The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-03-31
GUESTS PANIC STRICKEN.
One Killed and Several injured by Fire
in a Boston Hotel.

BOSTON, March 3O.--A AoIror, f1vallng
that of the Hotel Royal fire in New York,
was barely averted at Clark's Hotel this
morning. At about half-past four, while
the eighty guests in the house were
asleep in their rooms, fire started in the
basement of the building, and in a few
minutes the lower portion of the hotel
was in flames. Volumes of smoke poured
into the rooms above. The guests were
awakened by the constant changing of the
fire gongs in the corridors and the loud
cries of fire. Grabbing what clothes
were at hand a rush was made for every
means of exit Some rushed down
through the smoke and heat through
the blazing office to Washington street.
Others frantically sought the exit which
leads to Avery street. Those on the up
Der floors crowded upon the fire escape
in the rear on Avery place, and amidst
cries of alarm climbed down the iron
stairs. Ten of the male guests sought
escape from the threatening flames by
coming down the fire ropes. Of these,
three could not retain their grasp on the
ropes because of the burning and blister
ing of their hands by their rapid descent,
and losing their hold they dropped to the
pavements below. The following is a
list of the injured:
Ernest W. Perry, aged So, residence at Leo
minister agent for Fairbanks Co., four ribs
broken internal injuries and scalp wound. He
died at the hospital.
Thomas w. Southland, age 81, residence -
buckingham street Cam Ga1mtb,rldge, compound
the knee and injuries to a nand
Charles P. Lipsee, age 45, Brooklyn, N. Y.
slight injury to hands by burning.
The first floor soon became a seething
mass of flames. 1t presented the pic
ture of a fiery furnace, as looked down
upon from the second floor through the
air and light well in the centre. Despite
the energetic efforts of the firemen, they
were unable to get. the fire under control
and at 4.52 a second alarm was pulled in.
This brought out an additional force, and
the combined streams pouring their con
tents into the very heart of the fire soor
had effect.
When the fire gongs rang in the corri
dors of the hotel, terror and fright seized
upon the occupants. A scene of the
greatest confusion ensued. Men and
women. some scantily clad and others
hastily buttoning their clothes, made fol
the nearest exits. Thirty or forty of the
| occupants, who were on the three upper
llOOIS, IuSntu lOT bL0 1lIO cSCebpo III ulle
rear, on Avery place. Then hasty
scrambling down the ladder began. Wher
the lower landing of the fire escape wa'
reached, there was no one who seemed
to know how to lower the iron ladder tx
the ground below. Patrolman Goss, O
Station 4, who was on the scene shortl,
after the fire started, shouted to thu
panic-stricken people not to jump, ant
directed them how to let down the lad
| der.
During the fire, a number of .fremel
were hemmed in in the basement by the
flames, but were rescued. Their escape
| was a narrow one.
The burned portion of the building i
owned by Edward Bangs. The loss O
the building is estimated at $4,000. Th
lessee, Marcus G. Clark, suffers loss 0
$4,000; insued. Charles Green 6 Co.
tailors, 5s5 Washington street, lost froI
$4,000 to $4,000 by smoke and water
partly insured.