Indiana State Sentinel, Indianapolis, Marion County, 10 February 1892 — Page 1

1f FIRST PART. f.1 PAGES l TO 8. ESTABLISHED 1821. INDIANAPOLIS, WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 10. 1892 TWEVLE PAGES. ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR.

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VICTIMS OF Fl

Li AnotherTerrible Holocaust in New York. Worse Than the Appalling Park Place Horror. Many Persons Burned to - Death in a Hotel. The Building Instantly Enveloped in a Blaze. EXITS CUT OFF BY FLAMES. One Hundred and Fifty Guests Faco Destruction. Many Jump from Windowsana Are Dashed to Death Before the Eyes of the Assembled Crowds. Hairbreadth Escapes from the Burning Building. Sleeping Occnpants Housed ty the Shrill Shriek of an Elevated Railroad Locomotive "Whistle The Fire Discovered by the "Wife of the Proprietor in Their Koom Rapid Progress of the Flames Sickening Scenes of Utforts to Get Away from the Fire Ending in Death Thrilling Stories of Successful hut Perilous Escapes Heartless Conduct of a Policeman Horrors of the Morgue Fascinated Crowds Eagerly AVatch the Work of the Firemen on the lluins. New York, Feb. '7. A disaster appalling in horror bringing to mind the terrible occurrences in Fark Place, etill fresh ic the public mind, occurred ia this city early this morning. The Hotel lloyal, that wellk-nown landmark which has stood for more than a quarter of a century at the southeast corner of Sixth-ave. and Fortieth-st., was burned to the ground and a large number tf people were burned to death, suffocated and crashed in the ruins. At the time of the disaster there were nearly 150 guests in the hotel. Tho hotel employes all told number fifty-five. Of this number of people, five hare thus far been found dead, 6ix are in the hospital and eixty-tnree have been reported

alive. One hundred are Etill missing. The number cf dead will probably not exceed, at a later estimate, thirty. Scenes were heartrending and appalled even the firemen and policemen who are ned to terrible scenes. Soon after the fire broke out ambulances arrived from the various hospitals. Many physicians, whose residences are in the neighborhood, were quickly on the scene and did all they could to relieve the injured. Nearly every one of the 121 rooms which the hotel has on its five floors wa3 occupied last night by guests, many of thera transient. In fact all the rooms had been taken at 1 o'clock this morning when Kichard Meara, tho proprietor, went to bed. When tho flames burst forth from some unknown origin near the elevator ehaft the entire building was instantly envelope! in flames. The dead, missing and injured are reported as follows: The dead: UNKNOWN woman, forty years old, fractured skull and slightly burned. She ia aifpposed to have jumped from a window aud killed herself. Codj at morgue. UNKNOWN woman, about twenty-eight, good looking, light complexion, wore an ibandac3 of jewelry. Burned and suffocated. UNKNOWN man, about thirty-fire years old, dark brown hair, jumped from window. Head smashed ia pieces. Smooth face, about five feet nine inches in height, weighed about ISO pounds, were linea night shirt and trousers. Body at morgue. UNKNOWN MAN, good looking about forty-three years old, had on striped silk andershirt, light brown stripes. Evidently a Hebrew. Body at the morgue. HENRY a LEVY of the firm of Levy, Strauss & Freeman, 770 Broadway, wholesale clothiers: identified by bis brother, H. J. Levy, at the morgue. Missing: William E. Armstrong TnoiU3 Kennedy. Charles Close. Katk Keilly, Elizabeth Donoiice, Maggie Glildeh. May Ryax. Scsie Smith, an5ie ccmmixgs. Mrs. VAxNoßDE.f. "William McLeaxe. Mrs. "William Lake. O. A. McEPnY. Mr. Lokchardt. Injured: Avery, J. E., New York, left hand burned; at Uedney house. ilAius, LlüLx, N. Ycrx, riUtro C '

