Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-12-14
NEW YORK.
TERRIBLE CAsUALITY-FIRE AT THE
FIFTH AVENUE HoTEL-22 SERVANT
GIIsLs BURNED TO DEATH.

New York, Dec. ia fire broke out
at q little past ii O'Clock last night in the
upper part of the Fifth Avenue Hotel, on
the Twenty-tbrd street side. The engines,
when the alarm was given, were quickly on
the spot and soon at work pouring streams
upon the flames, which at midnight envel-
opel the whole Twenty-third street side.
Many of the gusts had retired, or were
about retiring, when the alarm was sound
ed, and when the firemen brought the hose
into the interior of the building panic
ensued among the more timid of them, and
rush was made for trunks, etc. They
demanded settlement of their bills and
left the house.
After the fire had been pretty we'll eXtin-
guished, the iiremen, in going through the
rooms, III what is known as the "cock-loft,n ~
occupied by .he laundry-women and domcs-
tics, were Mortified by stumbling over the
remains of human beings, which were piled
on the floor. Lanterns were Immediately
procured, and horrible sight was revealed.
On the floor of n room about twelve feet
square were found no less than sixteen
bodies, all burned beyond recognition.
The bodies were lying near the only window
of the room, which was barred so that es-
cape by that means-the staircase leading
to the room being on tirewas impossible,
and they were compelled to wait for death
with what resignation they could summon.
1t is supposed that many were burned to
death while asleep. The positions of some
Of the charred remains showed that the un-
fortunate creatures died in great agony.
Efforts will be made to-day to convey the
remains of the unfortunate victims to the
Morgue. Owing to confusion and excite
ment the names of the victims could not be
asccrtained. Up to twenty minutes past
O'Clock - dead bodies had been recovered,
16 in one room and 6 in another, which is
probably all. The fire originated in the
elevator or staircase leading to the laun-
dry.
There were five hundred guests in the
house, but none are reported injured. The
damage by tire and water will not fall short
of one hundred thousand dollars. The
alarm was first given by one of the female
servants, who shriekcd Fire" through
the hallway, awakening the guests. Many
of the guests went to the office and inquired
as to the excitement, but were informed by
the clerks that there was only little fire
in the laundry.
This attempt to keep the fire quiet so as
to avoid panic helped to bring about a
terrible result. When the guests became
I COr,uILSuI vi lllelI udllHCT II sCcuC Ol COllu-
sion ensued. People were moving about
in apparent distraction, baggage filed the
, Railways, the smoke WAS suliocating, and
water drenched the floors. 1t was nearly
Il O'Clock before any one gave the alarm.
\ passing policeman, then learning Of the
fire inside, caused the fire engines to come
10 the spot The fire by this time had
made considerable headway.
The ladies were in witG state Of excite
ment the carpets were still covered with
wafer. 4 poor servant Girl was found on
/ the third floor, writing IN agonies of pain,
! her body frightfully burned. The shreiks
/ of the servants in the upper stories were
/ hcartning. as the firemGn were making
| their way TO rescue them. Large crowds
! had in the meantime gathered in the streets.
! The excitement outside was kept up till
/ about o'clock. when the fire was about
. distinguished.
/ The Herald editorially says = 1t is stat
. ed that gross carclCssncss was apparent IN
/ in the condition of the warming apparatus,
/ and that there was too much anxiety to
/ keep the fire secret and too little efforts
made to save the unfortunate girls.n The
/ whole subject will no doubt be thoroughly
/ investigated. There are various statements
us to the origin of the fire. One report
I says IL WAS CHuscu ny lHS bursting OF tllt
steam pipe in the laundry. Some seventy
/ or eighty servants were awakened from the
! Top floor and hurried down stairs
| Their clothing was utterly ruined. a
! fireman, named Deavy, was seriously in,
iured by falling to the pavement. The
/ hotel furniture was worth about 500, 600
one-fourth of this was utterly ruined. The
house is owned by A. r. Emo, but leased
: TO Darling, Griswold d Co. Just before
/ the alarm guest was assigned Il room
which, on reaching, he discovered to be OF
fire. Returning to the clelk, he was in
formed there was DO other room vacant.
The fire was not known at this time il
the office. Among the most prominen
gusts were General Burnside, General Hor
ace Porter, and G.. ii. Pullman, of Chicago
Several of the lady gusts accommodated il
neighboring hotels aud houses. Miss Neil.
son, the actress, was lady guest.