Evening star., 1934-12-11

rive DEOWHeu.
Five of the known dead drowned
when they chose the icy waters of the
river TO the flames that had trapped
them. Six others were killed or fatally
injured when they jumped to the
streets before hremen could reach
them with ladders or spread nets at
the base of the walls.
A few threaded their way through
pitch-dark corridors and down fame
licked stairways.
They had no time to dress and sew
eral suffered frozen or frost bitten feet
for the temperature was near zero and
snow and ice covered the streets.
Police and firemen warned that it
might be days before the full extent of
the tragedy becomes known, for the
hotel register was destroyed and any
one caught in the holocaust undoubt-
edly was burned beyond recognition.
Police broadcast an appeal to all sur
| vivors to communicate with them.
OF the missing, gravest fears were
felt for Senator John Leidlein Of
Saginaw, who did not respond to
warnings pounded on his door. and
r. S. Mcfarland, Dayton (Ohio)
salesman for the National Biscuit Co.
Bedlam of Shrieks.
For 20 minutes after the fire was
| discovered, a bedlam of shrieks re-
sounded from the hame-swept build
ing. Then the screams either were
silenced or were drowned out by the
roar of collapsing walls and floors
Any one who had not escaped by
that time was doomed, firemen said
Many Of the trapped persons we're
| unable to reach the fire escapes At
| the rear of the building, where the
river flows, there were no fire escape.
A few identiflcations of the dead
were made as the morning passed
The bodies of Representatives Charles
D. Parker Otisville, and John W.
Goodwine. Marlette, were found to be
among them. Representative Donald
E. SiaS died at noon of a skull frac-
ture suffered when he jumped from
third-floor window to the street.
Representative James w. Helme of
Adrian. more than 10 years old, was
found among the survivors He had
plunged into the river and succeeded
in swimming ashore.
Tells of Horrors.
Probate Judge william C. Severance
of Antrim County, Mich, who was
awakened by smoke in advance of the
alarm, called the fire the most hor-
rible thing I have ever been through"
He told of seeing persons jumping
from windows and the roof to the
Grand River.
Some of them hit distractions on
their way down." he said. Others
must have drowned in those icy
| waters Most of the jumpers were
from the third-story windows and
roof. After I got to the street I saw
others jump to the pavement, break
ing legs and arms and evidently in
juring themselves internally"
Representative William Green of
Hillman, who fled in pajamas and bare
feet, told a graphic story of the fire.
There were women with their hair
on fire and their clothes on fire" he
said. They ran through the smoke.
screaming. That terrible screaming
was the worst Women on fire, scream
ing up and down the hall"
Woman Unidentified.
The known dead included only one
woman, unidentified.
AS he spoke a doctor was treating
his frozen feet. but he said he
thanked Providence" to be alive.
For more than two hours the hotel,
built in 1908, burned before the flames
were brousht under control, leaving a
shell. The building W. four stories
high and of brick.
S. L. Colburn Of Cassopolis, who
escaped from the flaming hotel by
leaping into the Grand River and
swimming ashore, said a bell boy
whose name he did not know was
the hero of the disaster
Il didn't know who he was" Col
burn said, but he was responsible
for the escape of about so per cent Of
those who were saved. He had plenty
Of time to get out, but, instead, ran
from room to room, knocking on doors
and shouting to guests. I last saw
him running up blazing stairway
and he was in the building when the
first wall caved in"
Colburn said he pushed a business
acquaintance, S. j. Clemens, into the
river. then leaped after him and swan
ashore, pulling Clemens after him.