ken and slightly burned; at Presbyterian hos-E-lUl. Bcciiaxak, T7. C., New York, slightly burned; at Gedney house. Dopheler, O. D., New York, burned about the hands; at Gedney houi ' Foitda, E. C, Rupert, Vt, hands burned; returned home. Harmon. B. B., New York, burned about the face and heads, and injured internally; at Gedaey house. Harmon-. II. I. New York, fractured skull and thigh with injured spine; at New York hospital. Klein, Clarence W., Hazelton, Ta., partially asphyxiated and burned; discharged from Bellerue hospital. Kxaiv, Mrs, S. W Boston, hands burned; at Gedney house. LocKAnr, Mrs. W. S., New York, badly burnd with internal injuries and may die; at Gadney houie. Lusk, Dr. O. L., New York, hands severely burned, knees and foot cut and bruised; at Gedney hospital. HrsuiE, O. B., Richmond, Va.. badly burned afcout the feet; at the borne of his brother ia W. Forty-second-sL near Sixth-are. Magee, Geo&üe W.t slightly burned about the bands; at Gedney house, Mear. Richard, proprietor Hotel Royal, hands slightly burned; at the Hotel Vendome. Mears, Mrs, Isabella, New York, slightly burned on head and body and contusions of back and side; at Bellevue hospital. Reynold?, Mrs. E. D., Philadelphia, hand burned slightly; at Gedney house. Schott, Mrs. W. 11. jr.. New York, slightly burned; at Gedney house. Teal, A, W., New York, slightly burned; at Gedney house. Titus, Mrs, M. A., Albany, hands burned; at Gedney house. Vi'MAX. Frederick, New York, hand cut; at 3 13 W. Thirtieth-st. White, Charles, Philadelphia, probable fatal burns and conscious; at Beilevue hospital. The rescued: W. G. Buchanan, GS. Sonby, Rupert Lamont, C. Kramer, F, 11. Reynolds and wife, C. Cockhurn, E. Allen, O. Sepkr, C. White, E. G. Harding, W. H. Scott and wife, Lanjrdon Smith, G. S. McGee, James E. Corey, Mrs. J.Titus, Mrs. S. Knapp oi Chicago. The?e wero taken to the Hotel Metropolis, four blocks away. P. Taylor, II. P. Tompkins, W. C. Tearce, three more of tho rescued, were taken to tho Gedney house. Not all the persons who engaged rooms at the hotel last night registered nor did ail who registered put down truo names for reasons best known to themselves. A few of the names written are: L. T. Leonard and Mm. Leonard, Philadelphia; II. D. Sonlin, city ; IV F. Leenloka, Euperton; F. A. Clark and wife, Boston; J. J. Price and wife, city ; L. C. and Mrs. Taylor, Newark, N. J.; F. Lester and wife, Poston; J. K. Smith and wife, Springfield, Ma3s. ; John Tarkerson and wife, Great Neck, L. I.; Mr. McKeo and wife, New Haven ;C. II. Whito and wife, Nyack, X. Y.; J. C. Williams and wife, Albany; II. O.Warren and wife, Nyack; IL Marrong and wife, Boston; John Thompson and wife, city ; Thomas Gould and wife, city; F. IL Luehfel and wife, Mr. ' White and wife, Chicago ; Mr. Falkner, wife and daughter, Connecticut. Those who are known to be dead and whose bodies have been recovered are not all identified. In fact only one was identified with any degree of positiveness ; this was believed to be II. C. Levy of the firm of Levy, Strauss &, Freeman, clothiers on Broadway. Tho body was badly burned and disfigured. The other four are the bodies of two men and two women. It is feared that a search of the vast smoking pile of debris in tho cellar of the hotel will reveal many ghastly finds. It was reported at a late hour that not less than 100 people are etill unaccounted for. DISCOVERY OF THE FIRE.

Perilous Escape of the Proprietor and Ills TV If... At 3:03 o'clock Mrs. Isabella Mears, wife of Mr. Richard Mears, proprietor of the hotel, awakened her husband, telling him the bouse was on fire. She heard the crackling cf the flames and saw emoke coming through the crevices cf their bedroom door. Mr. Mears had only retired at 1 o'clock and was aroused with difficulty. He sprang out of bed and ran into the hallway. Volumes of emoke filled the halls and the flames were making their way lapidly up the elevator shaft. Their apartments were on the third floor and forty feet from the stairway. One glance at the situation was enough to tell him the story. He ran back to his wife's room and shouted: "Now yon follow me." He then snatched up a coat and again ran into the hallway. He fought his way straight to the staircase, supposing that his wife was close behind him. The passage way was choked with dense smoke, which almost strangled him. Then throwing his overcoat over his head to prevent suffocation, bent hja head and groped his way to the banisters, on which he placed his left hand. Flames were shooting up from below. Ilia hand which was on the railing was burned and hie hair was singed. His situation was perilous. To run down the stairs for two flights meant certain death, and so he, swinging himself over the handrail, dropped twenty feet to the ground floor. He landed on his feet without a broken bono and made his way to the street. Mr. Mears was among the first to leave the tuning building, and when he made his exit not a fire engine had arrived. But even in those few minutes the flames had got their grip on the fated structure and tire was shooting from all tho windows of the upper floorB. When Mr. Mears reached safety in the street he realized that his wife was not with him. At that moment a hook and ladder arrived. Mears implored them to cave hi wife. A ladder was quickly placed in position to a window which he said was bis wife's room. Up the ladder Policeman Merritt ran. The window selected was not the light room,

