The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-02-07
THE PARK HOTEL IN
ASHES.
GUESTS ROUTED OUT In THEIR
NIGHT ATTIRE.
ONE GIRL BADLY BURNED.
One Of Somerset's Handsome and
Historic Buildings Destroyed.

the State, was burned 70 the ground betweer
three and four o'clock yesterday morning.
The fire originated in the cellar and has
gained such headway and was burning viii
such awful ferocity when discovered tha: .
thousand streams Of water could not bsv,
saved the doomed building.
The inmates Of the hotel were driver
from the burning house in their nigh
clothes, and thus clad were compelled ie
heein their bare feet through the chill
winter air and over snow covered streets
10 the houses OF persons living close by fol
shelter.
Ella Harmon, domestic, was overcome
by the smoke and after being badly burned
was saved from incinerslion BY the heroic
action Of Mr.. Lew Yannear. Mrs. Van
near escaped from her bedroom through a
window and reached the ground by means
OF ladder.
All Of the guests and attaches of the hotel
barely escaped with their lives aud none Of
them saved any Of their personal effects.
Mr.. Yaunear's loss is estimated at $4,000
insurance SIS, 300. Among the other heavy
loosers by the fire are Mr.. Charles H. Fisher,
whose loss viii foot up not less than 81 POO
Rev. Mcbride, Of the Methodist Church,
whose loss is about 800, and Mr.. George
Krebs, whose loss is about $500. None OF
these gentlemen carried any insurance.
STORY or THE FIRE.
1t Was few minutes before three O'Clock
NJ ",
near was aroused by bright light shining
through one OF the windows Of her bed
room. She called her husbands attention
TO it and be started 10 investigate. Before
leaving the room be learned that the glare
was the reflection Of fire in the lower part
of the building. Hurriedly descending the
stairs be found that the cellar was seething
mass OF flames and that the building was
doomed. RetTacing his steps as rapidly as
possible be told his wife to dress and fee for
her life while be would arouse the guests
and hired help The three or four dOmestics
occupied the most peFiiOus position in The
house, rear rooms in the new addition, and
to these Mr. Vannear first went. He pound
ei upon the doors and cried TO the inmates
Of the rooms that the house was on fire and
they should escape from it as quick as posi-
be All of the girls responded to the sum
mons and all, save Ella Harmon followed
Mr.. Vannesr down the rear stairway and
out Of the house. Finding that Miss Har-
mon was missing Mr.. Vannear leaped up
the two fights of stairs a second time and
found the girl lying at the top in an unoon-
scious condition. She was badly burned
about the face and arms. He gathered her
in his arms and carried her from the build
ing. She revived soon after she reached the
open air and was removed to the home Of
Mr. Elias Cunningham, where DR.. II. S.
Kimmel dressed her wounds. 1t appears
that the injured girl became panic stricken
and instead of following her companions
down the rear stairs she attempted to escape
through the front part Of the building. The
new wing in which the girls rooms were
located is connected with the original build
ing BY hall way the halls were separated
By 5 temporary door and through this Miss
Harmon bOlted into mass Of flames.
Turning as quickly as possible she started
for the rear stairway and when she reached
the top she fell unconscious.
Meanwhile Mr.. and Mrs c. S Vannear
became aroused by the confusion in the
house. When Mr.. VAnnear opened the door
oftheir,room be was met by 4 cloud of dense,
black smoke. Realizing instantly that the
house was on fire Ms. Vannear run through
the hall on the second floor and awakened
the one transient customer in the hoase-a
iewelry salesman-snd then made her way
to the third floor where the family of Mr..
Charles H. Fisher, Rev. kcBdde and Mr..
George Krebs had rooms. She aroused all of
these people and bid them hasten from the
house If they wished to escape from burning
up. Then she returned to her own apart
ments where her husband had partially
struggled into his clothes and was throwing
as much Of the furniture and bedding as he
could out of the window. Mrs. Yannear
had only partially dressed herself when the
flames entered her apartments and she and
her husband were compelled to seek safety
on the roof Of the veEanda surrounding the
front part Of the house. From here they
reached the ground by means Of a ladder.
The occupants Of the third f Dor were in a
great state Of excitement. Their rooms were
filed With smoke and the cracking Of the
burning ;imbars below added terror 70 their
position. Mr.. and Mrs. Fisher wrapped
their two children in blankets and carried
them - the street. Then Mr.. Fisher rushed
back to their rooms q second time in a vain
effort to recover some Of his fAnily's wear
ing apparel.
Rev. Mcbride, in the excitement f5llow-
ing the alarm Of fire, was unable to unlock
the door Of his rOOm. After repeated IN
successful Efforts to do 50 be fell ;sinst the
door y iih all Of his strength and broke it
from its fastenings. Then be felt his way
through the smoke, along the walls Of the
hall to the stairway. one side ofthe stairs
was in flames, but he rushed through them
and escaped without injury. All be saved
from the fire was an old pair Of pan;aloons
and a vest.
George Erebs did not hear } r.. Vsnnear's
cries of alarm and when he heard The cry Of
&" fire. concluded that it was in some other
section OF town and cJa.d ger along without
his presence FINALLY be heard some one
CRY the fire is in this house." and then it
was that be ieapei out Of bed and opened
the door of mis- room. Hastily gathering up
the Oldest suit in bis wardrobe and an over
coat be started for the stairs Returning to
his room he secured his watch and then fed
from the burning building.
The jewelry salesmln was the only guest
of the hotel who escaped without loss. He
had prepared to leave town on the A
NJ train His trunk was in the hall on the
first floor and be had all Of his personal
effects in a condition to pick up and so on
a moments notice.
While all the above was transpiring the
residents os the town had been alarmed and
led BY the clouds OF fame and smoke were
soon st the scene Of the FIRE. The first
comers were able to save only a few pieces OF
the household furniture from the hotel
when the heat became so intense that they
were compelled 10 abandon further efforts
The residences Of Capt W. H. Sanner,
several rods west OF the hotel, and OF Mr..
Elias Cunningham, about l50 feet e ist of IT.
were in immenent danger. Bstween the
sznner house and the hotel stood two
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