St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-03-22
GREAT HOTEL. FIRE.
windsor Burned to the Ground.-Many Lives
Lost.

Lost.
Flames which originated from the ig-
.,;t;no of lace curtain burst forth from
+he second floor of the Windsor hotel, at
Eortv.seventh street and Fifth avenue,
New York, shortly after o'clock Friday
afternoon, just as the st. Patrick's day
norade was passing the building, and in
y few moments the flames had leaped up
n the roof and enveloped the entire Fifth
avenue and Forty-seventh street fronts
ofthe hotel. Ten minutes later the flames
were roaring through the interior of the
hotel and all means OF escape by means
of stairways and elevators were cut off,
and there was the widest scene of excite
ment within and without the building.
The fire was the most spectacular affair
of the kind that could be imagined.
When it broke out Fifth avenue was
crowded with people in the st. Patrick's
day parade, and every window in the
front on Fifth avenue was filled with
neople watching the marching men and
floats in the street. One alarm after
another was turned in and the first OF
the fire engines were not long in appear
ing on the scene, and they caused wild
scramble among the paraders and spec
tators as they rushed along the street
and got into position for service.
In addition to the regular guests of the
hotel the windows were crowded by
large number of spectators, residents Of
the city, who had congregated to witness
the parade. Those on the lower floors
poured out in great numbers. but the
great majority Of those in the hotel were
either panic.stricken or unable to make
their way to the ground. Many jumped
from the windows and were killed.
As soon as the firemen could get their
scaling ladders into position they climbed
the sides and made every effort to save
the unfortunates, and many cases Of
heroism were witnessed. At the corner
of Forty.seventh street and Fifth avenue,
directly across from the hotel, is the home
of Miss Helen Gould, and at her direction
many of the injured were carried there
and treated by physicians and nurses
whom she had sent for.
Origin Of Fire.
The fire was caused by careless man
who scratched a match to light cigar.
cite and tossed it aside, still lighted,
where it fell into the folds of lace cur
tain, causing the wrecking of between 80
and 40 lives and sweeping away 81 $780,
900 of property.
Loss Of Property.
The loss on the contents of the building
is almost total. Twenty thousand dol
lars worth of paintings on the first floor
were a total loss. Many of the guests
who lived at the Windsor regularly lost
valuable property and furnishings, among
them being F. F. Flower, a nephew of
exGov. Russell P. Flower, who, among
other things, lost a package of jewelry
valued at $4,000.
There was 100000 insurance on the
building and SIS 900 on the contents.
The loss on the hotel is estimated at
least at $1,000,000. Several adjoining
buildings were damaged considerably,
but their loss is comparatively small.
All the papers and books of the hotel
are believed to have been saved.
Abner Mckinley, brother of the presi-
dent, with his wife and two daughters,
occupied four rooms on the ground floor,
and escaped without injury. All their
property is lost.
Among the Missing.
Miss Annette Upham of Montpelier,
who has for several years spent her win
tiers at the Windsor, is among the miss
ing. No trace of her has yet been found.
She was quite old and feeble and her eye
sight was quite poor. Miss Upham was
a daughter Of Senator Upham, one of
Veruont's distinguished representatives
in the national congress some two gen.
erations ago. She was sister OF Mrs.
George Langdon, who was prominent
in Montpelier society many years ago
and who lived in the old Upham resi-
dence. She had large private fortune
and gave literally to all benevolent en-
terprises.
William F. Love, son OF Leonard Love,
proprietor of the Riverside at Montpelier,
was one of the cashiers at the Windsor
He was taken to the hospital badly
burned. His hands were badly lacerated
by sliding down a rope fire escape, but
his condition is not alarming.