In it was an unknown woman, who quickly stepped out on the ladder and was carried down in safety. Then the ladder was placed against tho window of Mrs. Mears' room. A young man ran nimbly up to 'help save the woman, who had already stepped upon the ladder. Mears ran up the ladder to the roof of the veranda c or the entrance to tho ollico to steady his wife when eho came down. Half way down either the young man missed L13 footing or his strength gave out, for he dropped his burden which fell to the pavement and lay motionless while firemen lifted the unconscious form and bore it across the street. Half crazed, tho husband says he does not know whether he fell or whether he clambered down the ladder. Bui he etarted to find his wife when a big policeman with a heavy black beard, whuse name, ho save, he would give a considerable sum to asefcrtain, etopped him and demanded to know his business. "I'm tho proprietor of the hotel," he replied, "and am lookinijr for my wife." At this he says the officer shouted to a fellow policeman saying: "There's the owner of that building, don't you think ho'd better be looking alter his house instead of hia wife." At this they laughed, and despite his urgent entreaties he Mas not permitted to follow Mrs. Mears, and it was not until an hour and fifty minutes later that he learned her fate. Then through the kindness of Capt. Reilly of the Tenth-sL station he ascertained that she had been removed to Bellevue hospital. Mr. Mears said the spectacle for twenty minutes after ho reached the street was beyond his powers of portrayal. Men and women at the upper windows, only in robes de nuit, ehrieked and gesticulated frantically and were only prevented from jumping by tho firemen who shouted encouragement to them. But tho flames waxed fiercely and presently a human form plunged from the fourth 6tory and Etruck the pavement head foremost with a sickerJng crash, while blo nl and brams pp!aslie upon the clothing of the byEtaLder?. Another and another ehot downward until three unrecognizable bodies lay bleeding and motionless. Mr. Mears eaid he could stand no more and got away from tho horrible spot as quickly as posoible. Ho was not badly injured aside from a severo burn on the back of his right hand. But the hair was burned from the back of his head, showinc his closa proximity to the Harnes. Mrs. Mears' injuries though painful were not thought to bo critical. STORIES OF ESCAP2.

Mrxny Guests Tfiken Out with L'ttle to Cover Their Nakerinrss. The work of rescuing the guests etill went on and many were taken from the w indows bv firemen and policemen. Sergeant Ward and Patrolman Phillips ofjfire patrol No. 2, went into a room on the fourth floor front and brought Walter II. Phelps and wife down a ladder in safety. They succeeded in saving Mrs. Samuel KnilF, who was about to leap from one of the windows on the third floor. Mr. Frederick Uhlman, tho dealer in 1-nna Kna kaan ..,.. t . 1T.,ITTT T t - hops, has been a guesw of the Hotel TKyaTT for years and lived with his brother. Si

