New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-19
HORROR STRICKEN CITY LEARNS THE DETAILS

As the details Of the great fire which de-
stroycd the Windsor Hotel. in which so many
lives were lost. on Friday afternoon begin 10
smooth themselves into one connected story
the more disastrous does the terrible affair De-
come. II was possible last night to arrive at
the conclusion that at least seventeen men and
women were known to have lost their lives
either by being burned or by jumping from the
burning building into the street below. IN"
number of those who were believed TO have
been within the walls of the hotel when the
fire started but who have not yet been ac-
counted for. was somewhat increased yester-
day. but the list was considerably changed. as
some Of those who had escaped but had not re-
ported their safety found time and occasion to
do So
II was not thought last night that when the
ruins could be searched thoroughly many bodies
would be discovered.
II was impossible however, for anything Ike
n search 10 be made yesterday among the
ruins. for they had not sufficiently cooled. IL IS
therefore probable that not for several days
will the exact extent of the loss of life be
known 4 force Of labOrers began work on part
Of the runs about 6 o'clock last evening, but
did not accomplish much.
THE CITY HORRORS1 XII MN
The horror of the awful disaster was hard
upon the city yesterday. Little else was talked
of anywhere. and little else was read In the
newspapers The awfulness OF the sudden rate
that overlook so many persons in broad day
light gave rise TO much speculation as to what
would have happened had the fire broken out
in the middle of the night From TINS point
tbe public Imagination turned to what would be
likely 10 happen in certain other hotels that are
no better prepared to cope with sudden ou'-
breaks Of fire than was the Windsor HoteI. AS
near as can he ascertaned at THIS time' the
Windsor Hotel was provided with all precau-
tlons against fire and all the fre-escapcs thac
the law demands. But the fact remains that
tbc fire could scarcely have burned with more
rapidity had the building been constructed WIN
an eve to making one grand bonilrc out oi IT,
Commissioner Thomas j. Brady, OF the De
partmcnt Of Buildings. said that the hotel was Il
fretrap i'm the sense that every hoteL HOS
pital. theatre or building of similar pnpDc
character erected in accordance with the Duiid-
inc laws that prevailed before 1872 was hre-
tran a plarr Of certain peril in time or hre'
Continuing. the Commissioner said:
..Thc latest report of the Windsor when
have been able to find is that made III Aprl OF
1So3 by John J. Montgomery. inspector OF the
sixth district of this city. lie reported mat
while the building was not of the hreproot con-
structicn required hy The new law ot that year
for all future hotels. il was vet very Sale oy
reason of precautions taken in obedience 10 our
orders Four standpipcs and small eNiihgulSh-
ers Of various kinds throughout the builhing
were among those precautions All rooms
where fires were kept burning were sulticleh'!
0rc-proofed. -Four alarm gongs on each hoor
could he sounded from the office. where mere
,yos q diroct wire TO thc Fire department Head
quarters.
no FIRE ESCAPES At FIRST.
"\o 0rc-escapes are included in the original
uIon Of the Windsor Hotel rs filed on June l''
ISL and approved by Deputy Superintendent
Walter Adams | myself as Il boy watched the
puttipg up of the building, which was me
nn. for that day II was not until lSso mat
RuiIdjnc Superintendent Esterbrooke ordered
fr,.escapes 10 be- added to the building.
..ro these arrangements added all that the
revised building laws Of 1852 allowed, ana the
hotel management carried ont the orders. -Four
fre-cscapes were provided at the ends OF the
two halls running north and south IN the piah'
thot is on the side street faces OF the Dulldlhg'
and those already placed on the easterly wall or
court were increased in size while bridges 10
adjoining houses were added.
Yesterdays developments bear ont the state
mont made I'm Yesterdays Tribune that the IRE
was started when lighted match. thrown
from an open window on the second hoor'
str,,ck AGAINST n window curtain and ignlted H.
Thi. version of the fires origin Is given by
several people among them John Foy, waiter
emnlovcd i'm the hotel. only the full nvestigi-
ZION that will follow in due time Will he able
to settle this question decslvely. II was SAID
M fhc Coroner's office yesterday that this IN
vcstigation will be held M a date not yet de-
termined At that time all witnesses who nave
any information to give will be summoned.
The Investigation will also deal with the pre-
coutlons that were observed In the hotel against
fire and the state of discipline Of the staf Of
servants
chief Bonner was on the scene of the fire
several hours Yesterday He said that he was not
ut all SURPRISED NJ the rapidity with which the
flames spread He had expected that such n
fire would be n rapid one. lie knew of other
hotels I'm the city where just such an eXpe
ricncc might he expected If fire once sue
Y & = ACME LICORICE PELLETS.
A delicious lcorlce confection Refuse all suosu-