Nebraska Newspapers

    U . . , t.u THE NORFOLK WEEKLY NEWS-JOURNAL ' > P t " TM -
'NOKKOUC , NKBHASKA , JMIDAY , DKC'KAIMKK 23 , HMO.
29 FIREMEN DEAD
IN CHICAGO FIRE
HUMAN DEATH TRAP DISASTER
AT PACKJNG HOUSE FIRE.
PJRE MARSHAL HORAN KILLED
BATTALION CHIEF BURROUGHS
ALSO AMONG THE DEAD.
* CRUSHED BY FALLING CANOPY
IV V WHOLE STOCK YARDS DISTRICT
WAS THREATENED.
-FLAMES - SPREAD , UNCONTROLLED
'Wooden Canopy Under Which Men are
Fighting Flame , Gives Way and
Drops Upon a Large Number of Fire
men , Carrying Thsm to Awful Death.
Chicago , Doc. 22. Fire Mar
shal James Horan and twenty-
eight of his firemen were
* Wiled early today in a flre
which caused $1,250,000 damage -
ago to the warehouses and
stock of Nelson , Morris &
Co. , packers , and for hours
threatened the whole stock
, yards district.
The injured will number
more than fifty , listing being
difficult because they were
i rushed in ambulances and pri-
vnto automobiles to hospitals
i In many sections of the city.
Seven bodies have been re-
'covered.
At 1 p. m. the fire had been
Ihcdgod in and its spread bad
i boon chocked , but efforts to
save any of the , buildings or
iginally attacked by the flames
r , v fro..in-valn. , TliQ buUdln , „
v
'destroyed Include two ware-
'
\ "houses full of dressed meat ,
Jiomp , etc. , a tallow house
and other structures.
Wall Falls , Crushing Canopy.
-A wall fell crushing an overhanging
wooden canopy on the beef house of
Nelson , Morris & Co. , whore tbo fire
started. Beneath the canopy were two
companies of firemen and the chief.
These men were crushed to death.
The debris made a furnace into which
flremen wore unable to dig for several
hours.
Assistant Chief William Burroughs
and Lieutenant Fitzgerald were with
the marshal under the canopy , receiv
ing orders for directing the fight
against the spreading of the flames in
other quarters , and they wont down
.to their death with Horan.
Dig for Bodies With Bare Hands.
Other firemen , witnesses of the dis
aster , for a brief time deserted the
other parts of the blazing structure
and sought with their bare hands to
drag apart the glowing debris to bring
out the body 'of their chief and his
companions. Finding this a vain ef
fort they obeyed again the direction
of Assistant Marshal Seyfertlich and
redoubled their efforts to prevent the
spread of the flames.
The blaze was discovered nt about
4 o'clock by a watchman In the Mor
ris be&f house. An ammonia pipe ,
bursting , started combustion that
spread so quickly the watchman bare
ly had turned In the alarm before the
flntnes began bursting from the build
ing.
Digging for Burled Men.
A wrecking engine of the Chicago
and Eastern Illinois railroad has ar
rived at tbo scene of the fire and has
begun to clear away the wreckage , In
hope of reaching some of the buried
firemen.
The known dead are :
Marshal James Horan.
Joseph Murawski.
The injured number not less than
forty , it is estimated. The fire , carry
ing its loss of life which may reach
forty , started from an explosion. Im
mediately after the first alarm wat
given , the fire spread with great
' rapidity and in a few minutes It was
seen that ttio flremen had a hard fight
on their hands.
A general alarm brought Marsha
Horan from his homo on the west side
of the city and as soon as ho reachec
the scene ho took up the task of dl
reeling his men. With Battalion Chle :
Burroughs , ho led a line of plpemei
and truckmen to Jl-c cast entrance of
the building an .Nattlo against the
flamcB was taken f& rom beneath the
heavy Iron canopy J&'lck swung me-
mincing above them < o\
Death Trap Catcht < * . Firemen.
* v
Apparently not notu < o clr danger
t
the firemen crowded ji tli this
death trap and then wiirroar of
an explosion and tumblliy-to'iis of
bricks the chief of the department
together with more than a score of hs )
aids were lost to the view from , their
comrades ,
In less time It could take to tell it ,
the word spread among the firemen
that their lender had gone down un
der the ruins and their efforts wefe
doubled In attacking the furnace-liko
building which was now enveloped
from ground to roof by the flames.
