New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-01

Omaha. Feb. oS.--Fire early this morn
ing destroyed the Dewey Hotel. at 18th
and Farnam streets. a score and posi-
Div more persons losing their lives. The
register Of the little hosiery was burned
and the names of those who died In the
flames probably will never be known. To-
night only four bodies had been recovered
These were Of persons who either jumped
from windows or died from exposure or
injuries. TIE identified dead:
Charles Cummings. a bartender
Mrs. Alice Bonnevue. sister OF Mrs c.
+. wilkins. wife of the proprietor of the
hotel.
Charles Beverly, employed by a local
commission firm.
The fourth body unidentified was re-
covered by fremcn before the interior OF
the building collapsed.
Cummings's brother arrived this morn
ing from Pittsburgh to visit him. only to
learn of his tragic death. Cummings
Jumped from the third floor TO the side
walk. his head and body being badly
crushed.
The fire occurred at an hour when few
persons We're in the vicinity. and the IN
terror Of the building. which was an ora
one. was mass of flames before the
firemen arrived Not less than nifty per-
sons were sleeping IN the building, ana
estimates Of the number run as hiSh as
seventy-fve. At least thirty are known U
have escaped. Many of them were
scantily clad. and they were taken either
10 the Emergency Hospital or to hoteis,
About a third OF the guests were Ne
braskans who had come to the CITY 10
attend the automobile show. Most VI
them had rooms near the two exits, ana -
far as known all escaped to the street
The money loss IS estimated at s2oo'""
Owing to the infammable nature OF the
structure the heat was intense ana the
fremen did not get the names uhoer
control for several hours. Then the IN
terror had collapsed and fallen into the
basement. Here, beneath hundreds OF
tons of debris. tonight lie the bodies OF
the victims. and it may require two days
20 remove them from the death cellar
u Until this debris has been removed the
number OF dead will not he known.
1t is believed the loss of life was
caused by a gas explosion in the rear OF
the building. Only a few weeks age
there was discovered leaking gas main
which caused the management of the
hotel to arouse all the guests. AT that
time II was necessary TO cut off the gas
supply and open all the windows and
doors. To-day's explosion is believed &c
have resulted from a similar condition.
Mrs. c. T.. Hawkins. who had room on
the second floor dragged her sister, Miss
Alice Bonnevue 70 a window. There Miss
Bonnevue collapsed. Mrs. Hawkins
Jumped and though two policemen broke
her fall. she was badly injured.
LIZZIE Steiss. a newspaper carrier. was
one of the heroes of the fire. Before the
fremen arrived he rushed into the build
ing and assisted the night clerk TO arouse
those who were asleep. He helped draG
several half-dazed persons from the build
ing and then collapsed from the effects OF
smoke. He was removed TO a hospital
and revived.
Jesse Mold. an employe of the hotel,
probably saved the lives of twenty per-
sons. He was awakened by the cry OF
fire. and. half dressed. hurried through
tlfe smoke-filled halls arousing guests. He
got number of persons out of the burn
ing building. all OF them half clad.
Bitterly cold weather added TO the ais
comfort of those who had 10 flee FOR their
lives and frozen hose lines handicapped
tie firemen.