mon, and mother. The latter, yesterday, went to their country residence at Lakewood, N. J. Mr. Uhlman had gone to bed shortly after 1 o'clock and was sleeping roundly when he was rudely awakened by the cry of fire and tho screams and shouts for help of the inmates of the house. He ran from his room on the second floor, which was directly over the office, into the hall. He found it filled with smoke and was forced back into his room. Again he made an attempt and falling over some obstruction in the passage way, succeeded in making his way down tho one flight of etairs to the street below. He escaped with only an overcoat to cover his nakedness. Mr. Uhlman lost everything in his room including $12.000 in cash. Several checks and notes and other valuable business documents were lost. Despite his loss however, Mr. Uhlman was cbeerful today, for, as he said, "If my mother and Brother had not gone away on Saturday they would have been burned." AmoYig tho narrow escapes was that of II. C. Tompkins of this city, who was a transient truest at the hotel. He was awakened from his slumbers by the cry of fire. He got up and went into the hallway, but escape down the etairs waa impossible. He kept his head about him and, securing all his valuables, escaped out of one of tho windows down a rope. In descending the flames from the second etory windows burned hia hands slightly and scorched his hair. Mm. F. Knapp of Chicago had a room on the fifth lloor. She had presence of mind enough to wrap a wet towel about her head to prevent being suffocated and went to the window and waited until rescued by a burly policeman. Mrs. Kuepper and daughter of Flemington, N. J., occupied a room on the third floor front. They registered at the hotel yesterday. They were taken from their room down a ladder by the firemen. They lost all their clothing save their night dresses, which they had on, and were cared for by Mrs. Knight of W. Fortieth-et. Mrs. Knight made a temporary hospital of her flat and had no legs than filteen homeless people there at one time. Among those who accepted the hospitality was a young man named Levy, who had slid down a rope, tearing the flesh to the bone. These escapes occurred before tho walls of the building fell, while the firemen did their utmost to stop the progress of the flames, which threatened to envelop the adjoining buildings. When the walls le!l people were seen at several windows on the top floor, crying for help, but they fell back and were soon buried in the ruins. Descended the Wall. One of the most thrilling escapes of the night of terror was that of a young man named J. Noonan of Jersey City. Noonan had been recently married and had just returned from an extended wedding trip. He came to this city yesterday to celebrate the event with his friends, and after a night of it went to Hotel lloyal and took a room on the fourth floor. Noonan was awakened by the ehouts of fire and the cries for help cf men and women in tho building. For a moment he was dazed, but in an instant he collected hia scattered senses. He looked out in the hall, but there was no escape there. He looked out of the window and no ladder was near him, eo he, with the confidence of an athelete, swung himsolf from the window sill to the window below, and from one window to another he descended until be reached the ground. I M. Schoenfeld went to the Hotel Vendome after the fire. He is the owner of the Schoenfeld sttck farm at Bedford, Ind., and days at the 1 loyal when in New York. He probably fared better than any one in the place. Mr. Schoenfeld occulied a room ca the ground flour of tho

hotel back of the office. He thinks that he slept through a good portion of the lire, but when he was awake he found escape through the hall cut olf. His room overlooked the court yard, and after packing all his beioneimrs in a trunk he tossed the trunk through the window into the yard and followed it himself. He lost nothing except an overcoat which he left with the olHce in tho hotel. Justin M. Noonan of Jersey City Heights was one of the guests of the Hotel Koyal last night, and tells a thrilling story cf his escape: "I was detained in New York quite late," he said, "and decided to Btay over nijht at the hotel. I registered about 12:00 and was assigned to room No. j7 on the fourth floor. My windows overlooked Sixth-ave. About 3 o'clock this morning I was awakened by emoke in the room. A burst of flame poured in from thecorridor and I B'.animed the door shut in a hurry. I next opened the window and yelled for help. Somebody m the street called back, 4 Wait a minute and we'll put up a ladder.' "I waited uutil I saw the bed I just left all ablaze ; then I climbed outof the window and hung to the '.edge with my hands. I balanced myself carefully and dropped. By t beer good fortune I was able, to reach the ledge of the window below and held on with my hands. I could hear - the crowd cheering, but did pot get excited at all. Once more I dropped from the third story to the second story window ledge, and as I pulled myself together I felt the ladder which the firemen were putting up. 1 slid down tho ladder and reached the street whore I collapsed. The strain was too great for me. Somebody carried me to Malcomb's real estate otlice in Fortiethst., and from there I was taken to Michael's drug etore corner Sixth-ave. and Fortiethst. There was a lot of injured people in the drug store and five or six bodies of dead people. I escaped unhurt with the exception of a cut on my left arm, but the 6hock was desperate. I sent home for mv clothes and was taken there in a coach." Mr. Noonan is a brother of Assistant District Attorney Noonan of Hudson county and ia an artist. There was not even a rope or fire escape in the room on the second floor in which Felix Kraemer, a salesman for Steinway fc Sons of New York, occupied, and had it not been for Mr. Kraemer's experience at hotel lires and a number of others he probably would bo numbered among the victims. "Had I not had a strong umbrella I should have either been burned or killed by jumping," said he. "I have been burned out at hotels three times now. 1 was burned out at a hotel at Warrensburg, Mo., and alao at Ellsworth, Kas., and I learned tomething about how to act when at a fire on theso two occasions. At tho fire at Warrenburg a guest escaped by using an open umbrella to ease his flight from an upper btory window. I never forgot the way in which he escaped, and Binco that time I have always beenprovided with a strong umbrella fur an emergency like that which presented itself this morning. As soon as I reached the window on the third floor I opened my etrong umbrella and carefully put the ehawl strap over it so as to prevent it from turning inside out. Then I made a lean. I did not go sailing

