High up
over the building the flames climbed, carrying with them sparks and
cinders, and in come instances large pieces of timber. All that saved
the lower part of the city from fiery destruction was the fact that a
solid bed of snow a foot deep lay upon the roofs of all the buildings.
During all this time there was comparative quiet, notwithstanding the
fact that the fire gradually extended across Jackson street and also
across Seventh street. Besides the hotel, six or eight other buildings
were also on fire, four of which were destroyed. Women and men were to
be seen hurrying out of the burning buildings in their night
clothes, furniture was thrown into the street, costly pianos, richly
upholstered furniture, valuable pictures and a great many other
expensive articles were dropped in the snow in a helter-skelter
manner. Although nearly every room in the hotel was occupied and
rumors flew thick and fast that many of the guests were still in their
rooms, fortunately no lives were lost and no one was injured. The
coolest person in the building was a young man by the name of Pete
O'Brien, the night watchman. When he heard of the fire he comprehended
in a moment the danger of a panic among over two hundred people who
were locked in sleep, unconscious of danger.
Pages:
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109