The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-01
EARLY MORNING BLAZE IN
OMAHA RESULTS IN LOSS
OF MANY LIVES.
TOTAL IS NOT KNOWN
Conflagration Follows Explosion in
Rear Of Dewey Hotel and Flames
Spread So Rapidly That Escape Of
Most Occupants Of Building Is Cut
Uf-Papsr Carrier Is a Hero.

Omaha, Neb. 2S.--A score of bodies
perhaps more, are believed to be be-
meath the debris Of the fire that early
today destroyed the Dewey hotel
Ceaseless toll late into the night by
firemen and other city employees
failed to reveal the bodies of the
guests that lost their lives. Estimates
OF the number of victims, which ran
az high as 75 dwindled during the day
to az low as co. but all indications
tonight are that this lower estimate is
inadequate.
The register OF the hotel probably
was burned, and the names of all the
victims probably never will be known.
Tonight only four bodies have been
recovered. These were OF persons who
either jumped or who died from ex-
posure or injuries. They were:
CHARLES CUMMINGS. a bartender
Unidentified man. nude body recov-
cred by firemen before interior build
ing collapsed.
MRS. ALICE BONNEVUE, sister OF
Mrs. c. E. wilkins, wife of the pro-
prietor of the hotel.
CHARLES BEVERLY, employed by
a local commission firm
The fire occurred at an hour when
few persons were in the vicinity, and
the interior of the building, which was
an old one, was a mass OF flames be-
fore the firemen arrived. Not less
than so persons were sleeping in the
building at the time, and estimates of
the number run as high as rs.
At least 80 are known to have es-
capped. Many of them were scantily
clad
Heat Intense.
The heat was so intense that firemen
did not get the flames under control
for several hours after the fire
started. When they finally were able
to enter the structure the entire in
terror had fallen into the basement
Here, beneath tons of debris, lie the
bodies, and 1t may require two days
to remove them.
The fire started in the rear of the
building and gained great headway be-
fore 1t was discovered. The lower
floor of the building was occupied by
the Raphael-Pred Clothing company
the Hitler Liquor company and the
Adams Express company. The stocks
OF these companies We're destroyed.
Some of the injured: Mrs. C. E
Wilkins, went insane; Lydia Nelson
burned on face and body; Iona Jen.
nings, overcome by smoke; Mark Hen
ningway, Ewing, Neb., overcome BY
smoke, may die; Clara Newman, over.
come by smoke; unidentified woman
overcome by smoke, will probably die
Swedish housekeeper, Tina, went in.
sane; E. G. Steiss, overcome by smoke
1t Is is known that at least so per,
sons We're registered at the hotel, ant
the night clerk declared there were
probably 20 other persons in the hote
who were not registered. Only foul
bodies were recovered before tn,
Flames drove the firemen from tn,
building.
4Watchmen, policemen and others IL
the vicinity of the hotel declare tina
not to exceed a dozen persons escaped
from the burning structure, which
was entirely wrapped in flames whel
the, first fire companies reached tn
scene. SO suddenly did the flame
reach every part of the building tina
few Of those asleep had time to reacl
windows. and none were able to ge
70 the fire escape. One man, Charlie