KrHCB I 111 1 V Olli 1IUO Hit U1T1UU iaiUJJ)JIUIY f. - . varw,a,i, t iot-:i without any broken all right now. The limbs and am umbrella par tially turned inside out just before I reached the ground and I got someihinc of a jar, but I should think myself lucky it I had escaped with a broken leg, for I never before eaw a fire burn eo fiercely as the one which consumed the hotel. I ran into the otlice as soon as I reached the ground. I was the first person to get out of that hotel and I cannot imagine how any of tho other guests got out alive. I Baw Mr. Mears and the clerk in the office. 'For God'B sake,' I eaid, 'why don't you turn in a fire alarm.' I went to the Gedney house, registered, secured a suit Of clothes which did not lit me and returned to the fire. Even at that time the fire department had not arrived and men, women and children were at tho windows screaming for ßome one to save them. I saw two or three people jump from windows. It was ten minutes after I returned to the fire beforo a ladder was raised to any of the windows." The guest who probably had the most narrow and at the same time the most marvelous escape was M. L. Harman, a traveling salesman for a St. Louis wholesale grocery house. He registered at tho hotel on Saturday evening with his wife. "I had a room on the sixth lloor," said Mr. Harman, "and was aroused from eleep by a loud roaring noise and by the sound of a whistle, which I think was from one of the engines on tho elevated road. 1 opened my door and discovered that the stairway leading to the lower floors was in a blaze. The hallway was filled with emoke and as it poured into my room as long as the door was open I quickly closed it knowing that there was no escape that way. I went to the window and opened it. " Both my wife and I would have been suffocated in thy room had I not taken two towels which I soaked with water. These we used to keep the smoke out of our lungs by helding them over our mouths and nostrils. I tried to find a fire escape near our window, but there was none, and I thought at one time that we should never get out of the room alive. It was certain death to jump six etories, and as it was either that or burn to death I said to my wife: 'Hattie, I am going to shoot you and then kill myself. "I concluded that it would be better to die that way than burn to death, and as I always sleep with a revolver under my pillow I hurried to the bed to get it. By this time the flames were coming ud through the cracks in the door. Just as I was about to shoot my wife the floor fell with a crash and we went down probably two stories. The flooring stopped opposite a window, and my wife jumped out and landed on a portico beneath. A rope was hanging out of this window and with this assistance I managed to get down another story, but here I slipped and foil to the portico beBide my wile. 1 picked her up, but was unable to carry her, and as I was almost Buflbcated and "the fall had injured me, I was endeavoring to reach a ladder to try to carry her down to the street, when two firemen took her from me. How I reached the street 1 do not know." 8CENES OF HORROR. Many Persons Jump front the 'Windows and Are Dlid to Death. The scenes at tho fire before tho firo companies arrived were heart-rending. One man, whoso name is not known, sprang from a third-story window and was dashed to death on the ground beiow. People turned their faces away horrified at the sight. This was on tho Sixth-ave. Bide of the building. A moment later another man leaped from a window on the Fortieth-Bt. side and was instantly killed. Shortly afterward two woqaen jumped from windows on the Sixth-ave. side and were dead when picked up. Their bodies were taken to Thirteenthct. station bouso and afterward, unidenti

fied, removed to the morgue. At that hour the known dead numbered four. Several others had dropped from windows or slid down ropes with which every room in the hotel was provided and escaped with severe burns, while many more had been injured in the same way, making their escapes by the firo escape, and were in the hands of ambulance surgeons who had been summoned from Beilevuo hospital and New York hospital. The surgeons had their hands full in taking care of the injured and maimed. All this time tho fire was raging fiercely and it was piain to be eeen the building was doomed. The structure burned like bo much kindling wood. THE BUlLDiNO

