The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-15
HOTEL RAYNONDGONE
Pasadena Great Winter Resort
Destroyed by Fire.
NOT A STICK LEFT STANDING.
The CHESTS All Escape. but save Only
Themseive<-The Loss Hall
Million Dollars.

Los Angeles. Cal, April 1.-THE Hotel
Raymond at Pasadena. ten miles rem
Los Angeles. was totally destroyer ay aFe
al SD this afternoon Not SUCK o. TIE
famous resort Is left The motel was
crowded with tourists, but they ali es-
capped with their lives. although ward
robes and other possessions we're en-
r1rely consumed The cause OF the HrS
Is not YET known There was no insor-
arlce. The Raymond was one or the most
famous health and pleasure resorts IN
the United States. 1t was very la~se
structure. built entirely Of wood. and vas
located on a hln commanding masnh-
cent view OF the san Gabriel valley
In less than an hour from the time the
fire was discovered IN the cupola 81 the
southwest corner of the building the huge
wooden structure was level with the
ground and the only thing left standing
10 mark the spot was the tall brick CHM
ney OF the furnace. The FIRE was diseCV-
cred at 3-.o by a boy outside, who saw
a cloud OF smoke issuing from the "ln-
dows OF the cupola on the fourth story.
The alarm was at once given, put the
flames burst forth before q drop OF Mater
could be brought, and the strong VINO,
almost q gale. which had been blowing
all day. carried the flames at an alarm
ing rate. There was no hope Tor the
building from the start
There were about 80 guests in the hotel,
loo of whom were members OF the Car
Accountants Association. whose special
train stood at Raymond station. The
guests acted in an orderly manner. and
some succeeded in saving Few personal
effects. though most OF them lost every
thing In the building. No one was IN
jured seriously, but In trying TO save
something a few were burned about the
face and hands. and one of the guests
was we'll shaken up in jumping from the
.nf nf fh. do he ais r =
alarm was sounded in each room as soon
as the fire was discovered. and In less
than ten minutes every person had left,
except a few man servants, who tried to
save the trunks. The hotel was supplied
with FIRE apparatus. but no one remained
10 work II, as the heat was too intense.
The Hotel Raymond was built n lSsi by
Walter Raymond. of the Raymond Sc
Whitcomb Excursion Company. which has
hotels in New England and Colorado also.
The great building stood on an sminence
overlooking the San Gabriel valley. The
cost of the building was almost a half
million dollars. and the furniture cost
$4,000. The building and furniture were
insured for sasa,ooa in Boston. New York
and San Francisco companies
Col W. f. Wentworth. the resident
manager OF the hotel. was in the. office of
the hotel when the alarm was turned in.
He cried like a child as the flames from
the huge structure went SkyWarCs nut
later he was concerned only FOR the COM
fort OF the guests and the army OF ser
wants employed about the place. Many
OF the guests and most OF the help went
at once TO the Green hotel IN Pasadena,
where quarters are secured for them.
The servants were mostly imported from
Boston and other New England points.
They lost the greater part of their ef-
fects. and are left destitute. Col Went
worth said they would be cared for and
returned 10 their homes I'm the East.
There is a mystery about the origin OF
the FIRE. though the accepted theory is a
defective hue. The building was lighted
throughout with electricity from plant
In the basement
sightseers are gathered around the
is left OF what was more than S590,oo
worth OF property at noon.
The general impression Is that the hotel
will be rebuilt at once. 1t was an impor-
tant factor I'm the Raymond & Whitcomb
Excursion Company's big enterprises. and
was opened each winter under the man.
agement OF Col Wentworth. while Went
worth hall, In the New Hampshire hills.
a famous summer resort, which was under
the company's management. was closed.
The same help was used IN each hotel.
During the last few years many famous
people have made the Hotel Raymond
their winter home. and the enterprise.
though a gigantic one was always consid-
cred a good paying one. The manage
ment had just prepared plans for extern
sions and improvements to be made dur
ing the coming summer.