New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-08

herald the desperate leap which ended III DEATH
-Four times during the early stage Of the lire peo-
pie took the perilous chance They were two
women and two men, and TO each it brought i'll
stantaneOus death. One woman, as she leaed,
struck a policeman, who carrying another
woman down ladder, and all came to the ground
together. The woman who being carried by
the policeman sustained no severe injuries, nor
did the policeman. iiut the other woman struck
on her head and did rot STIR
CARING FOR THE WOUNDED.
As fast as the injured people came down the
ladders ropes they were bundled into ambu-
lanccs and driven to hospital. Many were taken
to a drugstore. No record was kept Of them, and
it was almost impossible to say how many had been
thus saved. Those who escaped without injury.
for the greater part, avoided observation as SON
as they possibly could, and it will be impossible
to tell just how many guests escaped and how
many were killed except by finding the bodies Of
the latter. Many OF the guests registered under
hctltlous names, and not deSrOus of having
their friends know that they in the hotel.
lhey Will probably, therefore. not come forward
to say that they are safe. On Satur-
day nights particularly the Hotel Royal
Is full Of such transient guests. The first
estimate was that there had been l65 guests in
the hotel Afterward this estimate was reduced,
and in an interview yesterday afternoon with Fire
Marshal Mitchell, Mr.. Meares, the proprietor OF
the Hotel Royal, said that there were 1873 per-
sons in it at the time of the fire That the hotel
was full is known. for Mr. Aleares said yesterday
that out of the 100 rooms in the hotel only four
were unOccuped at l a. m. To those who saw
how the building blazcd up from top to bottom
in less than half hour, enveloping itself in
ring of fire. it seemed incredible that many should
have escaped with their lives, and many think
that under the mass of ruins and rubbish there
are many dead people.
IT BURNED LIKE MATCHES.
That the place was a trap was apparent from
the way in which the hotel burned down in less
than two hours, like box of matches which sud-
denly take fire. As TO the facilities for escap-
ing from the hotel in such cases as this, MIR.
Mearcs said that the hotel fully supplied with
iron fire-escapes in the rear The rooms fronting
SiXthave. and Fortieth-st. were supplied with
ropes, according to his statement. That there
were ropes at least in the building. is
shown by the fact that there is long rope hang
ing out of a sccOnd-sory window from that part
OF the hotel which was situated over the bar in
Sixth-ave But the other hand, from
window in the fourth story of the same part Of
the building there hangs charred piece OF what
was evidently bedsheet twisted into a rope.
This hardly looks if that room, at least, had
been supplied with rope. One of the guests who
escaped also said that in his room
there was no rope, and other guests
said that the ropes were too short.
The fire burned till about a. m, and went OUT
just when dawn began to break.
Rarely has aercer blaze been seen in this city.
At 3 80 o'clock in the morning there was left Of
the hotel only the outer she'll Inside of it I'M
controable flames aged. which did not cease their
work till everything that was combustibe had
been destroyed. Through the gaping window
openings could he seen red glowing timbers spd
joists, writhing and falling, while at times the
flames burst from every opening from top to bot
tom Of the great building, till it enyeloped in
q wreath Of dancing fire. Only occasionally did
clouds of smoke obscure the building. During the
greater part Of the time the burning hotel sh0ne
in great glare of light reflected on the sky for
miles around. The Of the fire was broken at
short intervals by the sudden crash of falling floors
or walls, and now and then By mufiled reports like
explosions.
DANGER FROM A FALLING WALL
One such report was heard at o'clock, and fol-
lowing il there came cry of fear from the watch
ing multitude. for the north wall, fronting on
Forteth-st., which had been swaying for some
time topped forward and thundercd down into
the street, seemingly right on top of the many fire.
men who were playing streams of water into the
blazing mass. As soon as the wall fell thick,
black cloud of smoke rose and hii everything
For while the crowd waited in suspense, but when
the smoke cleared away cheer arose from the
watchers as il was discovered that the fremen had
escaped
After the wall fell the fire seemed to rage more
iercely than ever The blazing square was then o
glowing furnace. on which the many streams Of
1T
have not the slightest effect. On the Sixth-ave.
side the watertower spouted its unceasing stream
into the upper stories, from the streets the many
lines of hose poured water inoo every available
place. yet the fire seemed as fierce as ever.
Half an hour after the FOrtieth-st. wall had
fallen the wall at the corner OF that street and
Sixth-ave. fell inward Again there thick
smoke, followed by tiercer flames. The streets for
blocks around were covered thic<ly with ice, from
the torrents of water, and the hose and walls
cleaned Enthusiastically in the haring light.
CROWDS HURRY TO THE SCENE.
The rafting and changing and heavy humping
of the engines. the great light in the sky and
the noise and shouting of firemcn and police
men attracted immense crowd 10 the spot
1t seemed as if the alarm had hardly been sent
out before the streets leading the scene became
alive with people. The news of the great fire
spread rapidly, and horse cars, elevated trains
md cabs brought spectators from all parts OF tho
,ity.
Inspector Steers at made preparations for
handling big crowd, and the fre-lines were
established at Thirty-nnth-st. and Forty-first-st
)ne hundred and fifty policemen from the Nine
cenh Precinct enforced order and kept the streets
lear. Bryant Park, which is opposite the hotel
vas one mass of faces, all illumined by the flames.
Blown along slowly by the gentle south wind. q
,reat canopy Of sparks driftel and hung high In
he air over the park. so thckly crowded were
hey that they hid the sky. and TO one looking
Upward it seemed blazing curtain spread over
read.
elevated railroad engineer did good ana