The state herald., 1892-02-12
TERRIBLE FIRE IN NEW YORK.
The Royal Hotel Destroyed and Nearly
Fifty Persons Perish.

A disaster paralleling in horror
and probably exceeding in loss Of life tie
terrible occurrence in Park Place, tho re-
membrance OF which is fresh in tho public
mind, occurred in Now York early Sunday
morning. The Hotel Royal, at Fortieth
Street and Sixth avenue, was burned to
tho ground and largo number OF people
wcrc burned to death, many suffocated by
smoke ana others crushed 10 death In the
ruins. 1t Is known that there wero 120
guests In tho house. There were also
some hfty-five employees In the house. OF
these six have been found dead, six are in
the hospitals and sixty-threo have boen
reported alive, either by themselves or
friends.
AT this writing 1t Is impossible to state
the number Of killed or injured with any
positiveness. The police place tho number
OF killed at fifty, while they admit tho
number of injured will bo very large.
1t was q few minutes after 8 o'clock IN
the morning when tho flames were first
discovered. They never had better fuel.
The building was composed of several old
structures, all amalgamated into tho Hotel
Royal years ago. So far US can be learned
the flames kindled in the shaft of the ele-
vator in the basement, ut about tho middle
depth Of the building. a janitor was at
work in the basement ut the time, and was
suddenly frightened by the flashing Of the
flames. He rushed to the street and nou-
fed the policeman on tho Sixth avenue
corner, who sent in IN alarm, while the
ianitor rushed back into the building to
arouse tho sleeping guests.
In fifteen minutes the whole Of tho six
story structure was ablazo. Flames shot
out from every window In the front Of
the house and people In the street could
see persons rushing frantically TO and fro
on every floor of the burning building.
One, two, three alarms were sent out in
rapid succession, and the streets and ave.
nues were soon filed with fire engines and
trucks. Other alarms brought ambulances
from every hospital In tho city. The most
heroic efforts Of the firemen were impotent
against the devouring element and tho
whole middle portion OF tho sky was bril-
liantly illuminated by tho tremendou
blaze.
AioiipNihH bNcuCs Ncit WithtsoGu W
those who were assembled In sight Of the
burning hotel. One unknown man sprang
from window on the third floor and was
dashed to death on the sidewalk before
the Mortified eyes OF the spectators. This
terrible scene was enacted on tho Sixth
avenue side OF tho building. A moment
later another man lenped from 0 window
on the Fortieth street side and was man
gled to death on tho sidewalk. Shortly
afterwards two women jumped from win-
dowa on the Sixth avenue side OF the
them UP, but they wcrc ucau. -rncrf
bodies were ut onco removed to the
morguc. Thus, already, had four livcs
been sacrificed. From other windows Of
tho doomed hotel women had lcaped In
their mad cndeavor 10 escape from the
flames, nnd so far rs known mono Of them
were killed outright The ambulance Dir.
gcons who were summoned Us soon Us tho
fire was discovered had moro than they
could do TO attend to the burned aud la.
jurcd people.
At $50 tho walls fell In md all hope Of
rcscuing my other unfortuuates was at IN
end. A great number Of thrilling expert
ences and had narrow escapes are reported.
One Of tho most thrilling escapcs Of tho
night was that OF young man named
Noonan Of Jersey City. Noonan had boon
but recently married. Saturday night ho
came over to the city TO celebrate tho
happy occasion with his friends and aftor
long and iovial season he WINS taken to tho
Hotel Royal, where hc was snugiy put 10
bed by his companions In room on tho
fourth floor Noonan was awakened from
his sleep by tho shouts OF firc and cries for
help OF tho women and men. For a mo-
ment he was dasod, but IN an instant ho
collected his scattered senses. Hc looked
out Ii the hail, but there was no escape
there. He looked out OF tho window and
no ladder was near him so he. with the rcn.
idcncc OF an athlete, swung himself from
the window-sill 10 tho window below and
from one window 10 another he descended
until he reached III ground.
There aro various theories us TO tho
cause OF tho fire, but nothing certain Is
known.