The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-02-07

Recounted
Richmond, Feb. flames J. Dona-
hue, former manager of the hotel, WHO
was also interested in it at the time
of the fire, said at noon today that he
is strongly of the belief that between
12 and is persons lost their lives as
a result of the conflagraton. Samuel
Ash, who was a guest of the hotel, is
; reported missing. He was seen in the
building last night.
Despite the fact that the ruins of
the hotel were still smouldering this
afternoon, firemen were searching
amid piles of bricks to ascertain
whether any persons were buried be-
meath collapsed wall. 1t will pro J.
ably be a day or two before The exact
number of victims is known.
Richmond, Feb. Three persons
are known 30 be dead and at least
twenty-five injured in a fire which de-
stroyed the Lexington Hotel and sew
eral adjoining buildings here early
this morning, entaining property
damage estimated at $150,0O0, which
is said to be covered by insurance.
A wall at the fire escape in the
Twelfth street side of the hotel col
lapsed and is believed to have en-
tombed several persons. Many per-
sons were injured by leaping from
windows. The flames quickly spread
tc the Savings bank of Richmon, the
Pearl Laundry, the Cooperative EX-
change, the Anderson-Wilson Paper
Umpany plant and the Clyde w.
Saunders printing plant, which were
practically destroyed.
The known dead are:
Hiram S. Austin, Fincastle, Va,
who died in a hospital of internal in
juries.
NJ J. Fox, Williamsport, Pa, who
died on the way to a hospital.
c. NJ. Thomas, sheriff of Albemarle
county, Va, who died OF internal in
juries and a broken back.
j. A Binford, Richmond, foot mash
Those reported as probably fatally
injured are:
John R. Cochran, SO, lumberman,
New York.
j. n. Hager. Sc, farmer. Boyd.on,
Va
9. H. Howell, 36, salesman, Norfolk,
Va.
Thomas Flagan, 80, pressman,
Brooklyn, n. Y.
George Cutter, AZ, salesman, Buck
roe Beach. Va.
James Folden, 3S, travelling sales
man, Patton, w. Va.
B. G. Wright, 26, clerk. Newport
News.
Elmer Diffenbaugh, S2, druggist,
Newport News, Va.
B. H. Thice, farmer, Lexington. Va.
Joseph Webb, "a, laborer, Fincas-
tie, Va.
Andrew Gales, 80, Dyemaker, Buff
falo, New York.
j. G. Harivall, 81, salesman, Port
land, Maine.
A. H. Harrison, 81, artist, st. Louis.
Those not fatally:
w. w. Bourne, 40, lumberman,
Spartanburg. S. G.
C. Goodman, publisher, Richmond
Kentucky.
Ernest Staples. 27, laborer, Rich
mond.
Charles Benton, SS, architect, Will
son, N. c.
J. E. Ford, Rocky Mount, N. c.
= NJ. Austin, Philadelphia.
NJ. D. Tucker Safe
Williamsburg. Va, Feb. IN. d
Tucker of this city, listed among the
missing in the Lexington hotel fire
in Richmond, is safe, according tC
telephone messages received here to
day at the Eastern State hospital
where he is employed.
Clerks Story
"T was at the desk when | saw the
smoke and fire creeping up the fire
escape from the basement" said r. d
Frey, clerk of the Lexington Hotel
who was on duty when the blaze
broke out. "I grabbed the telephone
but it was cut of order. Men had beer
working on the switchboard and the
connection was severed. l was there
fore delayed slightly in sending the
alarm. | told the boy to get upstairs
and notify as many of the guests a!
had not been awakened. The smoke
and heat was intense and / do no
know how many he was able t
arouse When l got back from turning
in the alarm the flames were roaring
up the eleva or shaft.
1T seems that few sought the fir'
escape with which the building wa
equipped. Most OF the women ap
peared at the windows and several o
the guests started jumping down.
do not know how many were injure,
but / think there were great many
There were ~ guests in the hotel las
night. / had just finished eountin
up when | discovered the fire. 1t wa
Just a few minutes after O'CLOCK
Several people jumped down from tn
third aQQE and I believe fatally y