Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-02-22
Panic in Il Hotel.

! the Hotel New Netheriand are just re-
covering from the effects of a panic at
dead of night which they experienced
four hours after midnight Tuesday
morning, the Changing OF twenty-five
alarm gongs contributing largely to
their dismay.
This new hotel, II stories high, elabo-
rate in architecture and costly in FUR
nishipgs. stands at the corner of Fifth
avenue and Fifty-ninuh street, and dur
ing the early hours of yesterday morn
ing matters appeared to be in the most
satisfactory condition. But suddenly
the bang and rattle of fire gongs rang
through the great house, and from eve
ry hallway came the sharp strokes of
the dread signal.
The frightened guests rushed panic
stricken through the halls. They
thought only of escape, and as result
some of the toilets were not quite care
fully prepared, making strange pictures
in the brilliantly lighted halls.
Conspicuous in the wild rush was
Broker Frank Russak, clad only in a
night shirt and silk hat. He covered
the ground with mastery activity,
sweeping down stairs like cyclone.
Close behind him sped white robed
figure carrying poll parrot in one
hand and two carnaries in the other.
1t was Emma Thursby, the weli-known
songstress.
Terrified women scurried in every d.
rection, laden down with as much OF
their personal effects as could be grab
bed in the rush from the bed to the
door. One stout lady, lightly robed in
single ruflled garment Of white, di-
vided the honors of the occasion with
Broker Russak. She swept through
the halls clad as when in slumbcr, save
for the addition Of a spring bonnet and
an umbrella.
Loudly rang the gongs one upon
each of the fourteen lloors-with unre-
mitting energy, and while there was
nothing to indicate fire apart from
the awful racket, few in the terrified
crowd stopped to consider the silua-
tion.
Peter Wright, the hotel manager,
came out in great force. BarefOoted,
but thoughtful, he stood for al instant
among his frightened guests scurrying
down stairs, and made up his mind
that the fire icpd was at work, if any
where, in the kitchen Hither he hur
ried, only to find that he had travelled
in the wrong direction.
A few sturdy men, not to be friehten
cd bv mere noise, scattered through the
hotel to see if they could find the cause
of the trouble. Police Justice Koch
and Messrs. Henry Rosener, d. L.
Cooney and H. p rockingham were the
searchers, and ten minutes after the first
alarm they had satisfied themselves and
everybody else that there was no fire in
the premises. This was hard thing
to do while the fire alarms everywhere
about the hotel were still Changing and
no one could tell the reason why.
While the frightened women were
huddled together in the parlors, the
men reassured by the investiga-
tions Of the searchers started on a tour
of the building. On the twelfth story
they found the solution of the trouble.
/ was there discovered that the thin
glass disc of the automatic fire alarm,
connecting with powerful gongs in all
parts of the house, had been broken
directly in the centre.
1t was hut the work of Il moment
after this discovery to cut the wire and
stop the awful din, which had never for
an instant ceased since the first note.
The scaut ty robed wo nen scurred
back to their hastily vacated rooms,
while the men assembled in the Office
to discuss the cause of the singular
alarm. 1t was evident to all that some
human agency was responsible for the
breaking of the glass disc, which let
loose the pandemonium.
The thoughtlcss blow of a fist or cane might
readily have done it, but considering the
hour, the breakagc and resulting alarm looks
to have been the work of joker or perhaps
some one with sinister intent. Some OF the
hotel guests believe that the alarm was sprung
upon the house by a clever and desperate
thief, probably acting with accompiccs, tho
plan being 10 loot the rooms during the la-
cvitahle panic.
If this is the explanation of the alarm. its
perpetrators met with signal failure for SO
far rs can he learned nothing OF value has
been missed by any OF the guests.
Justice Koch, ut the request of Proprietor
Earle and many of the guests, apprchcnslve
of further trouble, forwarded Il report of the
occurrence TO Captain Schwartz of the eas
Sixty.sevcn,h street station. The police
kept Il close watch last night upon the New
Ncthorland and the neighboring hotcls.-N,
Y. Herald.