New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-24
FIRE IN BROADWAY.
AT THE METRoPOLITAN HOTEL

The occupants of the Metropolitan Hotel in Broad
way at Prince-st., were alarmed early yesterday
morning by cries of fire. John Sherlock, the night
Waterman, while passing through one of the halls
on the second floor, shortly before O'clock had
discovered smoke issuing from the main dining
room. and he had sent out the alarm. AS soon as
the first company of firemen arrived two additinal
alarms were given. The flames had started from
defective lue in dish-closet off the d,nlng-room
and when the fremen arrived the large ROOM filled
with tables. was al abiaze.
The dining-room is OH the second floor Of the two
story wing which stands between Nibo's Theatre
and the south wing of the hotel, and which extends
from Croshy-st. distance of ninety feet toward
the main portion Of the hotel The fremcn at first
attempted to extinguish the flames with the Bah
cock fire extinguishers, but they were soon obliged
to drag the hose OF the fire engines through the
halls and to use all the water that could be OBJ
tained. Although the flames were cut of from
other portions of the hotel by the proof walls of
the wing the smoke peryaded the entire build
ing, and the alarm among the guests consider
able. platoon of police under command of Cap
tain keay, of the Fourteenth Precinct, arrived
soon after tho fire brOke out, and it
was determined to arouse every one in the hotel as
precautionary measure. The officers were sent
through the building with instructions to warn the
hire, but TO prevent panic. Already many OF the
guests were awake and they hurried out of their
rooms to mako inquiries. The servants were much
frightened, and many of them ran out of the build
ing. As the smoke in the corridors increased in
density men and women were sesn Fastening from
their rooms in night-gowns or only half dressed
eagerly inquirinG tho way out OF the building. The
police directed them to the Office on the first floor
and to the front part of the building furthest from
Al.
the corridors finally that several women tainted.
Patroman McGrath carried one insensble woman
down three flights of stairs to the readingroom on
the first floor, and Officers Hart and Mc(lnn carried
down two Others. Some OF the women were helped
down by their husbands or friends. Cries of DIS
tress were heard in every part of the building for
time, and Captain kealy and his men were able to
prevent crush on the staircase only by the most
vigorous measures Most of the guests believed
that the main part of the hotel fire until they
were told several times to the contrary. Many
chants from the country were staying at the hOel,
and their fright great. Some Of them were seen
to rush down stairs, holding their clothes in one
hand and their traveng.bags in the other. The
women who had tainted soon revived, and began TO
make anxious inquiries for their friends and their
personal property. One police officer. who had been
up and down several times assisting the guests
to escape was overcome by the smoke at length aud
was carried down stairs by his comrades.
Henry Clair, the lessee and manager of
the hotel, did all i'll his power to quiet
the fears of his guests. He FASTENED from
one portion of the building to another
assuring every person he met that the hotel not
ia danger. The most excitement occurred in the
south wing of the building. especially IN the Crosby
ST. end In the upper stories of this wing were the
rooms of the women servants. Alarmed by the
IL A.
they rushed out into tho halls and down the stair
case without waiting to dress themselves. Some of
the women were driven to the front portion of the
hotel by the police. Others went to the windows
Crosby-st., against winch ladders of the Fire De-
partment had been placed. and helped to the
ground by the firemen. The energy Of Mr. CLAIR
and the efforts of the police at length subdued the
excitement, and the guests gradually returned 30
their
The trcInen did not permit tho flames to extend
beyond the dining room. Half-buded by tho
smoke. they MADE their way into the burning wing
and stood at wOlk where the heat was Intense. The
ire burned away portion of the dlning-rOon cell
lug and broke through the roof. Illuminating the
entire block aud covering the ADJOINING buildings
with shower of burning emD,rs. The plasterng
of the dining room cclllng fell and Fireman LonIs
Hoagland, of Hook and Ladder Company No. X was
partly buried beneath mass OF plaster and burning
iath he was bruised badly about the head and
breast and bis and hands were burned severely.
His companions rescued hun wi difficulty; and he
was sent IN an ambulance to st. NInccnts Hospital
Fireman William ii. Bennett, OF the same company,
was struck by fragments Os one of the large plate
glass mirrors in the room and was injured severely
He went to the Chambers Street Hospital 10 have
his wounds dressed
The fire burned about an hour before the firemen
obtained control When it was eXtinguished and
the smoke had cleared away it seen that nearly
everything IN the dlnin groom had been destroyed
The nine largo mirrors, which hal cost over 81 600
each had been shattered into Fragments OF the
cut-glass chandeliers. six III number, not one
remained unbroken; they had been purchased
for the dInng.r room at a cost OF $l2.OOO SIX large
Japanese vases in the room had been broken beyond
repair. They worth abont $1,000, and were
said to be- about 200 years old. being part OF COL
lection of vases belonging to ex-Judgc Hilton The
elegant tables. covered with valuable CHINA hlshes
and glassware had been burned up or shattered
All the carpetlng in the room had Disappeared except
a few soaked and blackened STRIPS MI. Clair eSil-
mated the entire loss by tho flames at $4,000 All
the property oeonsca Tue psnrSnee in several
companies. The water used III putting out the fire
soaked through the diningroom floor and INTO the
hotel billiardroom beneath. bnt as all the billiard
tables had been covered with rubber blankets Dy the
Fire Insurance Patrol, the damage there was tiiing
Streams of water also ran into tue south galleries
OF $500 to carpets. This damage was promptly re-
paired yesterday, and it was stated that the IRE
would cause no delays or inconvenience al the
theatre to-day. 80
Before a. ID. yesterday all traces Of the fire we're
removed from the main portion of the hotel. No
guest other person connected with the hotel had
been injured had lost any property ~ the excite
ment. Order and good humor were restored. and
except the occasional references 10 the lire IN con-
versatiOns, there was nothing to be noticed which
wonld have informed Stranger that fire had oc-
Cured. Breakfast served for the regular board
ers in n smaller diningrOOm on the second fioor of
the south wing. The restaurant. which had not been
injured, was occupied as usual. Mr. Clair said
that the fire would neither cause any inconvenience
to the regular guests at the hotel nor limit the ac-
conmodations for travellers In thirty days, lie
said the main dining-rOom would lie restored to its
former condition, and in the meantime the smaller
dning-roOm aud the restaurant were equal 20 all
requirements.
The dinng-room which was destroyed yesterday
was burned sOut i'll u similar manner Oh July 10,
1879 1t was said to be the finest banqust hall IN
fat nd feet Wi