The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-02-08
FEARFUL HOLOCAUST
The Hotel Royal, New York City,
in Ruins.
MANY LIVES ARE REPORTED LOST.
a Disaster in Horror Paralleling the
Park Place Occurrence.
4 NUMBER OF THRILLING ESCAPES.

Narrowing Scenes Witnessed by
Those Who Assembled in Sight of
the Burning BuiidinG-Gucsts Leap
from Windows to Escape from the
Sea of Flames-Fircmen and Spec
tntors Work Brayely to Preserve
Life.
NEW YORK, Feb. s.-A disaster par
alleling in horror and probably exceed
ing in loss of life the terrible occurrence
In Park Place, the remembrance of
which is fresh in the public minds, oc-
Cured here early yesterday morning.
The Hotel Royal, at Fortieth street and
Sixth avenue, was burned TO the ground
and large number of people were
burned to death, many suffocated by
smoke and others crushed to death in
the ruins.
1t is known that there were 1873 guests
In the hotel at the time the fire broke
out. 1t is believed that many Of the
missing persons will be found to have
escaped. Police Sergeant Cooper, of the
Westh Thirtieth street station house.
baid that he believed that 10 more than
twenty-five people were killed and six
injured, while others place the number
Of killed at fifty.
Where the Fire Originated.
It was few minutes after o'clock
yesterday morning when the flames
were first discovered. They never had
better fuel. The building was COM
posed of several old structures, all anal
gamated into the Hotel Royal years ago
So far as can be learned the flames
kindled in the shaft of the elevator in
the basement at about the middle depth
of the building. The janitor was at
work in the basement at the time, and
he was suddenly startled by the flashing
up of flames. He rushed to the street
and notified the policeman on the Sixth
avenue corner who sent in an alarm,
while the janitor rushed back into the
building to arouse the sleeping guests
The blaze had already shot up the eleva-
tor shaft, finding kindling as inflamina-
ble as tinder i'll the frame work, and
James L. Powers, of the Straight Tip"
company, smoking his good cigar on the
piazza of the Gedney House, Broadway
and Fortieth street, saw the flames. Mr..
Powers rushed to the nearest fire alarm
box and sent in an alarm before the
sixth avenue policeman could reach his
nearest box. In fifteen minutes the
whole of the six story structure wa
ablazo. Flames shot ont at every win
dow in the front half of the big hotel
and people in the street could see pei
sons rushing frantically TO and fro o.,
every floor Of the burning building. Th
windows We're filled with people H.
their night clothing making heartrend
ing appeals to the people below fo.
help, while behind them was n great SCI
OF flames. Indeed these unfortunate he
ings seemed to be actually in the fire.
Terrible Scenes Enacted.
narrowing scenes were witnessed by
those who were assembled in sight o,
the burning house. One unknown man
Bprang from window on the third floor
and was dashed to death on the side
walk below before the horrilied eyes OF
the spectators. This terrible scene wa.
enacted on the Sixth avenue side of til,
house. A moment later another man
leaped from a window on the Eortieth
street side and was mangled to death
Shortly afterwurd two women jumped
from windows on the Sixth avenue side
Willing hands grasped them up, bG
they We're dead. Their bodies were II
once removed to the morgue. Thus al.
IttluJ IHtl lOul HIVES bttu Ntu'ItlltEt1
From other windows of the doomed
structure men and vi men had leaped
in their mad endeayor to escape from
the flames, and so far as known none oil
them were killed outright, but MANY
were badly injured. The numerous am
buianee surgeons who We're sunmone,
as soon as the fire was discovered had
more than they could do to attend L,
the burned and injured people.
willing Hands at Work.
Firemen and spectators helped to rc
cue the imprisoned guests and elnployc-
Many We're taken from windows wher1
they had sought refuge from the FAM
and the firemen dared smoke and flaInt
to save life. Sergeant Ward and Patrol
man Phillips went into room on the
fourth floor ana took Walter II. Phelp
and his wife safely down ladder. OH
Ger Phillips succeeded in saving Mrs
Samuel Knapp, of Chicago, who was un-
able TO save herself and was about t.
leap from window on the third floor
Mr.. Frederick Uhlman, well known
dealer in hops, has been guest for
years. His mother and brother also
made the hotel their abode. Saturday
his brother Simon and Mrs. Uhlman
went to their country residence at Lake
wood, N. J. Mr.. Uhlman had gone to
bed shortly after o'clock and waasound
asleep when he was suddenly awakened
by the cry of fire and the screams fol
help by the other inmates. He ran out
in the hallway. He found the place
filled with smoke and he was forced bach
into his room. Again he made the at
tempt and after falling into some OBJ
etructions in the passage way succeeded
in feoling and groping his way down Il
the street. He had on nothing but hi,
night shirt, but some one threw him ar
oyerooat. and barefooted, and with tht
coat about his shoulder, he walked sew
eral blocks to another hostlery.
Mr.. Uhlman's Great Loss.
Mr.. Uhlman lost everything in hi
room, including 600 in cash, severa
checks and notes and other yaluabl,
business documents. Among the mar
row escapes related is that of William
c. Thompkins, of this city, who was {
transient guest. He was aroused by the
cry of fire and finding escape by tn,
stairs impossible coolly packed his thing,
and lowered himself to the ground by
means of the rope fire escape which hi
2ound in the room. When on the grounC