AB tlmo were on and the marshil
was nowhere to bo seen it was appar
ent to the men that ho was either lost
or. had been removed to a hospital.
Frantic Inquiries were mndo at all
hospitals and search of adjoining
buildings but ho could not bo found.
Likewise the other men were missing.
At 8 o'clock there was no trace of
any of the men whom captains of two
or three companies had reported miss
ing.
Falling Canopy Causes Explosion.
It was stated that the explosion
was caused by the drop of the canopy
from the bursting of an ammonia
pipe.
pipe.Tho
The fire was first discovered in the
basement in what is known as the
hide room. A watchman making his
rounds heard an explosion and Imme
diately turned in an alarm by telephone -
phone and then fled from the building.
The long wooden canopy , which play
ed Its part In forming the death trap
for the flremen , ran along the entire
east side of the building. Railroad
tracks hindered - the -work of the men
and made It necessary for the fire
fighters to climb upon the platform
beneath the covering.
The canopy Itself formed a platform
for other flremen , who were fighting
the flames from above It , sending
streams of water Into the second
story of the building.
Graphic Story of Tragic Deaths.
A graphic story of the collapse of
the east wall which carried the men
down to death beneath the wood
covering Is told by Lieutenant Joseph-
Mackey who was leading a company
of flremen from the top of the canopy.
Mackey said as ho looked up ho saw
he walls bulge and he immediately
shouted a warning. At the same time
10 Jumped from the platform himself
and was followed immediately by ten
or twelve of his men. None of these
est his llfo but their escapes were
miraculous.
"I know Marshal Horan and Bur
roughs were beneath me with at least
two companies of men , " said Mackey ,
and I shouted to them that the walls
were coming down. I heard some one
from below shout a warning and I got
my own men and myself out of the
way. Immediately after I jumped I
lienrd the groans of the men who had
been beneath mo and I knew they
must bo caught. Although nearly all
of my own men and myself were more
or loss hurt , It flashed on us that
Horan was among these trapped and
wo bent every effort to save them.
"It was beyond human power to do
anything for the moment as tons of
bricks had como down. When the
bodies nro found they will bo beneath
this pllo of brick and mortar. "
Heard the Men Go Down.
Hope of the flremen and the hun
dreds of admirers of Fire Marshal
Horan that the flro fighter and his
men had not perished was practically
lost when Battalion Chief Lacey , who
Is in charge of the stock yards divis
ion , told of hearing the marshal and
Burroughs together with eighteen or
twenty men go down beneath the fall'
ing wall.
Dead Likely 28 or 30.
The first body was taken from the
ruins shortly after 8 o'clock. It wat
that of George Muniwskl , plpeuian ol
engine company No. 49.
It was estimated at the general fin
plarm office thut twenty-elght or Mit\
firemen were deed , after two hours
fighting to recover the burled men.
It was said to be certain that Mar
shal Horan and Battalion Chief Bur
roughs were among the number. The
entire crews of engine companies 51
and 53 are said to be among the dead.
In addition , six members of another
company , 29 , and a few of No. 48 were
killed.
Find Koran's Body.
At 9:30 : n. m. word was received at
the uptown offices of the department' '
that the body of Marshal Horan had
been taken from the ruins.
Whole Stock Yards Threatened ,
At 9 o'clock , the fire was not under
control. Assistant Fire Marshal
Charles Soyfortllch , who assumed the
leadership , said that a great portion
of the yards district was threatened.
All available fire fighting apparatus
was hurried to the scene.
There- was general apprehension
that still more danger would bo done
and , stockmen arriving for the day's
work joined with the flremen In fight
ing the spread of the flames.
Fire Chief In Tears.
Shortly before 10 .o'clock there
seemed to be little hope of checking
the flames. Assistant Chief Seyfert
lich wept as ho called to his men to
do their best
"Nothing can stop the flro from
spreading , the way things shape up
now , " ho said. "If we could only get
more water wo might be able to do
something. Wo can't get to the men
imprisoned in the building. "
Flames Reach Another Building.
Alarm was spread late in the mornIng -
Ing when the flre spread to a three-
story building , 300 feet square , in
which were a large number of am
monia pipes.
