The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-31
Flames Gallop Through the HOstelry.
Causing Many Fatalities aud Hair
Breadth Escapes.
FACE TO FACE WITH DEATH
BOTH MEN AND WOMEN GUESTS
LEAP FROM THE WINDOWS.
Bradley Martins Among Those Who
We're Driven to the Street, Los
ing Their Jewels and Clothes.

Sembly received starting baptlSm OF 1lre
here tonight for the Delavan House. that
famous nostlery known from Maine to
California, the Mecca of politicians and the
center OF all big New York State political
events for forty years. was burned to the
ground. Fire is not an uncommon visitor
but fire such as this tonight has seldom
political headquarters OF both Mr. Fish and
Mr.. Malby were filled with politicians and
newspaper men. State Factory Inspector
Connolly, who had been in the lobby with
a number OF people, started to go up the
elevator He remarked that he detected
smoke and suggested an investigation. Be-
fore it could be begun there were cries OF
fire from different parts of the house
The outburst of flames before an alarm
could be given to arouse the inmates of
the rooms was something appalling. Up
OF flames and up the stairway near this
another column hared. AS the mass of
white hot fame reached each of the five
floors it branched out with rapid destruc-
ton. 1t seemed as If the whole interior was
instantly fired. Fortunately the guest list
was not very large and the majority of
those registered were politicians and were
down on the SECOND floor, where Mr.. Fish
and Mr.. Malby had headquarters. There
was a rush for the stairs In the front ana
the servants stairs in the back, where the
flames had not yet reached. and in a few
minutes there was a tumbling mass OF
humanity coming down these few means of
egress. Those on the two upper floors could
not avail themselves OF these exits, for the
and people on the street, who had not yet
/. seen the flames, heard crash of glass and
sYw figures come tumbling out of the win
, dows. Within ten minutes after the first
note of alarm at least twelve persons were
dangling on the insufficient rope fire escapes
or hanging on to the window sills
A wOMAN'S WILD LEAP.
The department arrived quickly. but it
took some time to get ladders up and in
the meantime some of the people had
dropped to the street. On the right side of
the building there appeared at a window,
surrounded by smoke, a man and a wom-
an The man had hold OF the woman trying
to persuade her to wait for help,
but she broke away and sprang out.
She struck a balcony and rebounded to
the street The man waited for a ladder
and was taken down IN safety. His name
was H. A. Foakes and he represented a
cash register company in Dayton, o. The
In ex-Speaker Malbys room, which was to
the rear of the elevator shaft where the
fire first appeared. there was the greatest
excitement About twenty politicians were
Curtis, Senator Kilburn and Mr.. Malby. A
rush was made for .he stairs and when the
party landed in the street, the only in
jured was found to be Assemblyman Rob-
bins. whose hair and face was badly
burned.
In Mr.. Fish's headquarters there was
less hurry because they were near the
stairs. All got down safely, but many left
their baggage. E. A Manchester, OF Au-
burn, postmaster of the ASSEMBLY ran to-
wards the baggage room for his grip. Re-
turning, he found his way blocked with
flames and smoke and rushed back to a
window. He smashed 1t out and slid down
the rope fire escape. Although five stories
high, there were no outside fire escapes
the cutoff rooms was to use the rope fire
escapes.
B. F. Heilman, of Brooklyn, was in the
third story. He opened his room door as
soon as he heard the cry of fire. A burst
| of flame made him look to the window as
the means of escape. In an instant he had
| but two alternatives-a fiery death or a
| Jump. He chose the latter and plunged
| through the window. When he was picked
| I'D from the sidewalk he was found to BIZ
| badly injured. He viii die. His wife, whe
| was In the room with him, tried the fire
| escape, but it either broke or else she
| failed to hold to it. for she. too. came to
| the pavement heavily. Her right leg was
| broken, her left ankle dislocated and she
| was badly burned about the face and head
| In less than fifteen minutes after the
( fire started the entire structure was
| wrapped in flames. From the windows oi
each of its five stories smoke poured In
| volumes and few minutes later the flames
belched forth. In twenty minutes the build.
| ing resembled seething crater and it wa.
| plain to the thousands Of spectators wht
had gathered trat it would be entirely de-
| stroyed. Edward Walsh. porter. was
caught in the hall. Before he could get ouI
| he was very badly burned and had to bs
taken to the hospital.
THE BLOCK DESTROYED.
The department. with nine streams OF
water pouring into the building gould de
absolutely nothing at all to stop the on
slaught Of the flames and the osy work
mas t. save surrounding property. Tht