The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-01-15

u6au DOdleS nave been taken out. The tir0 Is
now under control. Loss to the hotel will not
exceed $4,000.
IsECoND DISPATCH.
The fire broke out shortly after four o'clock,
in the kitchen and extended to the pantry,
storeroom and servants quarters. These are
all in building in the rear of and detached
from the hotel which was not injured. One
servant was suffocated and one burned to death
and two others have broken limbs Great ex-
citement prevailed among the guests and other
occupants OF the hotel, most of whom left the
house, but returned again during the day.
The engineer first discovered the fire and at
once gave an alarm In three minutes the
hotel was a bedlam. Nearly three hundred
paopIe filed with horrible recollections of the
Milwaukee halocust were dashing hither and
thither through the main corridors and down
the several stair ways into the Office and street
Hotel employees acted with good sense and
promptnesS rapping long and loud on every
door in the house and five minutes later max
ing second trip to insure that everybody was
up and advised of the danger. Very few wait
ed to dress as the smoke from the rear of the
building where the fire was located had al.
ready invaded the corridors and was making
its way slowly into the rooms. Stopping only
to grab few articles of clothing, men, women
and children fled in dismay and would not halt
even in the commodious main office where
there was light, comfort and little smoke. As
the first engine dashed up to the hotel the
stream OF fugitives began to pour from its doors
There were men in their underclothes women
with but night dress and possibly shawl or
cloak over their shoulders and little children
hastily bundled in blankets or other wraps.
Soon the main body of the hotel was cleared
OF guests and the building was iu possession of
the firemen, who, within twenty minutes, had
thirteen engines at work. In the meantime,
in the rear building where the servants slept,
and where the fire was first discovered, it was
OF a far more ugly character. Here the fire cut
off escape by two stairways and also formed
barricade which prevented the men sleeping in
the southern half of the building from reach
ing another stairway at the north end. Hence
these unfortunates almost smothered by
smoke, were compelled to climb out of their
rooms On to the frame structure which abutted
over the alley and thence either jump or lower
themselves by means of a pully rugged there
for hosting supplies. One poor fellow was
reached the third floor, and an hour later his
crisped corpse was found in the kitchen near
the foot OF the stairs. Another employe was
found dead in bed when the fire was extin.
guished, having been suffocated. The female
help all escaped by the stairway at the north
end save one, who'bro her ankle in jumping.
8The hotel proper did not suffer to the extent
of a dollar. The fire however crossed the al
ley to the furniture warerooms. The damage
to the hotel property is about $4,000 and to
auction firm about $4,000. This evening,
workmen engaged in clearing, away the debris
found the charred body of man amid the
broken timber. 1t proved that of Henry
Blaney, an employe, ever 60 years old. The
origin OF the fre is unknown.