Drenched with water and almost
worn out , Assistant Chief Seyfertlich ,
who was by this tlmo sure that he
was in command , ran from place to
place directing his men and endeavor-1
ing to check the destruction , of the
building in which were the deadly
ammonia pipes.
Remnants of Company Ordered Away.
Three members of engine company
39 , all who remained of the entlro
crew which wont to the flro early this
morning , were ordered back to their
quarters at 8:30 : o'clock as unfit for
duty. AH had been burned or other
wise injured in trying to rescue their
comrades. |
Marshal Horan was married about
six years ago and was the father of
four children , the youngest of whom
is two years old.
Pershlng In Command.
Manila , Dec. 22. The army Is ener
getically pursuing the rebellious Man-
obas tribesmen In Mindanao Island.
Troops of the Second cavalry are pun
ishing the perpetrators of the outrages
on Ihe planters In the Davao district.
Brigadier General Pershlng , command-
ng the department of Mindanao , has
arrived here and assumed command of
.he army of the Philippines , pending
; he arrival of the recently appointed
commander , Major General Bell.
A FRENCH STEAMER LOST.
Savona , With Her Crew of Twenty-one ,
Sister to III Fated Palermo.
Hamburg , Dec. 22. The French
steamer Savona , owned by Sloman
and company of this city , is believed
to have been lost with her crew of
twenty-one , while bound from this port
for Naples. The Savona is a sister
ship of the Palermo , which was re
cently lost.
Would Recover Cattle.
Nellgh , Neb. , Dec. 22. Special to
The News : Jake Straub of Pierce
county is seeking to recover the value
of seven head of'cattle that he claims
were placed In the pasture of Charles
Zaltnskt last May. The latter resides
on the Guilllams farm In this county.
The case was up before County Judge
Wilson all of yesterday afternoon and
was adjourned until 9 o'clock this
morning.
A large number of witnesses from
near Plalnvlew have testified In the
case. Straub claims that he took for
ty-four head of cattle to the pasture of
the defendant on May 3 last , and on
October 23 , when he went to take
them home there were seven short In
the number that had previously been
taken there. This statement was cor
roborated by three other witnesses.
The defendant claims that there were
only thirty-seven bead given In his
charge. Attorney Free of Plalnvlew Is
representing the plaintiff , and Charles
H. Kelsey of this city Is looking after
the interest of the defendant Lyle R.
Jackson is acting as court reporter.
THREE KILLED IN CINCINNATI.
Cause of Big Blaze There Believed to
Have Been Incendiary.
Cincinnati , O. , Doc. 22. With a doz
en streams still playing upon the smol
dering ruins of the flro that destroyed
a block of Cincinnati's manufacturing
districts early yesterday , thd recapitu
lation of the loss in llfo and property
has boon completed and shows the
disaster to bo larger than any of the
estimates placed during the progress
of the conflagration. The final count
shows that three men lost their lives ,
six were Injured , ono perhaps fatally ,
while the property loss is $2,082,000 ,
covered by Insurance of $1,400,000.
The origin of the blaze Is unknown ,
but Incendiarism is suspected.
LIFE'S ' DISAPPOINTMENTS
ICopyrlffht , 1410. )
MEXICAN TROOPS
ARE SURROUNDED
GENERAL NAVARRO'S SOLDIERS
ARE PRISONERS AT
PEDERNASLES.
Chihuahua , Dec. 21. ( Via El Paso ,
Dec. 22. ) Rumors of the last three
days that General Navarro has been
surrounded by the insurrectos were
confirmed this afternpon by an Amer
ican who left Pedernasles , the scene of
operations , on Aloncay afternoon. Ac
cording to this observer , Navarro per
sonally is uninjured and remains at
the head of a detachment of his troops
numbering 250 at the village of Ped-
'ernasles. ' He described their position
there as precarious , however , that
scarcely a soldier could poke his head
from the protection of the houses without -
out being flred on. '
A Mabray Suspect.
New York , Dec. 22. A man whom
postofllco Inspectors describe as Lucas
Hindman , alias "Honey Grove Kid , "
an alleged member of the Mabray j
clique , was locked up in police head-1
quarters hero. He was charged with
carrying a concealed weapon and vie
latlon of the postal laws.
