Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1890-10-17
Details Of the Hotel Fire at
Syracuse, N. Y.
The Magnificent Leland Com
pletely Destroyed.
Seven Persons Killed and Thirty
Five Injured.
Remarkably Rapid Roadway Made by the
Fiery Foe-Heartrending Scenes
and Incidents.


SYRACUSE, N. ", Oct. 16.-The mag
nificent Leland hotel, the most modern
and finest appointed hotel in Central
New York, is today nothing but mass
Of smoldering ruins. At 12:45 this
morning, when the fire was first discov-
cred in the region of the kitchen on the
second floor, inside of fifteen minutes
the building was in flames from end to
end, and before thirty minutes elapsed
the walls had fallen with an explosion.
The northeast corner was seething
furnace.
At first it was feared the loss of life
was about thirty, but as the night wore
along, the number of missing and dead
was reduced To seven oT eight eight.
When the flames began to sweep
through the hotel, Night Clerk Jones
set the automatic fire-alarm bell ringing.
Before the rudely awakened guests could
realize what was the matter, the flames
and smoke rushed through the halls,
cutting off the usual means of exit.
Each room was provided with common
rope fire-escape, and by means of these
many lives were saved.
The burning hotel viewed from the
street presented scence which will
never be forgotten. At many windows
OF the five stories of the burning build
ing, could be seen men and women
piteously calling for help or making
their escape by means of the rope ap-
pliance.
On the fifth floor, toward the Fayette
street side, four women appeared at a
window. Their screams for help were
heard above the din and roar. The fire.
men shouted to them to stay where they
were. A ladder was put into position.
The evils of overhead wires were again
demonstrated. Thewir prevented the
raising of the ladders. Minutes seemed
hours while one of the ladder-men
mounted the rounds and cut the wires.
Among the frightened women at the
window was Annie Cummings, one of
the servants. Her companions tried to
persuade her from jumping headlong
into the street. While the laddermen
were at work hosting the ladder willing
hands had hold of jumping net. The
Cummings woman jumped with the evil
dent intention of landing in the net, but
missed, and was dashed to death.
On all sides men and women could be
seen dropping from windows or sliding
down the fire-escapes. On the roof of
the boiler house, located at the side of
the building, at one time lay seven per-
sons unconscious and injured.
Cora Tanner, the actress, when
aroused, rushed into a gentleman q
room and cried: "For Gods sake, save
mel" He let her down by rope and
she escaped with only lacerated hands,
saving all her valuables. Other mem
bers of her company also had narrow
escapes.
Following is list of the dead SO far
N known:
Annie Cummings jumped from the
nth floor; killed instantly.
William E. Harrop, Elizabeth, N. j.,
had lowered himself by. rope half way
down from the fourth floor, when the
rope burned off and he fell to the pave
ment. He died at 4 a. m.
Rose Schwarz, an hotel domestic,
jumped from the fifth floor and died
from the shock and internal injuries at
q. m.
An unknown woman, an hotel domes-
tic, jumped from the fifth floor and was
instantly killed.
Inc missing are MARIE DOyle, servant |;
Robert 7. Mills, Of New York, guest; A..
J. Vanhanten, of Jersey City, guest !;
George Wood, Dexter, N. ", guest.
The loss exceeds $125,000 The hotel
cost $50, 600. The furniture was all de-
stroyed. Considerable loss was sus-
tanned by the American Express COM
pany in its building adjoining the hotel.
Individual inmates of the hotel lose
heavily in personal effects. 1t is prob
able the loss of life will not exceed
eight-three guests and five servants.
Thirty-fve were injured.
At O'Clock this afternoon the super
iutendent of public works ordered the
men engaged exploring the ruins to
stop work, as all the missing had been
accounted for.
There was another hotel fire in this
city this morning. About 5 O'Clock
flames were discovered in the kitchen
of the Globe hotel, separate from the
main building. The guests were called,
but only few responded, the fire being
quickly subdued.