The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-12-31
A FAMOUS TAVERN.
MECCA OF NEW YORK,
Full Of Politicians at the Time II Caught
flre-.Thought That not Many
Lives We're Lost.

Albany. ". Y, Doc. 3O.-The Delavan
house, the mcccu OF politicians and the
center 0f all big state political events
for forty years past, was destroyed by
IRE tonight. IL WIS $3.50 when the po-
litical headquarters NJ both MIR. Fish
and Mr., Moltby were hlled with poli-
| iclans and newspaper men, that cries
Iof FIRE heard In all parts Of .hr
houso caused condemnation among the
guests The outburHt Of flamcs before
nm alarm could be given. was appalling.
/ Up the elevator shaft shot a solid col
umn Of flames, which spread quickly
10 each Of the Ave floors. Fortunately
the guest list was not very large and
the majority OF those registered were
politicians and were down on the scc-
ond floor
| There was rush for the stairs in the
front and the servants stairs IN the
back, where the flames had not yet
reached. and In "A few minutes there
was tumbling mass OF humanity
coming down these two means Of egress.
Those on the upper floors could not
avail themselves OF these exits, for the
flames were rushing along the corridors.
and people In the streets who had not
yet seen the flames heard the crash Of
glass and saw figures come tumbling
out OF the windows.
Within ten minutes after the first
note Of alarm several persons were
dangling on the insufficient rope fire
escapes or hanging To the window sills
The department arrived quickly. but
II took some time 10 get the 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 window. surrounded by
smoke a man and woman. The man
had hold of the woman trying to per-
suade her TO wait for help, but she
broke away and sprang out. She
struck balcony and rebOunded 10 the
street The man waited for a ladder
and was taken down in safety. His
name is Foakes, and he represents a
cash register company In Dayton. o.
The woman was his wife and she will
probably die.
In Ex-Speaker Maltby's room. which
was 10 the rear Of the elevator shaft
where the fire first appeared. there was
the greatest excitement. About twenty
politicians were there, including Con-
gressmen Weaver and Curtis. Senator
| kilbourn and Mr.. Maltby. rush was
made for the stairs and when the party
landed In the street the only injured
one was found To be Assemblymau Rob
bins, whose hair ana face were badly
burned.
! Although i've stories high, there was
/ no outside fire escapes. and the only
] l..rs H..
rooms was the use OF the rope fire es-
capes. Il. +. Hielman. 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
10 the window as the means OF escape.
! He had but two alternatives-a fiery
death or a jump. lie chose the latter
| When picked up from the sidewalk he
was dying. His wife, who was In the
room with him. tried a rope fire escape,
but IL either broke or else she failed to
hold 1t. for she fell to the pavement.
Her right limb was broken her left
ankle dislOcated and she was badly
burned about the face and head.
In less than fifteen minutes after the
! fire alarm was turned In the entire
building was wrapped in flames, re-
sembling q huge crater. and all hopes OF
saving the famous structure We're given
up. The hotel takes in the entire block.
about ll0NlA0 feet, and this was In an
| other fifteen minutes a seethiug caul-
dron. only bound by the four walls.
At 1880 the east wall fell in. and
some OF the hremen narrowly ESCAPED
being buried, At II 80 the Broadway
wall fell out and one frn was
buried in the debris lie was taken out
and Is not thought to be- dangerously
hurt.
u is rumorcd at this late hour that
/ there are bodies In the ruins, and that
quite n number of people did not es-
| cape. The clerk says Tonight that he
/ is positive all the guests usraped. but
does put feel sure about the help, Of
4 Nhom there was a great number
/ There Ia no way Tonight of finding out
positively whcthcr these rumors are
/ true or not and Il Will take day or 81
/ to determine or The 100 or more
guests not one saved more than the
1 clothes they wore
The Delayun house was 1fty years
I old, aud one OF the most famous hotels
] in the country, II ls Il part pf the cs-
4 tate OF Edward &. pclayan Hurley &
I Moore, the pruprIetors paid $4,000 a
/ year rental and lately had made vast
improvements in expectation OF a big
winter season. The total loss Is estl-
mated Mt 100000. with an Insurance OF
$500 900
ON the ground door ~ the Broadway
side of the hotel block two firms had
stores one was that Of Helser, Muhl-
fielder q Co.. dealers in knit goods. and
the other that of polby & Co., dealers
I'm clothes. Roth stocks were ruined.
The loss To zach viii De about S25 0)O,
neatly covered by insurance.
.arEf.t az .flsslVls lWrI :
many were destroyed and section OF
the city ~ In darkness. The fire ragged
iirrccly for nVe hours. ana was not en-
ltrely uucnched until morning.