Omaha , Dec. 22. The federal au
thorlties have been looking for Hind
man for nearly two years. He was In- .
dieted with John C. Mabray and oth
ers of the "stcerers" convicted at
Council Bluffs for using the malls to
promote fake sporting events. Hind
man is also under federal Indictment
in this city for a similar offense.
Says Husband Painted Face.
New York , Dec. 22. The judge was
so astonished last week when the
Welsses took their domestic troubles
to htm for settlement that he decided
*
It would bo best to fix the husband's
ball at $30 , and let him return today
to face the wife's charges. No lawyer
could put it better than Mrs. Weiss ,
whose testimony is as follows : "I
could tolerate his looking occasionally
at other women , judge , and also bis
staying out late at nights , even though
we were married only a year , but I
couldn't stand his painting his face.
It's bad enough for a woman to do so ,
but a man n husband who spends fif
teen minutes before the mirror every
morning painting his cheeks rosy and
pencilling his eyebrows ! Well , Judge ,
I left him. " . Mrs. Weiss is 17 and her
husband Is two years her senior. The
judge will decide today whether she.
ought to have a separation or an out-
and-out divorce.
White to Australia.
St. Joe , Mo. , Dec. 22. In a letter to
local sporting writer Franklo White ,
the Chicago lightweight who Tuesday
night tfought Peter Jensen , the "Bat
tling Dane , " a 20-round draw In Sheri
dan , Wyom. , announces that ho Is go
ing to Australia to become a member
of Hugh MclntoBh's colony. White Is
first going to Los Angeles whore he
has a couple of fights scheduled and
will sail from there for Australia In
March.
NEW PRIZE FIGHT RULES.
Physician Must be at Ringside and
No "Grudge" Contests Go.
Philadelphia , Dec. 22. Director of
Public Safety Clay drew up a new
set of rules to govern boxing contests
here. The most Important change re
quires a physician to bo constantly at
the ringside during bouts , to examine
contestants whenever they nro knock
ed down and inform the referee as to
their physical ability to continue. An
other innovation provides that the
padding on the floor shall extend three
feet beyond the ropes. No boy will
bo allowed to compete who is under
16 years and "grudge" and champion
ship contests are forbidden. In the
lightweight class , no ono will bo per
mitted to meet an opponent who Is
ten or more pounds heavier.
13 PERISH IN
FACTORY FIRE
12 FIREMEN AND A POLICEMAN
DIE IN PHILADELPHIA.
LIST OF INJURED REACHES 50
New Figures on the Philadelphia
Leather Factory Flre Disaster Are
Given Out by Officials The Revised
List Believed to be Accurate.
Philadelphia , Dec. 22. Thirteen
known dead , twelve firemen and ono
policeman , and more than fifty injured
of whom twenty-five are still in the
hospital , was the record of last night's
fire nt the leather factory of Daniel
Frledlander , In this city.
These figures were given out by the
police nt noon today and the city of
ficials believe they have accounted for
all the men who were at work nt the
flre , when the several walls of the
five-story building fell on them. The
monetary loss will not exceed $25,000.
TO ATTACK T , R ,
ON THE FLOOR
CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO
HIS TRAVELING EXPEN
SES DIVULGED.
Washington , Dec. 22. A flght will
bo made by Representative Ralney of
Illinois to bring the question of form
er President Roosevelt's traveling ex
penses squarely before congress. One
of the stockholders of the Southern
railway wrote Mr. Ralney that If Mr.
Roosevelt had paid for all the trans
portation furnished him on his orders
It would have cost him $75,000 on that
line alone.
Mr. Ralney's recent resolution de
manding information regarding Mr.
Roosevelt's traveling expenses while
president has brought out a largo
correspondence Including letters from
several railway stockholders who
agree with Mr. Ralnoy's view that the
railways should not bo saddled with
the expense of the special trains and
special cars from the white house at
passenger department expense. Mr.
Rnlney proposed after congress reas
sembles to move to discharge the
rules commltteo from further - consideration
eration of his resolution If , as he ex
pects , the commltteo holds the meas
ures.
Questions for Dr. Cook.
