The Morning News

FATAL FLAMES AT MEMPHIS.

Four Killed and Many Injured in Leaping from Windows.

The Blaze Started by the Explosion of a Lamp—The Six-Story Building Afire from Top to Bottom in a Jiffy.

Fifteen Persons in the Young Men's Christian Association Library Cut Off by the Flames Before They Could Escape by the Stairway—Rushing to the Windows. Several Leap Out.

Memphis, Tenn., Nov. 13, 10:30 p. m.—Fire broke out to-night about 7:15 o'clock in the Wetter block, on Main street, between Monroe and Union streets, and before the flames were checked, at 9 p. m., several lives were lost and nearly $500,000 worth of property went up in smoke.

The exact number of lives lost is not known at this hour, but a careful estimate places it at four, while four or five were injured, some fatally, in jumping from the burning building.

AN EXPLOSION AND A FLASH.

About 7:15 o'clock people in the vicinity were startled by the report of an explosion and a flash. In an instant flames were pouring from the lower floor of the six-story building occupied by the Schmalzried Hardware Company. The second, third, fourth and fifth floors were occupied by the Young Men's Christian Association, and it was in this place that the terrible loss of life occurred.

The fire started from the explosion of a large coal oil lamp near the stairway, and in three minutes the entire front of the building was in flames and all means of exit cut off.

FIFTEEN PERSONS CAUGHT IN A TRAP.

There were about fifteen persons in the library when the alarm was given. They made a wild rush for the Main street exit, only to be driven back by the flames. Like a herd of sheep they rushed in a bunch for the windows at the rear of the building, but the flames had spread so rapidly through the building that the facings of three windows were on fire when they reached them. They stood huddled together at the window for a moment or two when the crowd below yelled "leap," "jump for your lives."

LEAPS FOR LIFE.

One man took the advice, jumped and was caught on a telegraph wire, but was rescued. He was followed a moment later by a comrade who aimed for the wires, but missed them, and fell to the pavement below. Two other men made the same attempt, but they missed the wire and went down on top of their comrade.

At this juncture the firemen arrived and ladders were quickly run up to the windows. Many were rescued, but before the others could be saved the flames burned the ladder, and the remainder perished in the burning building.

NAMES OF THE INJURED.

Memphis, Tenn., Nov. 13, 11:45 p. m.—The names of the killed cannot be learned to-night, if they are ever known. Secretary Perkins of the Young Men's Christian Association is the only person who can give any definite information as to the exact number of lives lost, and he lies at St. Joseph's hospital, unconscious.

The names of the seriously injured, as far as can be learned, are as follows:

A. K. Perkins, skull crushed, internally injured; will die.

Charles Watkins, janitor, internally injured; will die.

William Boardman, Water Valley, Miss., internally injured; may die.

C. R. White, arm broken and internally injured; will probably recover.

Several others were more or less injured, but none fatally.

Lemmon & Gale, dry goods, loss on building and stock $150,000; insurance $125,000.

Young Men's Christian Association, loss on library and gymnasium $35,000; insurance $15,000.

Pythian, loss $3,000; no insurance.

T. H. Bond, a young man who was in the Young Men's Christian Association gymnasium when the fire broke out, is missing. He is believed to be among those who perished.

AN ADJOINING BUILDING DAMAGED.

The fire spread to the building occupied by Lemon & Gale, wholesale dealers in dry goods, and damaged it to the extent of $45,000 before the flames could be extinguished. The Lemon & Gale stock was mostly damaged by water, and may prove a total loss.

By hard work the firemen prevented the spread of the fire on the south side of the Wetter building, but the stocks of the neighboring merchants were greatly damaged by water. The loss of life is due to the lack of properly constructed fire escapes on the buildings.

The owners of the buildings will be criminally prosecuted.

The losses, as far as can be learned to-night, are as follows:

Schmalzried Hardware Co., on stock, $35,000; insurance, $28,000.

Building, owned jointly by H. Wetter and the Schmalzried Co., loss $40,000; insurance, $37,000.

Memphis Loan building, adjoining the Wetter building, loss $10,000.

The total loss will reach $500,000.

The buildings damaged and destroyed were all new, having been built a few months ago in place of those destroyed by the million dollar fire that occurred in February, 1892.

A PANIC IN THE AUDITORIUM.

When the fire broke out a panic occurred in the Auditorium, where 6,000 people had assembled to listen to Rev. Sam Jones, who is conducting a revival. For a time the greatest excitement prevailed and several persons were knocked down and trampled upon by the crowd in the mad rush. The ushers had presence of mind enough to throw open the score of exits and this, together with the clarion voices of Rev. Sam Jones and G. P. M. Turner, which could be heard above the din shouting that the fire was a mile from the Auditorium, quieted the people to a great extent. The panic was started by a long-haired crank in one of the galleries crying fire.