New-York tribune., 1872-12-13
THE HOTEL FIRE.
INVESTIGATIONS IN PROGRESS.

FOUR BODIES STILL UNRECOGNIzED - STATE
MENrs OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF BuiLD-
INGs AND TIE ENGINEER OF TIE DhrAmr .,,,,
hENT OF PUBLIC WORKS IN REGARD 10 lIiH
CONSTRUCTION OF THE sERVANIs hoomo-
TIE FIRE MARsIAL'S INVESTIGATION.
The origin of the fire in the Filth Avenue
Hotel which caused such terrible loss or me- VIII De
fully investigated by tho authorities. fre mhrsnu
Mcspedon has already examined several Witnesses ana
will take moro testimony. He VIII endeayor 10 ascer
tain n possible. upon whom rests the responsibility
coroner schrmer has impaneled jury but will not
besin an Investigation until the Fire Mtrsha has closed
his labors The statements of the Superintendent OF
Buildings and the Engineer Of the Department Of Public
Parks will be found below The bodies Of four OF the
women have not been identified and only the list Oh
missing employees will indicate who they are.
SCENES AT THE MoRGUE.
The at the Morgue where lay the unfortunate
victims OF the Fifth Avenue Hotel tragedy, though dis
similar, yesterday, from those OF the previous day.
furnished additional proof OF the deprayed tastes OF
thousands OF persons In all classes OF society," The
public curiosity having been sufficiently satiated, In the
opinion OF the Keeper on Wednesday, the gates were
kept closed yesterday, being admitted except
those having business The cofns containing tho
remains OF the women were removed TO shed over the
river adjacent the Morgue, and those containing the
identified bodies fastened. An immense crowd COM
prsing persons Of all ages and stations can
ored without the doors from dawn until nightfal Two
policemen were stationed atthe entrance all day TO keep
people away Whenever the door was opened there was
stampede and the officers arely prevented the crowd
from pushing iu some OF theh number. Many were de-
fant and took sides with one woman who vowed never
TO leave the spot until she hal the remains; but
the more crafty endeavoredt to effect entrance by
pretending to have dead friends inside whom they
wished to Identify Scores OF people claimed relation
ship with the missing women. and as uncles, aunts'
cousins or sisters demandedt view OF the bodies inc
surviving servantgirls ut ,ho burned hotel, many
OF whom among the crowd. gave the officers much
trouble their excited talk bang strictly believed and
their nsolent demands received with sympathy by the
crowd that surrounded them At all times. Many plans
were devised drive away e people, but without ef
feet Finally Warden Brennan allowed two or three
women who had the gift OF rpid speech, to enter ana
they after seeing the nailed cofns communicated the
fact to crowd whereupon many persons went away,
and not much difficulty experienced afterward
Only two bodies have been identified, those OF
Hopora Ward and Elizabeth Campbell The former
2s years OF age and native Ireland. She was identi
fed by employees at the hotel Elizabeth Campbell age
IT, was identified by her father. She was born In TINS
city, parents natv,s Of Ireland The upper
portion Of body was burned to crisp but portions
of her lower limbs untouched She was identihed
by plain gold ring which she upon her left hand
An undertaken was summoned and the remains were
placed in handsome coffin, tn, silver plate on the nd
bearing the inscription: Elizabeth Campbell died Dec.
TO- 1872 aged II years" This body and those Of Mary
McCabc and Mary Pagan, which were placed In collins
similarly inscribed have been removed from the Morgue
and viii be inferred in Calvary Cemetery.
Seven Of the II bodies have nov been Identified those
OF Mary McCabe Mary Mcdonald, Mary Doughy, Mary
Pagan, Lizzie Moran, Lizzie Campbell, aud Honora
Ward. The remaining four are supposed TO be Della
Cummings age &c; Mary Crowley, age 1s; Margaret
Conners, age o. and Kate Cushing age 80 These women
missing from the hotel aud although several Of the
employees there have endeavored to identify them they
have unable to do not identified before Sun
day they will be buried under the auspices Of the st.
GabriePs Temperance Society
The foresight of Warden Thomas g. Brennan OF Belle
Hospital in placing reteegraph box in his office
that ambulances can be teleaphed for at moments
notice, has obyiated On apparent disadvantage. II
worked TO a charm at the Fifth Avenue Hotel on Tues
day night ambulances the ground Is minutes
after the women were injured.
THE CoRoNER's JURY.
Coroner schlrmer impaneled the following jury OF IS
men. yesterday morning:
william Johnston, merchant, OF Washington Hights
and Maison Doree; Edward RJones, broker. Of No. 81
West Twentythrdst. George N. Sanders, merchant Of
No 325 West TWENTY tyseventhst.; Johnson storage,
OF No. "a West Forty-sixthst; ID. ID. Vail
S5SGs sSsf of q No SS s we Cen Frank OP B
Spinoa, LAWYER Iof No II West Twentyseventh-st;
ST. ii. H. Martin, broker. of No. 80 East Thirtyn
Aaron C.Allen secretary of No. Isl w Forty thst SP
Nichols ST. gecOach proprietor Of No. All West Twenty
frst-st.; Norman Andrews, merchant, of No "A West
Twenty-sixth-st.; Ii. Gardner lawyer. of st. Denis
Hotel aud Francis j. Hawkes., mechanic, of No. 80
Henry-st.
After viewing the bodies OF the victims at the Morgue
the jury with Coroner schirmcr and Deputy Coroner
Cushman proceeded to the hotel and made careful in
spection of building The day for the inquest viii
he fixed until the close OF the Fre Marshas nvesti
cation. thorough inquiry into all material circum
stances preceding and attending tho terrible casualty
will then be made.
SUPERINTENDENT MACGREGOR'S VIEWS.
James NJ. Macgregor, Superintendent OF Buildings
stated yesterday to reporter of THE TRIBUNE that ho
had made survey OF the Fifth Avenue Hotel since the
fire. He could make no recommendations except to have
the stairways constructed OF stone ron and have
re-aams every floor. The wire lettings he did not
believe offered any serious obstacle to tho escape the
servants. shown by the fact that some OF the
inmates did dash out the windows and nettings and
escape The doors of all the opened into the hall
way, and the flames did not this until some
time after the fire discovered. This was evident
from the act that the floor still in good con
rescued. Those who burned retired early and
were sound asleep at the outbreak of the fire The head
OF the private staircase In which the fire originated
directly beneath the rooms OF these women The stair
way leading from tho floor beneath to the which
the servants slept was some distance away from the
head OF this private sacae, and must have been free
from fire for time after the alarm given In
his opinion, the women who burned overcome
by the smoke, and never awoke 10 consciousness
Under the existing laws he had authority TO order
change TO be made an the interior arrangements or
construction OF the hotel. lie could only recommend
that the sairways should be constructed OF proof
materials.
ENGINEER GRANTS STATEMENT.
William II. Grant Engineer Of the Department of Pub
lie Parks who has had much experience in the csustruc
ton large buildings made statements substance as
follows, TO n TRIBUNE reporter, yesterday:
To ascertain the minute details OF terrible fire. its
causes, and the specific architectural defects when IL
Xnnld inYOlYa cnrnfnI o.