New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-20
THE ORIGIN OF THE FLAMES.
TWO GUESTS WHO DO NOT BELIEVE THEY
WERE STARTED BY a MATCH THROWN
INTO 4 CURTAIN.

1t was learned yesterday that the opinion Is
general among the guests Of the windsor 'ha'
the fire did not originate through the 'gh''o"
Of a curtain in the southwest corner OF me ho'e"
II has been said from the first that man Oh
the second floor was seen 10 light cigarette
and then throw the match toward the DOW VIII
dow at this corner. The match. which Is sup
rosod 10 have been still lighted when thrown
away is said t. have lodged in a curtain at the
window. which Immediately burst into flames.
This story is reported to have come from
waiter. who asserts that he was witness or the
starting Of the fire. but says he cannot remem-
her what the man looked like who threw me
match A number Of people were found yester-
day who discredited this story entirely. Theo-
dore Howard of this city who was a guest at
the Windsor expressed his disbelief Of this
story.
In tho first place" he said ut was seldom
that there were any men on this floor Of the
hotel The floor was devoted to the use Of
women and was like the paror floors in most
/ hotels in being used by them almost exclusively
OF course IL IL possible that some men may
have been on the floor when the fire broke out.
The ST Patrick's Day parade was passing al the
time YOU know and every one was AZ the WIN
dovs watching IT, There may have been
party AT this particular bow window which IN
Guided both men and women. But even II that
was | doubt II any or the men was SinOklHe
They were with women. and in rooms devoted 10
the use Of women-if indeed. they were there
and there are certainly few guests Of the WIND
! sor who would smoke under such circumstances
/ And again | do not think il possible that such a
! widespread conflagration could have developed
in so short time from a burning curtain YOU
/ must remember that this window at which they
say the fire started was in far corner OF the
| building.
Now. from the time the fire started IT was
not ten minutes before the whole building was
/ i'm flames How any such fire could spread as
quickly that from burning curtain in a
! corner Of the hotel do not see
w Cooper Of this city. who was a guest at
! the Windsor also said he could not see how
the fire could have spread so quickly from such
| q small beginning.
/ said Il had Just come uptown from the Hof-
man Cafe. where had been with two friends.
! II has been my custom to take a nap in the
/ afternoon in my room. hut was persuaded by
! my friends to forego II that day. If | had fol-
/ lowed my usual custom ! would have been
asleep in the hotel when the fire broke out. and
/ ! am sure | could not have escaped. II seemed
to me a pretty good example of Providence
taking a hand in the affairs OF men. ! was
! walking through Forty -seVenth-st. from Madi-
son-ave TO Fifth-ave., and | saw the fire first
from the MadisOn-ave. side. The rear Of the
hotel was one mass OF flames then. and saw
the building was doomed. | hurried around "a
the Fifth-ave. side where they say the fire
started. and. although there was great deal OF
smoke and flame could easily that the fire
had done much more damage In the rear Now
IL the fire started in front certainly the front
would have had more fire at that time than the
rear I do not believe the curtain story. | am
sure that the fire started In several places al
once and yet such a coincidence would have
been remarkable But II is the only theory
| consider plausible. OF course when the fire wa:
| once started the wide starways and the 25-foo
| well were perfect means Of rapid transit foI
| the flames
! Colonel Thomas 7. Ochtree who occupied
! Room No - on the second floor OF the Windsor
| and is now at the Waldorf Astoria. last nigh
| gave his opinion 81 the cause OF the fire.
/ The parade was responsible for it, he said
/ II was in a room next 10 the elevator and jus
/ over The boileT-ro The room was hlled viii
more than two hundred paintings. the collection
/ Of a man who was temporarily absent from th'
hotel. Mr. Leland permitted me 10 use the room
as a special favor ] should thiDk That the col
/ lection was worth not less than SloJUDo
The parade drew every cmploye ID tho hOfe
from his post Ny theory Is that the boiler rai
dry IN the absence az the engineer and exploded
| ] know that the flames came up from under m
1 room and apparently from the boiler-room.
| THE fire found free vent up the elevate