Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-09
MANY CREMATED.
Horrible Holocaust i'm the
Hotel Royal, New York.
A Number Of the Many Guests
Known to Have Perished.
Identification of the Charred
Remains Impossible
AS MANY FICTITIOUS NAMES WERE
REGISTERED.

Many Were Not Registered at A1l-Those
who Did Escape skipped, Not Caring
to Make Their Identity Known-The
Bodies Taken from the Ruins, in
Almost Every Case, So Badly Burned
There Are No Means of Establishing
Their Identity--Origi of the Fire Not
Known.
New YORK, Feb. 9.-Sunday morning
was ushered in by frightful catastro-
phe, the burning of the Hotel Royal, at
Fifth avenue and Fortieth street, in
which probably more than thirty persons
perished. There were about 115 guests
in the place and also thirty-fve employees,
making total of $50.
To the heroic efforts of the fremen is
due the fact that so many of the inmates
escaped fiery death.
Impossible to Secure Names.
The Hotel Royal, five-story struct-
ure, usually had among its transient
guests a considerable number of men
and women who registered under fcti-
tious names, such as John Smith and
wife, or did not register at all, and, con-
sequently, there will be much difficulty
in securing an accurate list of those per-
sons who perished. Most of those who
escaped did not care to make their
identity known, and slipped out of sight.
This fact increases the difficulty in Sc
curing the names of many who We're
probably in the hotel, and whose charred
remains now defy recognition.
Many Thrilling Escapes.
The fire was discovered at 3:05 a. m.
by Mrs. Isabella Mears, wife of the pro-
prietor. She awakened her husband,
and together they tried to escape from
the third story. Mears contrived to
reach the ground by dropping from an
outside window. His wife failed to fol-
low his example, but was ultimately
rescued by firemen.
In the meantime the alarm had spread
through the hotel, and scores of alright
ed people appeared at the windows.
The scenes then became agonizing.
Many in their terror leaped from the de-
vouring flames to death on the stoue
pavement beneath. Others, while not
killed by the terrible fall, were badly
mangled and crippled for life.
A guest in one of the upper stories.
named Kraemer, escaped death almost
by miracle. Springing to the window
of his room he opened his umbrella, and
tying shawl strap aboat it to prevent
it from turning upside down, he leaped
boldly out from the window sill, holding
the umbrella in such way that it acted
as a parachute, and partially checked
his rapid descent. He landed ON the
pavement without serious harm.
Many other thrilling escapes were seen
by the crowds of excited people and the
fremen gathered in the streets beneath.
The Hotel Royal was built more than
twenty-five years ago. Mears leased it
thirteen years ago. The loss ON build
ing and furniture is estimated at $780,
000 The building was owned by Hyman
Israel, of the Bowery.
The Search for Victims.
There are immense crowds around the
ruins and the work of digging for human
remains is watched for with eager in
terest. One hundred laborers are en-
gagged in the work which is going on
steadily hour by hour. 1t is difficult
matter to remove the outer surface of
the ruins and get at the interior.
Sunday five bodies were taken from
the ruins.
The sixth body to be taken from the
ruins was found Monday morning. It
was found in room ON the top floor on
the Fourth street side. 1t was apparent
ly that of a woman but was so badly
burned as to make Identification well
nigh impossible.
At 9:20 the seventh body was found
1t was that of a man. 1t was lying in
mass of ruins and had evidently fallen
with a mass of timber from an upper
floor.
At 10 o'clock the eighth body was
found. 1t was that of a man. 1t was
lying among debris in the cellar of the
hotel.
How many charred and mangled bod
les are still buried beneath the ruins is
question of horrible uncertainty.
Besides the three taken out Monday
five others have been recov-
ered-three men and two women, the
last four unidentified. The bodies of
many others may be hidden in the
wreck which chokes up the wide space
the blackened and disfgured
walls.
Over $50 in the Building.
From a careful examination of the
lotel register and the journal, which
was furnished by Night Clerk Under
wood the number of persons in the
building when the fire broke out was
52. OF these, eight are known to be
lead. Eighty-one were rescued by the
iremen, assisted by the citizens, before
he walls collapsed, and tifty-one are
missing.
Many of ths Rescued Injured.
Of those who were resued from the
tanning building are twenty-four who
more or less seriously burned and
bruised. Three of these are at the Belle
7ue hospital and there is one each at the
New York hospitals. Others are with
friends at the neighboring houses.
1t is not improbable that a number of
hose who are still among the missing
nay have escaped the frightful fate
which so many are known to have met,
Jut the thought of the possible loss is
appalling. Until the great heap of
bricks and mortar and half consumed
Jeams and rafters which are packed
lightly into the death pit have been re-
moved, no one can tell what that awful |
grave will disclose.
Dead.
Henry c. Levy. wholesale clothier Of |