The record-union., 1892-02-08


selves. Those known to be dead. and
whose bodies We're recovered, were not
al ldennned. In fact only one was iden-
IIned with any degree of poSitiVenesS.
ms Is believed to be IL. c.. Levy. 1t is
feared that a search OF the vast smoking
pie OF debris i'll the cellar will reveal
many ghastly finds.
reports at late hour tonight say that
no less than 100 people are still unac-
counted for.
THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
The guest who probably had the most
narrow and at the same time the most
marvellous escape was NJ l.. Harman, a
travelling salesman for st. Louis whole
sale grocery house. He registered at the
hotel Saturday night with his Wife, 81
had room on the sixth tioor," said Har-
man, land was aroused from my sleep
by-a loud, cracking noise and the sound
OF whistle, which / think was from one
OF the engines on the elevated road l
opened my door and found the stairway
Leading to the lower floors in blaze. L
then went to the window and opened it,
and there seemed to be as much smoke
on the outside as in the hallway, for my
room was soon filled. Both my wife and
wonld have sutfocated in the room had
we not taken two towels, which we
soaked with water. These we used to
Keep the smoke out of our lungs by hold
ing them over our mouths and nostrils.
Il tried to find a fire escape near the
window, bat there was none, and l
thought at one time we should never get
out OF the room alive. 1t was certain
death TO Jump six stories, and as it was
that or burn to DEATH / said to my wife
Matte, am going TO shoot you and kill
myself | concluded that it would be
better to die that way than be burned to
death, and as | always sleep with a re-
Volver under my pillow, [ hurried to the
bed to get IT. By this time the flames
We're coming up through the cracks Of
the floor and through the cracks of the
door,
ust as | was about to shoot my wife
the Iloor fell with a crash, and we went
down two stories. The flooring stopped
opposite window and my wife jumped
out and landed on the portico beneath.
a rope was hanging out Of this window,
ana with this assistance l managed to get
down another story, but there l stopped
anq tell TO the portico beside my Wife, l
picked her up, but was unable to carry
her, ana was almost suffocated, and the
tall had injured me. How | reached the
street l do not know"
Harman is confined to his bed at the
Gedney House, his hands and chest Sc
vereiy burned and his hair and eyebrows
7Ai' ssC't' 1IO N1S lOlu GO-UdS UHaJ his
wife was being cared for at one of the
hospitals, and that she was not fatally
injured. 1t is believed, however, that
she is one OF the dead.
WHERE THE FIRE STARTED.
The origin of the fire is unknown. Tt
started III the basement near the elevator
shaft, which was located in the middle of
the building. Flames We're first seen
pouring out Of the cupola on the roof
directly over the elevator-shaft by an
engineer OF SiXth-avenue elevated
train, who stopped his engine directly in
front OF the hotel and blew the Iocomo-
tive whistle loud and continuously. This
unusual sound awolle many sleeping
people, and brought q policeman to the
scene, who at once sent in fire alarm.
When the fire was finally gotten under
control there was general inquiry as to
who had taken lodgings at the hotel. and
who got out IN safety. Neither the pro-
prIetors nor attaches could give the names
of but few of their personal acuuaint-
ances. Then a call was naturally made
for the hotel register. 1t could not be
found, although 1t was apparent it had
not been destroyed. Search was insti-
tuted, and an enterprising newspaper
man was found making off with it, think
ing thereby, doubtless, to secure "beat''
on his contemporaries by printing the
exclusive list of the names. But he was
despolled of his prize, and may have to
answer to charge of larceny in the bar
gain.
SAVED BY AN UMBRELLA.
There was nos even rope fire escape in
the room on the second moor which Felix
salesman for Steinway ~
Sons of New York, occupied, and had it
not been for kraemer's experience at
rnS on In IL
would be numbered among the victims.
Had not had a strong umbrella should
either have been burned or killed bv
jumping" said Mr.. Kraemer 81 have
been burned at hotels three times now.
AT fire at Warrensburg, Mo-. a guest
by using an open umbrella 10
ease his fight from the upper story win
dow. never forgot it, and since have
always been provided with a strong uln-
brella for an emergency.
AS soon as | reached the window I
opened my strong um brella quickly and
put shawl-strap over it so as
TO prevent it from turning inside out.
and then | made the leap. / did not go
sailing gracefully out into the air and
land lightly on the ground beneath, but
l landei without any broken linn bs, and
am all right now. The umbrella partly
turned inside out just before | reached
the ground and / got something of jar,
but should think myself lucky if I had
escaped with broken leg, for [ never
before saw a fire burn so tiercely as the
one which consumed the hotel | ran
into the office as soon as l reached the
ground. l was the first person to get
out Of the hotel and l cannot imagine
how many Of the guests got out alive. l
saw Meaers and the night clerk in the
office. For Gods sake [ cried why
dom t you turn in the fire alarm?'
Invent to the Gedney House, registered,
secured a suit of clothes which did not fit
me, and returned to the fire. Even at
that time the fire department had not ar
rived, and men, women and children
were at the windows screaming for some
one 10 save them. | saw two or three
people jump from the windows. 1t was
ten minutes after | returned to the fire
before ladder was raised to any of the
windows. | heard there We're more than
LOO people in the house when l got out.
and cannot understand how more than
twenty Of them escaped with their lives.
1t will be difficult matter to convince
ne that many Of them were not roasted.
There was court in the rear of the hotel.
Many windows in side rooms overlooked
t. Here believe dozens of people lost
heir lives"
STARTLING STATEMENT.
NEW YORK, Feb. IA. M.-The World
has the following: One of the scrub
at the Hotel Royal made a start
ing statement to World reporter last
hight. She said at o'clock in the morn
ng. when she left the hotel to go across
he street to sleep, Engineer Harding was
trunk. She saw him stagger, she said.
md others told her that Harding was
seen under the influence Of liquor earlier
II the night.
Night Clerk Underwood denied the
story when it was repeated to him. He
aid that Harding was steady man, and
vas sober on Saturday night.
The chef of the house said yesterday
hat one of his cooks may have left a !
crease pot on the stove and that it
lnilnd nNei. hIlrrliIn the fnt In tI,n+