The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-02-08

HOLOCAUST AT NEW YORK.
Hotel Royal Burned and an Unknown Num-
ber OF Lives Lost-1O0 Persons Missing.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Feb. IA disaster parallel
ing in horror and probably exceeding in
loss of life the terrible occurrence in Park
place. the remembrance of which is fresh
In the public mind. occurred in this city
early this morning. The Hotel Royal, at
Fortieth street and Sixth avenue. was
burned to the ground. and large number
of people were burned to death, some suf-
focated by smoke and others crushed in
the ruins. 1t is known that there were 12O
guests in the house at the time the fire
broke out. There were also fifty-five en-
ployes of the house. Of the occupants six
have been found dead, six are in hospitals
and sixty-three have been reported alive,
either by themselves or friends. This
leaves one hundred persons missing. The
police have searched that part of the ruins
accessible. but have found no bodies. They
believe that many of the missing persons
will be found to have escaped. OF these
many are supposed to have gone to their
homes. They are mostly transient guests.
and it is believed q large portion will
never report their escape. At this writing
it is impossible to state the number of
killed or injured with any positiveness.
The police place the mum ber of killed ut
thirty to fifty. while they admit that the
number of injured will be very large.
1t was q few minutes after o'clock this
morning when the flames were first discov-
cred. They never had better fuel. The
building was composed of several old
structures, all amalgamated into the Hotel
Royal years ago. So far as can be learned
the flames kindled in the shaft of the ele-
vator, in the basement at about the middle
of the building. A janitor was at work in
the basement at the time, and was sud-
denly frightened by the flashing of flames.
He rushed to the street and notified the
policemen on the Sixth-avenue corner. who
started at once to send in an alarm. while
the janitor rushed back into the building
to arouse the sleeping guests.
FLAMES SHOT UP THE ELEVATOR SHAFT.
The blaze had already shot up the ele-
vator shaft finding kindling as infiamma-
BILE as tinder in the frame work. and James
T. Powers, of the straight Tip" Company,
smoking his goodnight cigar on the piazza
of the Gedney House. at Broadway and
Fortieth streets. saw the flames. He rushed
to the nearest fire. alarm box. and sent in
an alarm before the Sixth-avenue officer
could reach his nearest box.
In fifteen minutes the whole of the build
ing was ablaze. Flames shot out of every
window In the front of the house and peo-
pie 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 avenues were soon filled with
fire engines and trucks. Other alarms
brought ambulances from every hospital in
the city.
People leaped out of the windows to the
sidewalks, and were gathered mp uncon-
scious, burned, MANNED and mangled. by
the firemen. and carried to places of safety.
The most heroic efforts of the firemen were
impotent against the devouring element.
and the whole middle portion of the city
was brilliantly illuminated by the tre-
mendous fire which the hotel made.
Crowds soon gathered. and Captain Reilly.
with the reserves from the Thirtieth-
street station, bad more than their hands
full In controlling the excited throngs. 1t
was known that the hotel was full of peo-
pie. for it was q popular resort for thou
sands. and the loss of life was expected to
be great. The windows were filled with
the people in their night clothing. making
piteous and heartrending appeals to those
below for help while behind them was q
great sea of flames. Indeed, these unfort-
innate beings seemed to DO actually in the
fire.
JUMPED To THEIR DEATH.
Narrowing scenes were witnessed by
those who were assembled in sight of the
burning hotel. One unknown man sprang
from a window on the third floor and was
dashed to death on the sidewalk below
before the Mortified eyes of the spectators.
This terrible scene was enacted on the
Sixth-avenue side of the building. A
moment later another man leaped from q