Omaha daily bee., 1911-01-24

says. the odor became stronger and he
was on the point of making a second in
vestigation when the alarm was sounded.
Two men hung from a window sill OF
their room on the third floor for several
minutes before they were discovered and
taken down by means of a ladder The
smoke at this end OF the building was very
dense and the men had hung in their
perilous position until they were nearly
overcome before they were pointed out by
woman who had been rescued from
room near them a short time before.
When the firemen reached them the men
were exhausted that they had to be
carried down the ladder.
The loss Monday morning was estimated
by w. b. Miller 20 be about $4,000
Survivors out or Danger.
The survivors all of whoTL we're taken
to the Omaha General hospital a few blocks
away, are out OF danger and rapidly con-
valesclng from the effects Of the smoke
that they inhaled. They tell thrilling sto-
ries of narrow escapes from the burning
building.
Il. j. Strahl OF Lincoln, who travels for
st. Louis dry goods firm, was the most
seriously injured, sustaining a broken ankle
and having his hands severely Iscerated in
his slide down a rope from the fourth
floor.
Il was sleeping in room on the fourth
floor when awakened by the smoke in my
ROOM" said Strahl. II partially dressed
and hurried out Of the room trying to find
a fire escape. The corridor was full of
smoke that could not see, and with diff
Guilty found the door of my room again.
found the rope fire escape but did not fasten
the belt around myself l don't think the
rope reached the ground anyway, | fell
and that is all l can remember"
Tells of Rescue.
BIZ. Greeley OF Chicago said that he was
awakened by the screams OF women in
the corridors. He dressed and made his
way out, but lost himself I'm the smoke.
Finally he entered room, where he found
a man and woman lying on the floor.
The other man and myself" said
Greeley, "let the woman down by a rope,
| as she was unconscious. BY that time the
smoke in the room was so dense that we
were forced to hang out OF the window I'M
til we felt the extension ladders, which had
meanwhile been raised, under our feet.
How we climbed down that ladder l don't
exactly remember"
w. II. Stevens, who is a salesman for the
National Biscuit company, with head
quarters in st. Louis. is another one of the
men at the hospital, Stevens was over
come by the smoke and carried down the
stairway.
Mrs. Dunn, wife of a federal official
crippled with rheumatism, was carried out
from room 3lS in safety,
A number OF other guests were partially
overcome by the smoke, but soon revived
| p. W. Edgett, a salesman OF Syracuse.
| N. Y, was one of the calmest men at
! the fire Although he weighs around the
| 800 pound mark. after helping the wife and
| daughter OF a brother Elk to escape. he
went back into the smoke, got his grips.
and in a very dignifled manner descended
the fire escape. He admits having had
some trouble in rounding the corners.
Il have been in several hotel fires" said
Edgett, but the police and fire protection
in this case was the best ever"
Work at repairing the damage will be
begun Immediately, Monday morning sew
eral rooms were pressed into service as
temporary dining rooms and breakfast was
! served as usual.
First estimates on the damage were
placed too high. 1t lie now thought that
Il will not exceed $500.
GoIdIe Had PremOnitiOn.
w S Goldie, editor of the Wayne Demo-
crat, had a premonition that the hotel
would burn and lay awake until $3.50
O'Clock, when he heard the girl scream in
the Kitchen He looked into the alley and
saw the blaze and then dressed himself
and packed his Strip. When he opened the
door to his room the hall was completely
filled with smoke.
Mr.. Goldie lie always afraid Of hotel fires
and generally insists on the clerk ",
; him room next TO the fire escape. He