Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-10
A NARROW ESCAPE.
t. A, Clark's Early Morning
Flight from Burning Hotel.
A Worcester Man Nearly Becomes
Victim in the Recent GIoyersvllle
Holocaust.

There is one Worcester man who be-
lieves ne was born under a. lucky
star. He is Thomas A, Clark, buyer
for the mems furnishing department Of
the Boston Store, and he was a guest
at the Inflated Alvord House. Glovers-
ville N. Y, when that hotel was burned
Feb. 1, escaping by the narrowest mar
gin in the world. Mr.. Clark was one Of
a party of six gentlemen, all buyers for
firms in the Syndicate Trading Com.
pany who were taking trip through
the glove manufacturing district of
northern New York, inspecting the fac
tories and placing spring orders. He
arrived home from his eventful journey,
Wednesday morning, and was found by
a Spy reporter at his desk in the store,
surrounded by congratulating friends.
who We're eagerly listening to the story
of his hair-bre adth escape. Mr. Clark
said:
we arrived in Gloversvifle early Mon
day evening, and registered at the AL
word l was given q corner room in
the second story, and the other five OF
the party were scattered through the
four floors of the building. We were
making this trip, you know, by invita-
ton of the manufacturers, and, as their
guests, were treated with great atten-
ton by every one Several Of the lead
ing business men were waiting for us
on our arrival, and under their escort.
we made the rounds of the three prfn.
cipal glove factories, returning to the
hotel at about 10 O'Clock. There was
a playful discussion among us as TO the
hour we should be called in the morn
Ing, but the leader of the party insisted
the call be set for 6.45, as we had a
hard day before us ON the morrow, and
carried his point despite the protests of
the rest Of us against such an unearthly
early hour. We afterwards were CRATE
full enough for his firmness, because it
was that early call which undoubtedly
saved all our lives.
Il went to bed about II. and was
awakened at quarter of seven by the
call. 1 rolled over and pushed the but
ton back, to show I was awake and hay
for a few seconds to arouse my energies.
when there came loud knock at my
door. This struck me as odd. sat up
| in bed. The atmosphere of the room
seemed pecultar-hot, close, sitting. I
sprang to the door and opened it. A
| binding sheet of flame and smoke well
coined me. The corridor was all
/ ablaze. In an instant hurried on my
dash for window. could not stir
it; it was frozen down. After a struggle
| which seemed an eternity but which
lasted probably only few seconds, L
succeeded in dislodging it from the top.
threw out my shoes and hat on the
verandah, and was about to follow them
| when / remembered my vest held nv
watch and all my money. 1 went back
and got that, and also my coat.
When ] climbed out on the veranda,
all was pandemonftlm. The smoke and
flames, mingled with the shrieks and
calls of the inmates of the burning
| building, were horrible And, to crown
| ALL it was bitterly cold-10 degrees be-
low zero. The hotel was simple four
story wooden structure and had no fire
escapes, and no ladders could be found
| long enough to reach beyond the second
| story. Numbers saved their lives by
jumping from the windows The two
| feet and a half of snow on the ground
broke their fall and prevented broken
bones; still, you can imagine the sensa-
ton Of coming out of a warm room and
springing, with little or absolutely no
clothing on, into a snow bank, with the
thermometer below zero.
while l was putting on my shoes
and waiting for a ladder to be raised
to me, / was aroused by piercing
screams about 10 feet away. There was
d WOuldH CldQ Only III 0ST Night OTeSSy
hanging tightly to a blind fastening. I
encouraged her on to the veranda and
helped her down the ladder before me.
She was a Mrs. Strauss of Brooklyn.
N. Y The townspeople were very kind,
and took US right into their houses,
where they did everything possible to
relieve us, with clothing and stimu-
lants. There were who persisted in the
building, but, so far as l known, none
of those who were saved Is any the
worse for his or her exposure. In 20
minutes from the discovery of the fire.
the building was q mass of ruins. and
in five minutes from the time of that
knock on my door, my room was i'm
flames. So you see it was quick work
/ lost my underwear, my overcoat, lew
elry and practically all my belongings;
but 1 am satisfied.
''One member of our party was fully
dressed when the alarm came He stood
at the window with his wallet contain
ing $135, a valuable gold watch and a,
bottle of medicine. He tucked the med
icine carefully in his pocket, threw the
watch and pocketbook out Of the win
dow and then jumped himself. When he
landed, he walked away, leaving his
watch and money In the snow. He
never thought of them for half an hour.
When he remembered them, he went
back, put his hand under the snow
where he supposed they might have
fallen and pulled up the pocketbook. His
watch was afterwards restored to him
by townsman.
Another of our men, Mr. MaIoney of
Springfield, Mass, was taking a sponge
bath, and escaiS@d without stitch Of
clothing but towel. Being ON the
fourth floor, he did not dare, to jump.
but climbed down by means of the
water pipe and the blinds. When saw
him, wouldn't have given five cents
for his life. He was shivering bitterly.
his chest and body were one mass of
deep cuts received during the descent,
and bleeding profusely, and he was raw
ing like maniac. However, a liberal
supply of blankets and a warm drink
brought him around all right Almost
every one was on the verge of insanity,
from the excitement and exposure, and
there were enough funny incidents to
fill a book.
Our party did not get together till IL
O'Clock, every one believing the others
lost The rest of my trip I stuck to
ground floor sleeping rooms, and you
can bet I'm always going to do so af-
ter this even if it is a brand new, sheet
steel, flre-proof asbestos lined hotel
with fire escapes, a rope and long lad
1pt. in a1yav-xr srory,,