An Old Structure Tho Walls Mast Bo Palled Down. The Hotel Koyal was built more than twenty-five years ago. It was formerly kept by Mears, Perris & Butler, but Mr. Mears leased it thirteen years ago. In 1SS2 the building was remodeled and an addition was made on the south side. The house was the home of many persons in the theatrical profession, and was patronized chiefly by transients for a night. Many families made it, however, their permanent place of residence. The elaborate restaurant was liberally patronized by the class of people who kept late hours in the upper part of the Tenderloin district. The loss will be ?2Ö0,C00. MEfwPHlSON FIRE. An Immense Conflagration It aged Monday Night. Memphis, Tenn., Feb. 8. At 9:30 tonight the building No. 320 Main-eL, occupied by the Bruce-Beine hat company, dealers in hats, caps and straw goods, was discovered to be on fire. The entire rear portion of the six eiory building, from basement to top, seemed to be ablaze in an instant. The fire quickly communicated to tho front portion, and by 10 o'clock the firemen were forced back from the roaring furnace of hats and etraw goods and directed their elforts to eaving the trunk factory of S. Levy adjoining the building on tho ncrth. At 10:15 tho building occupied by the hat company collapsed, and into the space formerly occupied by it, crashed the building of the Langstaif hardware company, which adjoined it at the south. The firemen were utterly nnable to cope with the flames and at 10:00 tho Levy trunk factory was a total wreck and Luerman's hotel, probably the finest "stag" hotel Bouth of the Ohio river, was in flames. The magnificent five-story hotel at the corner of Main and Monroe was splendid food for the flames and in less than an hour was totally destroyed. The hotel was magnificently furnished and had but recently added a splendid bar outfit of the most costlv design. The loss to the hotel will be $100,000. At this juueture a breeze arose and chanced the course of the fire and it began to sweep eastward. The firemen wpro fnrfpd bqr-k at every point by the resistless fury of the flames, and in a ehort time the Kuby ealoon and the ealoon of J. G. Maher, adjoining Leuherman's. were destroyed. Eastward and to the south of where the blaze ßtarted the fire went on. Soon Lemon & Galo'e wholesale dry goods 6tore waa a mass ot ruins. II. Wetter's hardware store and William Jack's china etore were next to be destroyed and W. N. Wilkerson'a wholesale drug store was next reached. It was thought this splendid structure, with ita well known fire proof walls, would prove a barrier to the flames, but the fire crept in upon the etock of inflammable drugs from the side and rear and it was soon blazing fiercely. Again the wind veered to the west and the fire started eastward to Second-st. Jones, Huhn & Co.'s printing establishment was reduced to ashes in a ehort time. The Lilly carriage company on Second-st. was next caught and the rear portion cf their factory with part of the stock was destroyed. The firemen on Secocd-Bt. meanwhile gained a foothold and began to keep the tire within the block. The wind dieb out about this time, which probably Baved the W. S. Bruce carriage factory and one of the two Bmaller buildings which alone were left in tho block. The block destroyed is bound by Main, Union, Secend and Monroe-6ts., and is in the heart of the business district of the citv. Tno loss will reach $1,000,000. The Peabody hotel, on the northwest corner of Main and Monroe, and the Louisville & Nashville ticket oifice on the opposite corner, were on fire several times, but by hard work on tho part of the hotel employes, guests and bystanders, pressed into service to aid the firemen, was saved. The fire at 1 a. m. is burning fiercely but is under control. Ab far as known at this hour no lives wero lost. - BODIES HORRIBLY MANGLED. . Four Persons Killed by a Boiler Explosion. Little Kock, Ark., Feb. 8. Saturday morning while customers w ere waiting at Salton's mill, at Bethel, five miles Boufh of Paragould, to get their grain ground the boiler exploded and killed four per sons outright. The killed are: THOMAS WOODS. JAMES VOOtS. SON OF WOODS, B. W AUG H. A gin house adjoining was demolished. The bodies of the killed were horribly mangled and scattered, one of them being cut in two and the lower limbs wrapped around a post. The boiler was carried 150 yards from the mill. No other person was near. CONGRESS At Last Takes Action. A bill has been introduced at Washing ton requiring all baking powders contain in? alum and ammonia to be bo labeled - o This is a step in the right direction, and has been long foreshadowed by the action of state legislatures, boards of health, food commissioners, etc., in this matter. The bill affords needed protection to the public, for the evidence as to the injurious effects of alum and ammonia is very neavy ; Kiif it will navprt hfilpsn be fought bittcrlv w m v m m- w w w bv the manufacturers whom it afiecta who are accustomed to sell their goods as pure Cream of Tartar," "absolutely pure," tc. Tri bill ia something needed. H a maker' uses a drug in his powder, the name of which he does not want to have printed on his label, it is prima lacie evi dence that there is eomething wrong. Wji Vinrm. m .iiV!ait will ha virrnrrtnal v propecuted all over the country, not only as regards baking powder, but a'fo all other food adulterations. This bill may incidentally benefit the makers of pure articles, but if it ßhould thi ia only an additional point in ita favor.

