The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-03-24
DEATH HOLDS A CARNIVAL
Sudden Destruction by Fire of the
Windsor Hotel in New
York City.
LARGE NUMBERS OF GUESTS PERISH.
IN. windows We're Crowded with
People Witnessing the -. pat
ricL's Day Parade. Many Of whom
Jumped from Windows and Roof
10 Instant Death.

Jumped from Windows and Roo,
10 Instant Death.
New York, March ~. Flames. whic.
originated from the igniting Of a Lace
curtain, burst forth from the second
foor Of the Windsor hotel N Forty.
seventh street and Fifth avenue. short
ly after three o'clock yesterday after
noon. just as the st. Patrick's day pa
iade was passing the building. and i'm
a few moments they had leapcd 10 II g
roof and developed the entire Fifth
avenue and Forty-second street front
of the hotel Ten minutes later the
flames were roaring through The ~
terror Of the hotel, and all cs ,ane b,
means OF stairvays and elevators was
cut of.
Wild scenes of ENcitcmrnt
There was the widest scene of cN-
citcment within and without the buil.-
ing. Hundreds of guests and employees
we're in the hotel when the fro broke
ont and for many Of them 10 escape
was simply impossible. Probably from
10 10 Is lives were lost within a hall
hour, and 30 or 40 persons were injured
in Jumping from the windows and H.
rushing through the roaring flames in
the corridors and on the siairways.
Died al Nearby Residences.
Many who were injured died 'aicr IT
nearby residences andat hospitals and
others who made Wild leaps TO Tho
stone sidewalks were so padlv injured
that they are still lowering between
life and death. II may be - hours and
more before the complete lis; OF IA
iaitics becomes known. ana Il will u,
longer than that before IL can Lr a-ceg-
tanned definitely how many charr
bodies are in the mass Of fallen masc.
IN that marks the spot where u hotel
stood.
Spectacular Scene.
The fire was The most sprrtaculnr
that could be imagined. Ahcn il
broke out Fifth avenue was crowded
with people watching the ST. Patrick
lsy parade, and every window in the
front of the hotel facing rifth ayenIe
was filled with spectators The lay was
All that could be desired, and an unusu-
ally large number Of people were on
the streets on that account. fact
which interfered not little with the
movements OF the iircmen and police.
Drove the People from the streets.
As soon as the flames wer, .liscov-
cred shooting from the windows. that
part Of the ST. patriclI's Day process
sion which was near the building carlc |
70 halt, and in a few minutes til.
parade was disbanded. FOR tho police
came rushing toward the fire rom ~
Try direction, and as far MS they were
Iblc, drove the people from the streets.
The Fire Engines Appear
One alarm after another was turned |
D.. and the first Of the IRE engines |
we're not long in appearing upon the
scene. The engines caused , wild |
.cranhle among the paradcrs and
-pectators as they rushed along the
.trcet and fell into positions for ser
cc.
In addition 80 the regular guests Of
hc hotel the Windows wore crowded
~ a large number Of spectators. resi-
Tents Of this city. who had congrcgat
d there TO witness the parade.
Pnnic-stricken Guests.
Soon after the first alarm Wa given
coplc in the lower floors Of the hotel.
tho had easy access 40 ihc streets
nd 10 the stairway. commenced t.
our out of the building in grca. num-
crs. but il very soon became apparent
hat a great majority Of the occupants
Z the hotel were either panic-Stricken
r unable TO make their way 20 the
round floor. Window were thrown
- on every side of the building. and
ucsts, mostly women. In all stages OF
error. made their appearance and III
cred frantic appeals To the crowd le-
lw for assistance.
Failed Ia Break Their Awful Fail.
As the flames gathered about Them
hey became more and more terror
lricl1en, and presently some % them
TODD upon the narrow window silS
nd bcckoned TO the spectators that | ,
hey were about TO leap. Men collect .
\ upon the sidewalks ready 10 render !
ny assistance they could. and in IL" !
iean time some OF the women lest tie
indow slls and dropped 10 the streets.
most instances The efforts 20 catch
lem and break 4 ,ir awful fall were ,
narailing. for they struck the siic ,
ak. and in most eases broken limbs /
ere the result
Many Cases Of Heroic Rcscue.
As soon as the firemcn could g., |
iclr scaling ladders into position thcv I
imbcd the sides of the building ard | c
ltercd AT every window where .hcre
as an unfortunate guest appealing
n assistance, and many cases OF !,
eroic rescue were witnessed bv the |
'rong in the streets. +,
Taken to Helen Gould's Residence. :,
AT the corner of Forty-scventh street n
lu Fifth avenue, directly across from !
le hotel is the home OF Miss Helen Il
ould, and at her direction many of q
le injured were carried thee, anc I,
gre treated by physicians ard Nurse
nom she had sent for. In the NEAR o.
me the chief of police had telcphonad +,
every hospital in the city asking n