The Dickinson press., 1913-01-11
ABOUT THE BOWMAN FIRE
TWO LIVES were LOST

Reeardine the Bowman fire. brief!
mentioned in these columns last week
the Pioneer says:
I'm room 20. occupied by Thomas
and William Connolly. the scene de.
scribed by Tom is about a. follows
William was the first aroused by the
alarm, and he woke Tom saying to him
that they had better get up and 60 to
the fire. Tom awoke. smelled the
smoke and said, I'VE won't have far IL
20. for it is here in the hotel" They
hurriedly dressed and went out in the
hall. but finding the stairs on fire and
the hall full of smoke. rushed back into
the room. Tom kicked the window out,
called to his brother to follow him,
and went out through it.
When he reached the ground he look
ed up at the window expecting to see
William following him. He was not
in sight and did not answer Tom when
he called. He then ran over back of
the First National bank block where he
secured a ladder and rushed back to aid
his brother. Tom cot up the ladder to
the window, went in and vas followed
by Ed. Bunnell. VIM. Connolly was
found on the floor. and apparently
alive. He was gotten to the window
when Tom was overcome and could 60
no farther. Bunnell got William out
and on the ladder. when he slipped to
the ground, but it was not far enough
to have injured him. Bunnell then got
Tom Connolly out of the room which
was filled with smoke and flames. Both
men were weak when they got on the
ladder and dropped to the ground.
Upon examination it was found that
William Connolly was dead. and the
body was Immediately taken to the
Kvalness undertaking rooms. Tom Con-
molly. then believed to be in a serious
condition. was taken to the rooms of
Henry w. Olsen, where he was attended
by a physician.
Relative to the death of Merritt Nc
Phce, Carl Lee. who was in the same
room with the unfortunate young man,
states that he had only been in bed a
short time when Merritt woke him I'D
and told him the hotel was on fire. He
got up and got into some clothes, and
Merritt went into the hall. saying that
he was all right and for Lee to come.
Lee looked into the hall. but the smoke
was sitting. so he turned again into
the room and broke the window. then
letting himself down to the ground. 1t
is said that after this a man made his
way through the hall leading to the
rear stairway. but saw no sign of Nc
Phee.
For a time it was reported that there
were several parties in the fire. but it
was not until the body of McPhee was
found that there was any certainty
about his being in the building. 1t
was hoped that he had made his escape
and went away some place and to bed.
AS soon as possible men went into
the cellar, with the smoking ruins all
around them and with a chimney and
part of the building liable to fall at
any minute. They dug in the ruins in
the northeast corner of the basement
and there uncovered the bath tub. This
was turned over and underneath it
vvore found the unrecodnizahIe remains
of Merritt McPhee. Coroner ,Kvalness
and others carefully removed the re-
mains to the undertaking rooms, and a
search was made through what clothes
remained for some mark of identifica-
tion. In one pocket was found two re-
ceipts for money orders issued in July
by the Bowman post Office. They were
taken to the postmaster. who, Upon