The Alaska citizen., 1914-01-26

Fire of an unknown origin destroyed
the Third Avenue hotel and for
time threatened the destruction of
the business district of Fairbanks yes
terday morning. Several were injured
and there We're some narrow escapes
from death.
The fire was the most serious that
has visited Fairbanks since large
part of the business section of the
city was destroyed in May, 1906. The
building was doomed before the fire
department summoned, for the
flames We're shooting out of the win
iows within a few minutes after the
first alarm was given.
Up to late hour last night the
ruins We're being searched for the
oo1y of Carl Larson, who 1t is be-
lieved persisted in the flames. Larson
was employed by the hotel to keep
the furnaces going during the night,
and il is believed that he went to bed
soon before the fire started.
w J. Callahan, of the United States
Signal corps discovered the fire about
10 O'Clock in the morning, when he
left room 80, on the top floor. after
he had delivered a telegram to Robert
sheldon. 1t is believed by many of
those who escaped from the fire that
Callahans prompt action in spreading
the alarm saved number of lives.
That the entire business section of
the city was not destroyed was due
TO the activity of the fire department
and to the work of II number of citi-
ems who volunteered their services.
1t was nearly two hours after the
'irst alarm was given before the fir"
was thoroughly under control
The Third Avenue was the first
modern hotel built in this city, an
IN several previous occasions was
threatened with destruction by fire.
The hotel had about 20 inmates.
Some escaped by jumping from the
windows, and others had time to
reach the ground by means of the
stairs.
The fire seemed to have started il
the roof or the ceiling of the third
floor. Callahan, who first gave the
alarm, said there was no sign of a
eire when he went to Sheldons room
with the telegram, but when he en-
tered the hallway five minutes later
AVN
ID at first that escare was cut off.
CALLAHAN GIVES ALARM.
"If that telegram had not come for
Mr.. sheldon just at that time said
Callahan, II am sure that many people
would have been burned TO death. IT
vas the first delivery 7 made since
being assigned to that work,
"I found Mr. sheldon still in bed
when I arrived at his room, and when
I went into the hall, he was still
there When I rushed back to his
room. he didn't seem to think ther"
was any need of hurryins to escane
the fire, and I pulled him out of bed.
lie went out of the window, and it
was my idea first that I would have
to go the same way, but I finally
managed to reach the stairway,
and l jumped to the second floor
without sustaining any injury Then
saw that the stairway was not
burning and I went back up through
tho smoke to the third floor
Il hurried along the hallway cali
ing fire, and people came to their
doors and looked out, but few of
them seemed to get excited. I think
spread the alarm to every room.
It seemed to me that many of the
roomers were taking things too east
", and when they started back into
their rooms, I told them not to take
time to dress, but to run for their
lives"
one of the first men to escape from
the building was F. S. Cocoon. form
arly mayor of Fairbanks. Mr.. Gordon
dropped from the second story window