The herald., 1894-12-31
Politicians Given a Lively Race
For Life.
JUMPING FROM WINDOWS.
Miraculous Escape of Guests From
Death.
IIsvator Shafts Gave Speed to the Fire
Rumor That Some Of the Servants
PerIshad-Hesvy Losses.
~ THE HERALD neased Wire.

By THE HERALD neased Wire.
ALBANY, N. ". Dec, 30.-The Delavan
house, the MecDa OF politicians and the
center of all bag state political events
for 40 years pset, was destroyed by fire
tonight. 1t wHs s 80 when the political
headquarters of both Mr.. Fish and Mr..
Maltby were filled with politicians and
newspaper man that cries Of fire from
different parts, Of the house caused cons
sternation among the guests. The out
burst of fam bs before an alarm could
be given was appalling. Up the elevator
bhaft shot a solid column of flames
which spread quickly to each OF the FIVE
floors. Fortunately the guest list was
mot very large, and the majority of those
registered we're politicians and were on
the second floor.
LEAPING TO DEATH.
There was 10 rush for the stairs in the
front and fihs servsnts' stairs in the
back, where the flames had not yet
reached, an Il in q few minutes there was
. tumblingj mass Of humanity coming
down these Two means oi ezress. Those
on the two upper floors could not avail
themselvessof these exits, for the flames
were running along the corridors and
people in the street who had not yet
seen the flames, heard a crash of glass
and saw fgmres come tumbling out Of
the windows. Within ten minutes after
the fire atleast IL people were dangling
in rope fire escapes and hanging on the
windowsills.
The department. arrived quickly. but
1t took some time to get the ladders up,
and in tho mes ntime come of the people
had dropped to the street. On the right
side of the building there appeared at
the window surrounded by smoke man
and woman. The man had hold Of the
woman, trying,to persuade her to wait for
help. butshe broke away and sprang out.
She struck q balcony and rebounded
into the street. The man waited for
ladder and was taken down in safety.
His name is H. A. Foskss. OF Dayton,
Ohio. The woman was his wife and
she will probably die.
POLITICIANS ROUTED.
In ex-Speaker Maltby's room, which
was to the rear of the elevator shaft,
when the hrst appeared thare was the
greatest excitement. About 20 polite.
ians were there. including Congressman
Weaver, Congressman Curtis. Senator
Kilburn and Mr.. Maltby. A rush was
made for the stairs and when the party
landed in the street the only injured
one was found to be Assemblyman Rob-
bins W hose hair and face were badly
burned, Although five stories high
there were no outside fire escapes and
the only means left for the people in
the cut off rooms was to use the rope
FIRE escapes.
B. F. Heilman. OF Brooklyn, was in
the third story. He opened his door as
soon as he heard the cry of fire. A
burst OF flame made him look to tie
window as means of escape. He had
but two altsrnatives-a fiery death or q
jump. He choose the latter. When
picked up hs wss dying. Ills wife, who
was in the room with him. tried the
rope fire escape but it either broke or
else she failed to hold it, for ahe fell to
the pavement, breaking her right Leg
dislocating her left ankle and badly
burnt about the face and head.
Edward Walsh. reporter. was caught
In the hall and badly burned.
A QUICK FIRE.
In less than fifteen minutes after the
FIRE alarm was turned in, the entire
building was wrapped in flames. re-
sem bling huge crater, and all hopes of
saving the famous structure were
given up.
The hotel takes in the entire block,
about 11Oxby450 feet. and this was, in
another fifteen minutes, a aeething csul-
dron. only bounded by the four walls.
At 10 80 the east wall fell in and some
Of the fremen narrowly escaped being
buried.
At IL the Broadway wall fell ont and
one fireman was buried in the debris.
He was taken out and ia not thought to
be dangerously hurt.
II is rumored at this late hour that
here are bodies in the ruins and that
mite number of people did not escape.
The clerk says tonight that he is positive
all the guests escaped, but does not feel
10 sure about the help, of which there
was q great number. There lie no way
onight of finding out positively whether
.hese rumors are true or not, and it will
AXE day or 30 to determine.
Mr.. Maltby said. after the fire.:
UTt il inconeeiv vable how ths famas