New York , Dec. 22. Reporters for
the newspapers of this and other cities
have prepared n list of Interesting
questions which will be submitted to
Dr. Cook , the explorer , on his arrival
from Europe today. The most Import
ant question on the list Is , "Will you
refund the money you earned , from
i lectures on your discovery of the north
pole from funds you expect to receive
from your story of how you made the
mistake of thinking that you had dis
covered the pole ? " Dr. Cook , accordIng -
Ing to his friends and representatives ,
comes back to clear his name and re
gain the confidence of the American
people.
Dr. Cook has been In exile for al
most n year , traveling from one place
to another , first In South America and
then in Europe. Most of the time dur
ing his exile , however , he has been In
London. He has gone about among
Americans there with utmost freedom ,
and at times has registered under his
own name. Yet , despite the fact that
there has probably never been n man
whose photograph has been published
so much and so often , there have been
only a few who have guessed his Iden
tlty
ENGLISH OFFICERS
CONVICTED AS SPIES
AN ARMY AND A NAVY OFFICER
GET FOUR YEARS IN GERMAN
*
MAN PRISON .
Loipsic , Germany , Dec. 22. Captain
Bernard Frederick Trench of the Brit
ish royal marine infantry , and Lieuten
ant Vivian S. Brandon , of the royal
navy , were today found' ' guilty of es
pionage on the German fortifications
years' Imprisonment In a fortress ,
at Borkum and sentenced each to foui
The British spies were arrested at
Borkum on August 22 and 23. Bran"
don is4 n brother-in-law of Sir William
Bull , M. P.
Trench is a grandson of Lord Ashe-
town and a descendant of Archbishop
Trent. When arrested both admitted
frankly they bad come to Germany to
collect information which they intend
ed to place at the disposal of the Brit
ish government. This admission was
repeated at the trial yesterday.
ABRU2ZI WOULD FLY TO POLE.
Italian Aviator Will Accompany the
Duke on His Aerial Dash.
London , Dec. 22. The quest of the
north pole in an aeroplane Is said by
the Rome correspondent of the Cen
tral News to be the ambition of Duke
Abruzzl. The duke Is now on his way
to America , the correspondent says ,
to confer with Captain Peary regardIng -
Ing the feasibility of an aeroplane
dash to the north.
Cagno , ono of the .most daring Ital
ian fliers , will accompany the duke
should the plan be attempted. One
will use a Far man biplane and the oth
er a Blorlot monoplane , each machine
having a carrying capacity of two pas
sengers and a large amount of fuel.
Ton years ago Duke Abruzzl led a
polar expedition to latitude 8G degrees
and 33 minutes , north , setting a new
record up to that time. He also as
cended Mount Stellas In Alaska and
has explored the Himalayas.
For Retirement Pensions.
Washington , Dec. 22. A retirement
pension for government employes un
der the civil service Is provided for
in a bill introduced in the bouse by
Representative Golden of New , York ,
The retirement feature Is based on the
average annual pay of the employes
for the five years preceding retire
ment. For disability retirement Is
permitted after five years service with
a graduated pension based on the
years service.
Would Postpone Coal Action.
Washington , Dec. 22. A concurrent
resolution was introduced by Repre
sentative Hitchcock of Nebraska , re
questing the president to direct that
all department action for a transfer
of coal lands In Alaska and to the Is
suance of patents for them , , be sus
pended until congress may have oppor
tunity to consider and act upon the
president's recommendation for a
change In the coal lands laws. Mean
time the local land officers nro to bo
Instructed to accept no new filings
or permit any other action whereby
new rights or claims to these lands
may bo acquired.
nONOIllflfi.OF THE WEATHER
Temperature for Twenty-four Hours.
Forecast for Nebraska.
Maximum , . . 38
Minimum 20
Average 29
Baiomoter 29.52
Rainfall 14
Snow 2 Inches
Chicago , Dec. 22. The bulletin Issued -
sued by the Chicago station of the
United States weather bureau gives
the forecast for Nebraska as follows :
Fair tonight and Friday ; colder to
night.
360 ARE DEAD
IN THAT MINE
BRITISH CATASTROPHE WORSE
THAN WAS THOUGHT.
NOT A LIVING SOUL SAVED
The Men Who Were Rescued and Who
Were Thought to be From Wrecked
Mine , Were From an Adjoining
Shaft That Was Alao Damaged.
