The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1892-02-12
Big FIRE IN new YORK.

A SECOND CLASS HOTEL rs BURNED
In WhicI, Rainy Persons Loses Their Lives
Horrible Scenes. a;any Leap From This
Windows And Others Come Down Or
Ropes.
new YORK, Feb. l0.-About 3 o'clock
this morning fire broke out in the base
ment of fve-story brick Alildipg, J6aS 't
500 Sixth avenue. known as the Hote
ROYAL, Of which Richard Mea:s is the pro.
pretor. The hotel was completely dis
troyed, the lose being estimated al
S250000
Soon after the fire broke out ambulan-
ccs arrived from various hospitals. Many
physicians, whose residences were in the
ncighborhood, were quickly on the scene
and did all they could to relieve the injur-
ed. Nearly every one of the I24 rooms
which the hotel has on its five floors
we're occupied last oight By guests. many
of them transient. In fact all the rooms,
save four. had been taken at l clock this
morning, hen Nj Richard Mears, the
burst forth IRON ONE unknown cause
Near the ELEVATOR haTt the entire build
ing was instantly enveloped in flames.
Mr.. Mcars had cniy retired ut O'clock
and was Aroused with difficulty. He sprane
out Of the bed and ran into the hallway
Volumes of smoke iillcl the halls and the
flames were making their way rapidly M
the elevator SHAFT. Their apartments
were on the third floor and far from the
stairway. A glance at the situation was
enough to tell hin the story. He ran
back to his wfc's room and shouted
You follow me-" snatchod up his coat
and again rnn into the hall. He fought
his way straight - the stairway, suppos-
ng that his wife vas close behind him
The passagcway was chok I'd with tho
dense smoke, which almost stranglcd him
Then throwing his pvercoat over his head
low and CROPPED tbs way to the banislcr
on which he placed his left hand. The
flames were shooting up from below. His
hand, which was OH the railing, Was burn
cd aud his hair was singcd His situation
was pcri,ous. To run down for two flights
meant death, and SO he SWING himself
over the hand rail and dropped 20 feet to
he ground floor. He landed on his feet
without broken bone and made his way
to the street.
Mr. Mcars WAS among the first to leave
tho burning building, and when he made
his exit he did il before the arrival OF the
first engine. But even in these few min
utes tie flames Ind gotten their grip 81,
the lated structure. and the fire was shoot
ing from all the windows of the upper
floors. When MIR. Mears reached safety in
the street, then he realized that his
wife was not With him. At the moment a
hook and ladder truck arrived. BY aid of
ladders, Mrs. Mears and another lady were
saved with slight injuries Before the
fire companies arrived one, man whose
name was not known sprang from third
story window AID was dashed to death on
the ground below The people turned
their faces away Mortified at the sight.
This was on the Sixth street side Of the
building A moment later another man
leaned from the window on the Fortieth
street side and was instantly killed.
Shortly aftcrward Two womenj Jumped from
the windows on the Sixth avenue side and
were dead when picked up. Their dead
i In ~ ;ofb trn
station house and afterwards being uni
Identified were removed the morgue.
The people dropped from the windows
or sided down ropes, which every room
in the hotel Was provided, and others with
their wits about ,he.n, used the fire es-
capes to good advantage a considerable
number Of those Who escaped By these
means from upper stories were badly
scorched by the flames bursting from the
lower windows One young lady lost s
fine head Of hair in this way, but escaped
serons harm. One young man. who is
something Of an athlete, let hlrnsel down
from window 20 window, and Suffered moth.
ing worse than n few burns. When
the walls fell pcop.c were seen at severn
windows on the to- hoo9. crying for help
but they fell hack and were soon buried
The hotel is in ! ns. II was built more
than twenty-five ycars ago 1t was for.
merly kept BIZ Peris & Butler. but Moars
leased il fifteen years ago. The house
was the home Of many persons in the the
atrical profession, aud was PATRONAGE
chiefly by trnnsielIs for the night.
Many families, However, made it THEN
permanent place O. residence The dlab.
crate restaurant waf literally nutroniZed by
class of people who kcr' late hours il
the upper portion O The ''tentlerloiu" dis
trict. After the f,c had sufficiently cooled
to permit an examination Of the ruins, q
search was made for The dead. The search
was ut once rewarded By the finding of q
carried body, almost burned to II crisp
] was almost unacceptable, but was
identified as that Of Henry j. Levy, from
q ring on one of his fingers. He is of the
firm Of levy, Strauss & Freeman, whole
sale clothiers.
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TaE GAREA MOVEMENT.