The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-24
IN THE WINDSOR FIRE
Mrs. Bratnober Had a Startling
Experience.
NEARLY TRAMPLED DOWN
Was Chased by the Flames and Sitting
Smoke e Brave Rescue of
Mrs. Macarthur by
Laborer

Mrs. Henry Bratnober, wife of the
well-known mining man now with the
London Exploration company, former
ly manager of the Drum Lummon in
this state, was a guest in thu Windsor
hotel of New York and was one of the
| startled inmates who Were flrtunate
in making their escape from the burn
| ing building. Mr.. and Mrs. Bratnober
reside in San Francisco. The other day
she and Mrs. Macarthur a sister,
| stopped in Chicago en- route West. and
the following narrative WAS related to a
Chicago reporter by Mrs Bratnober:
We had given up our rooms on FRI
day morning and our trunks had al
ready been taken to the station. At }
o'clock we were in the drawing room
, on the first floor, a story above the office
floor MIS- Macarthur went out Of the
window on to the balcony overlooking
the avenue to see the 81, Patrick's pa
rade. At the same time | went upstairs
to the fifth story to collect some travel
ing odds and ends. While up there l
was talking with a chambermaid and
bellbOy, and. hearing the cries in the
street, looked out a window 10 catch a
glimpse of the parade.
Hardly had I put out my head than
I caught burst of smoke issuing from
+ one of the lower windows. | bade the
bellbOy run down the baCkstairs and
shout fire at the top of his lungs. I my
self, letting everything 60 rushed down
the main stairs.
"On the fourth floor l saw the flames
break out behind a large picture in the
corridor. Hurrying to the third floor,
the escaping flood of guests nearly
trampled me down. At the first floor |
attempted to enter the drawing room,
where l had left Mrs. Macarthur, but
the flames We're like a curtain of fire
before the doorway, and all I could do
was to rush to the main floor. The heat
and flames followed me, and hardly had
I left one story before it was shr0uded
in flame.
THE lobby was crowded With rushing
men, women and children. But the
cashier and hotel clerks We're still at
their posts. | saw the head porter,
John an institution Of the Windsor,
between two women. who trantically
begged him to go upstairs. the one for
her jewels, the other for her children.
John vanished in the smoke. and what
became of the brave fellow | do not
know.
I Making my way to The front entrance
of the hotel, l singled out a laborer
standing on the steps on side. | pointed
out my sister on the balcony ab5ve and
entreated him to save cher, He climbed
up the pillar to the balcony and lowered
Mrs. Macarthur to the pavement below
by a rope. though where he got the
rope | don't know.
I'VE now made our way across the
street, and from there the spectacle was
awful. People We're jumping from the
| windows of every story and the whole
structure was being consumed like
wicker work. II looked to US as if the
| jumping was in many cases premature,
for the people We're crazy with fright
Neither Mrs. BratnOber nor Mrs Me-
Arthur takes any stock in the cigar and
curtain theory of the origin of the fire.
They contend that the contlagratiCn was
too sudden and too general in lis out
break.