Dolton , England , Doc. 22. The dis
aster nt the Little Hulton colliery ,
which WHS wrecked by an explosion
'allowed by llro yesterday , IB greater
than was at first thought It IB prob-
iblo that nt least 360 llvoa wore lost.
It now appears that the men sup
posed to have been rescued from this
mine , came from an adjoining pit that
was also seriously damaged. Appar
ently not a soul escaped from Llttlo
Hulton.
Rescuing parties , who arc boring
away to the center nf the catastrophe ,
have passed ICO bodies.
Investigates Iowa Typhoid.
Dos Molnos , Doc. 22. Dr. L. L.
Lumsdon of Washington arrived in
DCS Molnos today to ascertain the
cause of many cases of typhoid fever
in dlffor&it sections of Iowa. The dry
fall is generally ascribed as respon
sible.
WOULD DEBATE ON BALLINGER.
Congressman Hitchcock of Nebraska
Wants Chance at Reports.
Washington , Dec. 22. A resolution
calling for a rule to bring the Bal-
Inger-Plnchot committee's reports be
fore tbo house of representatives for
a debate In January was offered in the
louse by Representative Hitchcock of
Nebraska. It provides that all re
ports shall bo placed before the house
on the last Tuesday In January for
debate and action , with the recom
mendations they contain.
The three reports In the hands of
the agricultural commltteo are these
of the majority committee who sustain
Secretary Balllnger ; the democratic
minority who flnd Mr. Balllnger
worthy of censure ; and of Represen
tative Madison , republican , who pre
sented an independent report also adverse -
verso to Mr. Balllnger.
The Hitchcock resolution proposes
to have the house act first on the
democratic report , then on the Madi
son report and finally on the majority
report sustaining Secretary Balllnger ,
provided both of the other reports arc
voted down. The resolution was re
ferred to the rulqs committee.
Nellgh News.
Nellgh. Neb. , Dec. 22. Special to
The News : Arch Fletcher is homo
from the Creighton medical college for
the holidays.
M. C. Remington and wife have re
turned homo from Wledsport , N. Y. ,
where the latter had been ill for some
time.
Invitations have been Issued for a
dance nt the Auditorium next Wednes
day evening. It will be the closing
Function of the year , and It is expected
that a large crowd will be present and
a royal good time is assured.
George Grow of Brunswick was
transacting business at the county
seat last Friday and Saturday.
C. L. Wattles and wife returned
from Omaha last Friday , where the
Cornier attended the Masonic gather
ing nt that city. '
Sam Davis of Cottonwood , S. D. . is
In Noligh visiting his parents. Mr. and
Mrs. J. B. Davis.
George H. Romlg and wife went to
West Point last Sunday for a short
visit with relatives.
James andv\Vill Reefe of Royal at
tended the funeral of Mrs. John May-
bury last Sunday.
Carl Krebs of Albion _ visited with
Neljgh relatives and frle'nds the flrat
of the week.
Mr. anil Mrs. W. G. Romlg left thla
morning for Tuscola. 111. , where they
will spend the holidays with the par
ents of Mrs. Romlg.
Mis. Lee Wood of Ewlng Is assist
ing during the rush at the Atlas bank
of this city.
The Neligh public schoolb close to
morrow afternoon for a two-weeks'
holiday vacation.
Mrs. Edna Tinker Is reported as rap
idly Improving at the home of her par
ents. Mr. and Mrs. Dr. Tegnrdon.
Deputy County Cleik Alvln Gray-
blel has resigned his position to take
charge of the Carl Roben Store that
he recently purchased half Interest In
In connection with Henry Van Kirk.
They will assume charge the first of
the month.
Dr. Frank Bnrtley and wife left on
Tuesday morning for different points
In Iowa , where they Intend spending
Christmas.
The last meeting of the old board of
county supervisors was held on Tues
day of this week , and finished up the
business of the year. The new board
will convene nt the regular meeting
in January.
Dr. Parker of Norfolk visited the
first of the week with his sister , Mrs.
0. S. Hausor.
Cash Ellington of Brunswick was In
Noligh Monday.
John Lamson , county clerk , says
that ho has not appointed a deputy to
fill the vacancy caused by the resigna
tion of Mr. Qrayblol , but will have
Walter Frndy assist In the ofllco.