Wilmington daily gazette., 1872-12-12
THE NEW YORK HORROR.
The Fifth Avenue Hotel Fire.
Twenty-Five Girls Burned 70 p..,n

Twenty-Five Girls Burned to Death.
NEW YoRK, Dec. ll.-A fire broke ont at
little past ii O'Clock last night IN the upper mart
OF ths Firth Avenue Hotel, OH the Twenty.thlrd
street side. The engines, when the alarm was
gwen, were quickly OIL the spot and soon 1t work
pouring streams upon the flames, which At mid
night enveloped the whole TweDty-third street
side. Many OF the guests had retired, or were
about retiring, when the alarm was sounded ana
when the fireinen brought tho hose into the In
terror OF the building panic snsued among the
more t'niu OF them' anu rush was made for
trunks, etc. They demanded \ settlement OF
| their bills and lett the house.
Aitef the hre had bcen pretty we'll extinguished
the hremen, III going through the rooms, in what
known rs the "cock.loft.' occupied by the
launary women and domestics, were Mortified by
| stumbling over the remains of human beings
| which were piled OH the floor. Lanters were i'm.
| ineaiatey procured, and horrible sight was re.
veaed. On the floor OF q room about twelve feet
square were found no less than aixteen bodies, ali
| burned beyond recognition. The bodies were
found lying near the only window OF the room.
| which was barred so that escape BY that means
| the staircase leading to the room being on fire
was impossible, and they were compeie to wait
for death with what resignation they could sum-
mon.
1t is supposed that many were burned TO death
while asleep The positions OF some OF the char
| red remains showed that the unfertunate crea-
lures died in great agony.
Efforts will be made to-day to convey the Te-
mains OF the unfortunate victims to the Mcrgue
Owing to confusion and excitement the names OF
the victims could not be ascertained. Up to
| twenty minutes past o'clock % dead bodies had
| been recovered, l6 in one room and 6 in another,
which is probably ALL The fire originated in the
| elevator or staircase leading to the laundry.
They 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 laun-
dry.
This attempt to keep the fire quiet so as to
AVOID panic helped to bring about terrible re.
suit. when the guests became cognzant Of their
danger scene OF confusion ensued. People were
moving about III apparent distraction, baggage
hiled the Railways, the smoke was suffocating
and water drenshed the floors. 1t was nearly l.
o Clock before any one gave the alarm. A pas.
sing policeman, then learning of the fire inside
caused me fire engines to come to the spot. The
fire by this time had made considerable headway
| 1he ladies were IN a wild state OF excitement
the carpets were still covered with water. a
poor servant girl was found on the third floor
writing in agonies of pain, her body frlghtfull,
burned. The shrieks Of the servants in the up
per stories were heartrending, the firemen wer.
j making their way to rescue them. Large crowds
had IN thesneantme gathered i'll the street. III,
excitement outside, was kept up till about
o'clock, when the fire was about extinsuished.
The TRIBUNE says, the employees of tn. no.
. tel and others hastily obtained buckets Of
water, many of which were thrown at insteat
OF upon the flames, while some were thrown
, hap-hazard in whatever direction the dstrac
ted amateur fireman first fancled
Still others stretched the hose, attached Il
the private fire apparatus, through the hail.
wayst to the fire. and it is said that an effective
stream OF water was in this way quickly pou
RED upon the flames: Several who wer,
7 the edonkey-engine designed for the operation
would not work, and that long and dange
, rous delay ensued.
1t is, nevertheless, stoutIy affirmed by inter
es.ed persons that no delay resulted, and a
corrobOratlvc evidence, it was declared that th
, hotel employees ale regularly summoned to fire
, quarters weekly, and that at the time of tn
last summons, only day or two ago, tn
, engines, hose, and other extingulshin
: appurtenances were all working in good order
THE ORIGIN IN THE LAUNDRY ELEVATOR
Another statement as to the point of Origi
of the fire IS that it began on the fifth floor i
: the laundry elevator, which extends to tina
floor from the laundry in the basement
Whatever may ultimately be proved to hay
been the origin of the flames, or their eXac
, point OF beginningt Is certain that they Gre
with almost marvellous rapidity, either up 9
, down inside Of the elevator. aud also, 50 far a
could be learned during the progress Of til
flames and the attendant excitement, through
the servants stairway from the lower to tn
upper portion Of the building.
1t seems that while efforts were making by
those present at the earlier stages of the con
fagration to subdue the FIRE, the sending OF a
alarm to the Fire Department was NEGLECTED
and 1t appears that the alarm bells were nc
. rung until about half an hour after the discoy
cry Of the flames. Us izI.I-5
Upon the arrival of Chief Engineer Perle
third alarm was sounded, bringing three ad
additional engines, making in all II engines an
{ pl0portionate number of hook and ladde
tracks. itsa,
n Before the iireMen could bring strains o
, water to bear upon the fire, the flames ha
: mounted to the sixth -four. and they 500
> made their appearance through the roof.
The Misses Greeley. Yere not left destitut,
The Tribune in referring 10 the generous eflol
lately started to provide q fund for their relic