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Mr. Blaine Declares His Political Position. His Namo Will Not Go Be fore the Convention. Takes Himself Out of Mr. Harrison's Way WITH THANKS TO FRIENDS. Does Not Say Ho Would Decline However. All the Harrison Men Now in High Feather. Thayer of Nebraska Gives Up the Struggle And Tarns the Office Over to Gov ernor Boyd Blaine's Letter tho Topic of "Washington Gossip General Opinion That Harrison Now Has a Clear Field Some Mention of McKinley and Iteed for the Nomination by Enthusiasts Citlloin Now Thinks He Is in It Absurd Report of Friction in the Democratic National Committee. WAsnlxcTOx, Feb. 7. The following letter explains itself: WAsniNGTOX. D. C, Feb. 6, lSDt The Hon. J. S. Cla-kson, Chairman of the Eebublican National Committee: MY Deaii Sin I am cot a candidate for the presidency and my came will not go before the republican national convention for the nomination. I make this announcement ia due season. immm , .. v 'jf.x-':. " ' . - ' JAMES G. ELAINE. To tboie who have tendered ma their sapport I owe sincere thanks and am most grateful for their confidence. They will, I am eure, make earnest effort ia the approaching contest, which is rendered especially important by reason of the industrial and financial policies of the government being at stake. The popular decision on these issues is of great moment and will be of far-reaching consequence. Very sincerely yours, James G. Blaine. COMMENT AT WASHINGTON. General Opinion That llrtrrlson Now II a Clear Field. BruEAiT of The Sentivel.) 1420 New Yokk-ave., N. W., V Washington, D. C, Feb. 7. J Elaine's determination not to bo a candidate for the republican presidential nomination, as expressed in his letter of yesterday to Chairman Clarkson, ia tho one topic of discussion in "Washington tonight. Tho Harrison men are in high feather. "It givea Bennie a walkaway," eaid an Indiana republican tonight. "He will win hands down." The opinion generally expreesed i3 that Harrison will have no opponent in the republican nominating convention worthy of note. JdcKinley's name is on a good many lips 89 a possible candidate, and Feed's name is mentioned by a few of hia enthusiastic followers, but there wems to be few who do not believe that the nomination will (to to Harrison. Senator Shelby 51. Cullom of Illinois thinks he is a candidate ; he is reported to be in fine spirits over Blaine's withdrawal. Cullom had inside information about Blaine's letter, and told several Thiladeiphia correspondents the other day that the letter would be written, but whenthev quoted him to that ellcct he denied Eaying it. ; OPINIONS OF THE PRES3. Views In Regard t Mr. Blaln' Withdrawal from th Contest. IN. V. HeraM. Mr. James G. Blaine has declared over his signature that he will not be a candidate for the presidency in the approaching battle of tho parties. This eliminates from the political compaign a very important element. So far as the republicans are concerned it may be said without fear of contradiction that they have lost their strongest man. By all odds 5Ir. Blaine was their most available leader. As to the democrats their shrewdest opponent has retired from the held. They have a lanre number of men who can certainly win arainft Harrison, and ought to win against Blaine. If they handle their forces with e kill and enter "the contest with a etrong western man it will be their own fault if they fail to carry the day, for the great buik of the American people, in all eections of tho country, are with them. N. Y. Tribune Mr. Blaine tells the chairman of the republican national committee, and through him the party and the country, that be is not a candidate for the presidency and that . his name will not go before the Minneapolis convention. This formal announcement will cause sorrow and disappointment to thousands of republicans and there is no

reason fr dissembling that fact. No other living Ann rican has inspired such ardent devotion En i upon no other havo bo many Americans longed to confer the grenteht distinction within their gilt. This is a simple and obvious truth which nobody doubts and which dis

