The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-01-24
A COSTLY BLAZE.


Burning of the BIontezuma Hotel AT Las
Vegas Hot Springs, New NIexieo-S.xty-
two Guests in the House, But all Escape
with the Loss of their Effects-Ineffective
Fire Service.
-, : Las VEGAS, n. NJ, Jan. II.
The Montezuma Hotel, situated at the
springs, six miles from the city of Las
Vegas, one of the grauJlest hoteleries in
point Of furnishing and surroundings, was
completely destroyed by fire to-day. There
was no loss of life, but there was of course
great excitement among the guests and
many narrow escapes to people endeavor-
ing to save their property at the risk of
their lives.
The fire was discovered about noon by a
servant who was cleaning up one of the re-
CeptiOn-ro6lns on the second floor to the left
of the maia entrance. He saw smoke com
ing through the floor near the steam coil.
lie first ran out into the hall and shouted
I fire, and then running back into the room,
tore the radiator from its place. Ashe did
this, the flames burst through and hehad
to run for his life.
The fire must have been burning some
time, for almost at tae same instant hre
was discovered by one of the guests, who
also shouted fire al the top of his voice.
The panic that cnsUed was almost indie
scrib6'ble, and most fortunate was 1T that
the fire occurred in the day time and not at
night. AS it was, the Railways and rooms
quickly tlled with.a dense volume of black
smoke that enveloped the entire Interior of
the building in almost nidnjght darkness,
and the utmost confusion prevailed As the
/ guests and employees rushed madly through
the halls and ondeaYOred to drag their
truths and other possessions from their
rooms. This confusion lasted for only a
short time, owing to the fact that the peo-
pie were soon all out Of the burning build
! ing.
The hotel was net half full, there being
only - BHt there a full
complement of servants and employees.
Some Of the gueSts-probably one-lQurth~--
succeeded in saving portion or their pos
sessions but the employees lost everything,
OF course while all this was going on Ell
forts were being made to stop the progress
of the flames. The fire. was so rapid that
the means of fichtihg fir5 provided in the
hotel could not egOt to work. The fire de-
paTtment of the Springs was unable to do
anything 10 save the hOteli A special train
lett Las Vegas in ten minutes alter the
alarff was given with the fire department..
The six miles were covered in nine minutes,
and The engines ready for actiOn. IL was
found the plugs were an iuch smaller than
the city hose, so no ettecIlye connection
was made FOR some time. Then the only
hope was TO save the boiler-hOuse Just com
Hplated at a cost of $4,000 and hath-hOuse
that cost $4,000. The lattef,s cQFhice
bIazcd up several times, but was saved.
l. The former cscapudOnly because the build
ing between it and thS hotel was torn down.
The Mohtezufna was first opened forbus-
mess April !, 1881, and was considered the
equal of any and. the superior OF u@SG
places of,puDiic entertaiument to be found
at any of the popular resorts in America,
both on account oE;bhc tom pleteucss 1Ot its
appointments and the elegance and taste of
its furnishings The house could comfort
ably accommodate. three hundred guests.
The building was of frame, Queen Anne
style, three stories high, gable rooted.
There were 2J0 rooms, all furnished in
| costly and elegant style. There were la
| dies and gentlemen's reception rooms and
| general parlOrs on all the fl 1ors, but the
principal ladies' parlOr was on the second
| floor. This WAS furnished on a scale of orl-
| entail maguiiiCence. We bridal chambers
were elaborately FURNISHED and finished.
| They were furnished Respectively in blue,
| red and ecru, the latter with dark garnet
trimmings. In the upper stories were the
sewing rooms. In the basement were the
! billiard rooms and bowling alleys, ali fur
niShed in native mountain pine. The ladies'
billiard parlOr was in the cupOla of the
| building All around the front and sides
| of the building extended wide balconies.
! The fire service was supposed to be per-
feet, aud complete reliance was placed ON
| if. There were stand-pipes and bosc.rCcls
| ON every floor, and 1t was considered al
most impossible for, fire TO gain any mead.
way in the building. The servants werG
completely drilled in the use of the uppar-.
atus, but all this seems to have been Of no
avail when the re6l test came. j. MH Barr.
manager, and his wife, recently married,
| lost all their personal affects. He deserves
great credit for his presence of mind and
| courage.
Th6loss is. estimated at So 900; insur
ance, a little over 100000. Tho guests, il
is estimated. lose SD,Oo0 Everything pos
sible is being done to make them comiorta-
| bio.
The hotel was the. property ef.the Atchi-
son, Topeka g. Santa Fe Railroad Compa-
nv, and it seems tUsbe considered as a mat
ter Of course that it viii be rebuilt.