The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-03-14
THINKS over SCORE
Persisted in fire

CHI CAGO, ILL Special.-A heavy
toll OF human life was taken this
morning at an early hour. when flames
broke out in the four-stOry building
known as the Barnett Hotel. at 647
south Clark Street. 1t is believed that
ruins.
BY $3.50 o'clock seven bodies had
been taken from the ruins. and the
police believe that the number of dead
VIII so over twenty. Most OF the dead
were trapped on the third floor, their
exit being cut off by the destruction
of the stairways.
Besides the dead many others were
injured.
Several persons jumped from win
dows, sustaining severe hurts.
There were thrilling escapes from
death, the lives Of many being saved
by the police and firemen, who spread
life nets, into which the panic-stric ken
dodgers leaped.
Scores of men were sleeping in the
building when the fire broke out. The
building was old and of inflamma BILE
material, and the fire soon spread
through the entire lower portion.
Among the men who leaped from
the upper windows before the life
nets were spread was Thomas McMa-
hon. He was picked up unconscious
and rushed to q hospital in a dying
condition. For a time the fire threat
ened to develop into a disastrous con-
hagration.
Flames spread to an adjoining
lodging house conducted by the Sal
walton Army.
After a struggle the fire was con-
rolled and firemen began to search
the ruins for dead bodies. The first
found were the bodies of two men in
Gated to death.
There were no fire escapes on the
front of the building, and the sleep
ing people in. the front rooms were
trapped. Thirty persons were serious
All those sleeping above the sec
ond floor were at the mercy of the
flames.
There were scores Of thrilling res
cues.
burned, were saved by employees Of
the J. L. Mcdonald Printing Com
pany, whose offices are across the
alley from the hotel
Several of the men stretched lad
ders across the alley and assisted the
men to walk across.
Believe Others Perished.
When the fire was discovered, en-
pioyes OF the hotel walked the guests
as best they could. Their way led
into the front rooms OF the upper
story. which was blocked and IL is
believed by both police and firemen
that number of sleeping guests were
burned in their beds.
Thomas Mcmahon died soon after
being taken to the hospital.
A number of women were among
the guests of the hotel.
Annie Ansell and her baby, only an
hour old. were among them. When the
alarm was given the clerk remembered
the womans plight. Help was given
her. and she and her child were carried
out.
Even In the few minutes both were
overcome by smoke
1t is feared the infant cannot live.
TWO. other women were rescued from
the building.
At least. eight of the known deaths
M the hotel blaze are said to have been
needless.
The victims occupied rooms adjoining
the alley, across which ladders were
stretched from the building opposite.
The guests in the hotel terror
stricken and in panic. rushed about
the building dazed. Many or the
guests left the hotel only scantfly clad
Some of those who. climbed across the
ladders fell exhausted with their cloth
ing In flames.
Some OF the victims made their way
TO the windows. from which they might
have escaped, but turned back. The
flames spread so rapidly that many
were cut of and persisted
The bodies as they were taken out
were laid in row in the snow on the
sidewalks.
At least thirty men walked across the
ladders 70 safety.