Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1890-10-23
DEATH In THE FLAMES.
TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE IN 4
HOTEL FIRE.


Between twenty-five and Finy People
burned TO Death In the Leland Hotel,
at Syracuse. N. VA, soene of Wild Con-
fusion--Gussts Crazed with Fright
lSyrRcuse dispatch.l
From twenty-five to fifty lives were
lost early this morning by the burning
of the LELAND Hotel here, the largest
hotel In Central New York. The build
ing will prove total loss. An eye wit
ness says that he saw twenty-five people
lose their lives In attempting to escape,
and a guest who narrowly escaped death
says that fully twice that number have
perlshed In the burning building. Tho
fire started few minutes after / o'clock
this morning, and almost instantly the
large structure was cnveloped In flames
from collar tn roof. Every effort was
made to arouse the sleeping guests, but
the smoke in the halls was so dense that
1t was found impossible to reach the up
per floors, and it is believed many per-
sons were suffocated and their bodies
burned. A number of people Jumped
from windows and wero killed or In
jured.
The fire started In the kitchen near tho
elevator, and shot up the shaft with al
most incredible rapdlty to the sixth
story and burst through the roof. All
the fire engines OF the city were quickly
upon the scene, but the fire continued
to gain headway, and il soon became
apparent that the building would ba
destroyed. The firemcn worked hero
ically to save tho inmates of the hotel
and number were dragged unconA
scious from the first, second, and third
stories, above which the rescuers
nf hn
dense smoke which filled the upper sto-
ries.
The scene was one of the widest con-
fusion. People were seen at tho windows
on every floor, shrieking frantically for
help, which could not be given them.
Many fell back into the flames, fHlntind
and exhausted, while others hurled them
selves from the windows, meeting instant
death on the pavement. Many who cs-
capped from the lower stories will die
from the effects of their injuries, occa-
stoned by the flames and portions OF the
falling walls.
How many victims perished will not
be known until the fire has spent its
force and the debris has been cleared
away. Indications, however, are that
at least fifty persons have lost their
lives, and probably much larger num-
Der. The hotel was well filed with
guests, and though many escaped, it
seems almost certain that the loss OF
life has been very large.
Five bodies partially hidden by bricks
are lying in the alley, but cannot be
reached, owing to the intense heat Two
Of the victims were women, and nre sup
posed from the location of the bodies to
have been domestics who jumped from
A 4 u
their dormItory yr Sa t5inS t9s sixth QG9G from N
window by the aid of rope and had
reached point opposite tho third story
when the rope became ignited from a
burning sill. The rope parted and tho
woman fell to the pavement. Her brains
were dashed out and her body lattened
into shapeless mass.
So great is the confusion and excite
ment that the indentity of those killed
aud injured cannot be ascertained. Tn
dertakers and ambulances are flying in
all directions, and the streets in the
neighborhood Of the Inflated hotel arc
thronged with excited crowds of people.
Every physician in the city is on tho
scene, and the wounded arc Eo.ng cared
for as we'll as possible.
Among those injured is Cora Tanner,
the actress, who was severely burned
about the head and feet. She was play
Ing an engagement at the Grand Opera
House and had a room in the hotel.
Frank Casey of Glens Falls, N. Y,
and Emil Forbes, q prominent brewer of
Syracuse, are among the dead.
Many lives were lost by people crazed
with fright jumping from WINDOWS.
One man says he saw six people jump
from different windows on the Fayetto
street side of the building within space
of folr minutes, and the sight sickened
him with its horror, and he was compel
led to leave the spot.
The building was provided with both
iron fire escapes on the outside and
ropes on the inside, which were the
means of saving many lives. Burnet
Forbes, stock broker, escaped into the
street almost naked. He was slightly
injured about the hanGs. He loses a
gold watch valued at $500 and all his
clothing.
One woman was found with nursing
babe in her arms crouchcd in a stairway,
where she had been overcome by smoke.
She was removed by the iiremcn, but has
not yet rcgained consciousness, and IL is
impossible to say what her name or ex-
pericnce was.
Escape by the stairways was cut of,
and those I'm the upper stories were com
relied to jump. The clerk Of the hotel
began sounding in the alarm by tcle-
phone, but the flames spread so rapidly
that he was driven from tho instrument
and compelled to jump to save his own
life. Nothing Is left of the building cx-
cept the elevator shaft and the chimney.
Tho New York Central Depot, which
is across the street from the hotel, was
in great danger, but was finally saved.
The loss will exceed half million dol
lars. This covers the hotel and furni-
turc, the stores on the first foor and
their stocks. The insurance will prob
ably be about one-half the amount of the
loss.
The hotel was ono of the finest in
Central New York;. IL stood on one OF
the most prominent corners Of tho city,
and was well known TO the travelling
public of the United States. There were
400 rooms In the house, and, owing to its
convenient location as regards the rail-
road depot, IL had always been filled with
guests. The New York Central Rail-
roads station adjoined the hotel. Re-
Gently all the rooms and parlors of tho
house were rcdccorated and renovated.
Elegant furniture was put In, and the
entire hotel given a practically new APP
pearance. IL was six-story structure
built of stone, brick, and iron. There
was an entrance on each corner. Run
ming along the two street sides between
the entrances were number OF stores.
A restaurant was attached to the hotel.
All tho rooms were steam-hcated. Tho