parages nobody, ihe certainty that the f iremost citizen oi" tho country will not be the next i resident of the I'niti d States and the presumption that bo will never occupy that great oilic can not fail to afflict a multitude of his fellow-citizens with a keen 6.nseof personal grief. THAYER G.VCS IT UP. Da Requests Governor lir1 to Take Charge or tli CJ'.lr. Oj-'aha, Xep, Teh. 7. Tonight at 10 oclock this letter was handed to Governor Boyd: Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 7, 1522, Governor James E. Bojd, Omaha, Neb.: UeakSik When 1 commenced proeeedinc one jear ajo to test your title to tüe olüce of governor 1 did to in the full belief that there wus great doult ia the publio mind as to your cilkeiuiiip and eligibility. I then . tooii , occasion to publisu that as soon as jour citizenship was established bv the courts, I would trladlv sar. render tbe otiice to you. The contest was sol one of personal strife nor to satisfy any ambi tion of my own, but to comply wan the ccnitituticn of tbe sute. Now that the pubHo press has announced that the highest tribunal has declared undel tbe constitution and laws of our Country and state your rights to the ofüce, I cheerfully yield the ofbcti of governor to you Without awaiting the mandate of court. As 1 am about to leave the state on ilondav to bo absent soms. weeks, it would be most convenient to ml turn the cilice to you at 12 o'clock of that day if it ia your pleasure to accept the soma at that time. Very respectfully, Joiin M. Thayer, The letter from Governor Thayer was handed to Governor Ikyd by a reporter, who asked Governor Boyd if he had anything to say. The governor positively declined to bo interviewed, saying eimply ht would go at once to Lincoln end taka charge of hia otiico. Charles Ogden, chairman of the democratic state committee will accompaay the governor. There will be no demonstration, but on Monday, Feb 15, a general reception will be tendered Governof Boyd by the democratic organizations oi the state. HUSTON WOT IN POLITICS not He Tredlcts a Lively Campaign la tat Ilooaiar State. Ex-U. S. Treasurer Huston eayit I am not taking an active part in politic now. I would 6ay that since my retura home from Washington I have b;en de voting my entire time to my various busi ness enterprise s, and consequently know but little of what has been done by eithei of tbe party organizations in my etate, and I mifrht add here that my vitit to Washington at this time has no political significance whatever. Both parties in Indiana have organized their etato committees and aleo selected their new county committees, and I presume are earnestly and ligorouslv arranging for the preliminary work of tho campaign. It is evident that th democrats of Indiana are entering the contest with a determination to make mobt vigorous and aggressive fight, and the republicans throughout the state, recognizing this fact, have the fullest possible conception of the urgent necessity existing for thorough and eyatematic party organi zation. PREPOSTEROUSLY ABSURD. The Story of 8hrin Filling the Conven. tion in Gray' Inlrst. Bcreac or The Sentinel, The Sentinel, 1 KE-AVC. N. W., dn, D. C Feb. 7. J 1420AEW.1OKEWashinqto: The i'orf savs editoriallv: A Chicago special to tbe New York Tifiwt represents that a troublesome quarrel is a between the democratio local committee and Mr. Sheerin, secretary of the democratio national committee, relative to the distribution of the 15.0C0 seats that are to be provided for the accommodation of the national convention. The local committee wants to haTe tbe disposal of 10,000 seats, and to put the rational committee off with 5.OO01 If the special bad stopped here its statement raip ht be accepted, as not unreasonable, though seemingly improbable; but when it goes on to say that Mr. kheerin wants control of a big majority of the seats in order to pack the convention with cliquers fcr Cray, and in corrobation of thia says further that Mr. Sheenn has announced that CoL Dick Bright is to be sereeant-at-arma of the convention, the story becomes preposter. ously absurd. Mr. theerin may want the seat, but it is not likely that he is scheming to fill them with Gray shouters. BEERS RETIRES As President of the New Yorfc Life; Insnranco Company. New Tors, Feb. 8. At ea adjourned meeting of the trustees of the New York life insurance company today William II, Beers tendered his resignation as presi dent of tbe company, and it wa unanimously accepted, to take effect Wednes-da-, the 10th inst. Mr. Beers, pursuant to the arrangement made by which he gives up the presidency of the company, retirei on a pension of 25,000 for life. In addition to this the directors decided to retain 5Ir. Baers during the remainder of his life in an advisory capacity at half pay, Sl-.WJ, making his annual saiary $37,5-30, It is said that the presidency has been oflered to F. W. Scott, one of the vicepresidents of tho Fquitable life assurance society; to W. L. Strong, one of the company's present trustees and president of the Central national bank, and to Mr. McCall, comptroller of the Equitable com pany. DICK BRICHT APPOINTED Serjeant-at-Arms of the Democratio National Convention. Washington, Feb. 8. Tho national democratic committee has appointed CoL Kichard J. Bright oi Indiana to bo eer-geant-at-arms at tho national democratic convention, and F. E. Canda of New York to be agent for the committee. 8. P. ifherin, the Eecretary of the committee, together with Col. Bricht and 5Ir. Canda, have beencnarged with the duty of proceeding to Chicago and making all necessary preparations for the convention. IlKlrtlr.l With IIa. 11. MoxTTCr.Li.ri, Ark., Feb.S. This morning, es Chloe Wright, the fourteen-year-ol i daughter of 5Ir. Jackson Wright, who resides near AYilmar, was going to echool pbe was overtaken by a necro named Henry Beavers, choked to insensibility and most foully outraged. When the little girl recovered sufficiently ehe drasiced herself home, and the wh'la neighborhood started in pursuit fd the vihain, w ho was found in hiding. He was taken to Wilmar and swung uu to a limb and his body riddle 1 with bullet. Thej little cirl ulna precarious condition.

BrKEAU op Tue Senttnez, ) 1420 New Yobk-ave., N. W V Washington. D. 1. Feb. T. )