumped from Fifth Story.
r. S. Johnson, of Pana, H., jumped
from the fifth story. His body struck
balcony and bounded far into the
street He was crushed and bleed
ing mass when picked up and died a
short time later in ST. Joseph's hos,
pital. As the fury of the danes in
creased men and women were seen in
the windows of their rooms. where they
wildly inplored help Some did not
wait for the efforts Of the firemen, anil
leaped TO the street. Several were Sc
riously injured in this way.
Thrilling Escapes.
There were many thrilling escapes.
Claude III. yarnell, of the Fort Wayne
baseball team: his sister, Mrs. John
Hendricks, and John Hendricks. Of
Chicago, manager of the Fort Wayne
team, together with Master Hendricks.
aged five years, barely escaped with
their lives. Varnell lost all his person
al belongings, valued at several thou
sand dollars. Hendricks with his wife
ahead Of him and his boy in his arms
was descending the fireescape from