The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-08

bulance surgeons from the Bellevue and
New York hospitals. The surgeons had
their hands full In taking case OF tho in
jured mud MANNED.
All this time tho fire was raging hercsly
and 1t was evident the building was doomed.
lhe STRUCTURE burned like kindlinR wood,
'Ihe work OF reseuing the guests still went
on nnd MANY were taken from tho windows
ind Patrolman Phillips, OF fire patrol No.
=. went into room on tho fourth hoor
front and rescusd Walter IA. Phelps and
wife, taking them down tho ladder safely.
lucy succeeded in saving Mrs. Samuel
| kniff. who WAS about to leap from ono of
windowa on tho third floor.
Frederick Uhlman has been tho guest Of
| the hotel for yonrs and lived with his
/ brother, Simoi and his mother. The latter
two yesterday went to their country resi-
dence at Lakewood, N. J. Mr. Uhllnan
mad gone to bod shortly after ono O'Clock
ana was seeping aoundly when he WAS
indely awakened by the cry OF "are' and
the screams and shouts for help Of the in
mates Of the house. He ran from his room
on the second floor, directly over the
smoke and was forced back into his room.
Again he made the attempt, and, falling
over some obstruction in the pasanReWay,
succeeded in making his way downstairs.
he escaped with only an oyercoat to cover
his naksdnesa. Mr.. uhlmann lost every
thing in his room, including $1 GOO III cash,
several checks. notes and other valuable
business documents. Despite his loss. how
ever, MIR. Uhlmann was cheerful to-day, for
| he said: IF mother and brother had not
gone away Saturday they would have been
| burned.'
Among tho narrow escapes was that of
ID. q. Thompkins OF this city, who was
transient guest NJ the hotel. He was
awakened from his slumbers by the cry OF
fire, got up and went into the hallway, hut
Il GSCHEE uGWn4tn1rs jutrnGaJf,fn InI.
lectlnR hisghluableH, lie escaped ont OF a
i window down Il rope In descending tho
flames, from tho second-story window
burned his hands and acorched his hair.
4 Mrs. Il. Knapp. Of Chicago, had q room
OH the hfth floor. she lad presence OF
mind enough to wrap wet towel around
her head TO prevent being sutfocated, went
to the window and waited until rescued By
Q burly policeman. Mrs. Kueper and
daughter, Of Flemington, N. J., occupied q
taken from their room down a ladder.
| They Lost all their clothing save the night
dresses they had on. Mrp. Kueper suffered
from shock. and Miss Kneper's long black
hair was singed by the flames which burst
over her head az She stepped on the ladder.
4 young man slid down rope. touring his
flesh to the bone. One of the most thrilling
escapes was that of young man named
Noonan of Jersey City. Noonan has re-
Gently married. and had just returned from
7l CAUCAAcA WEAu1Ab Il4p. LIZ CStnl0 EO bu6
city yesterday to celebrate the event with
his friends, and after Il night of it went to
the Hotel Royal and took room on the
fourth floor. Noonan was awakened by
shouts of fire and looked about for way
| of escape The flames filled the halls. and
he went to the window. swung himself from
i the sill of the window below, and from one
window to another until he reached the
ground.
/ These escapes occurred, of course, before
the wallis Of the building fell. When they
went 1t was with crash, and great cloud
4 of flames shot up into the air, and the
crowd shrank back from the peril of falling
walls. Fireman Brennan, OF hook
and ladder company No. Z, was
caught il the 1alhng debris ana
their utmost at the time 10 stop the pro-
gress OF the flames, which threatened to
ehyelop the adjoining buildings. When the
walls fell people were seen at several win
dows on the top floor crying for help. but
they tell back, and were soon buried in the
ruins. A woman and child were standing
at window on the sixth avenue side, and
we're seen to fall into the fire. Policem An
Calllghan saw at a window on the fourth
floor a young girl, an old man, and a little
child, AS he looked the floor gave way and
they dropped into tho flaming abyss. In
spector Burke saw four persons perish in
the flames on the Sixth avenue side.
The flames of the burning building illu-
mined the sky for miles around and drew
to the scene an immense throng Of people.
News of the disaster spread throughout tho
length and breadth of the city and trisnda
of those who lived in tho hotel hurried to
the spot i'll fear and trembling. At the
the morgue the same scenes were re-enacted
which characterized tho Park Place disas-
ter. At eight O'Clock the first dead wagon
arrived from the scene of the holocaust,
bringing four unknown bodies. At one
O'clock the body of Fl. j.. Levy, travelling
salesman. was brought in. Miss Mamie
Flaherty came with two of her friends tx,
inquire after hate Reilly; chambernaid
who had gone Oh the night watch and was
without doubt dead. Eliza Brady, OF 20
Chambers street came to enquire for her
sister Annie, employed at tho hotel. She
failed to find her and left weeping bitterly.
Several persons called to see IL a Mrs. Van
Norden was among these whose bodies
were recovered. she was the wife OF n
travelling salesman.
! Further inquiries wore made during the
evening ut the West Thsztieth street police
station for the following who are among
the missing: Kate Reilly, elizabeth Dona.-
hue, Maggie Guilber. May Ryan and Susan
Smith, chan,bermaids; AMMO Cummings
Mrs, Van Norman, William e. McLain and
wife, and .. A. Murphy. Among others in
quired after MIR. and Mss.l4ockhart, perma-
/ nent guests who came from Scotland OH 4
! visit to this country.
After the hre had sufficiently cooled,
search was made for the dead. II was at
once rewarded by tidding n charred body
almost burned to a crisp. The remains
were identified ms those Of Henry j. Levy.
The walls we're then found to be in dan
perobs condition and it WIS deemed mecca
sary to pull them down before continuing
the search for the dead. force of 100
men will be put to work early tomorrow
morning clearing away the debris.
/ Tho hotel was built over twenty-five
years ago. In 1882 it WAS remodeled and
an adaitidfeS1tassllt on the south side. The
house was tho homo of many persons in the
theatrical profession and was patronlzel
chiefly by transients. Many families, now
ever, made it their permanent place Of res-
idence. The loss ON the hotel and turni-
tura is estimated at S25OGO0. The building
was owned by Hyman Israel, furniture
dealer on the Bowery.
The origin of the ti:e is unknown. II
started in the basement near the elevator
shaft, which was located i'll the middle of
the building. The flames were first seen
pouring out of ths oupola on the roof. di-
rectly over the elevator shaft, by tho eng-
uoer OF Il Sixth avenue elevated train, who
stopped his engine directly III front OF tho
hotel and blew his locomotive whistle loud
and continuously. Tins unusual sound
awoke many sleeping peopie and brought
policemen to tho scene, who Mt once sent in
a fire alarm. When the fire WAS finally got.
ton under control there was general in
uuiry as to who had taken lodgings at tho
= ,eaA..