The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-03-18
The Flames Spread Rapidly and
All Avenues of Escape Were
Soon Cut of.
MANY WOMEN PERIsHED
Scenes Of Horror Attending the Con.
flagration MANY Of the Injured
Cared for by Helen Gould.

NEW YORK. March n.-Flames which
originated from the ignighting Of a lace
curtain burst forth from the second
floor OF the Windsor hotel at Forty-sev-
enth street and Fifth avenue shortly
after 3 O'Clock this afternoon. Just as
the 81. Patrick's day parade was passing
the building. and in a feE moments they
had leaped to the roof and enveloped
the entire Fifth avenue and Forty-sev-
enth street fronts Of me hotel Ten
minutes later the flames were roaring
through the interior OF the hotel and all
escape by means OF the stairways and
elevators was cut OF.
There was the widest scene Of ex-
cl;ement within and without the build
Ing. Hundreds Of guests and employees
were In the hotel when the FIRE broke out
and for many Of them 10 escape with
safety was impossible.
Many lives were lost within half an
hour. and 30 or 20 persons were injured In
jumping from windows and in rushing
through the roaring flames into the cor
ridors and on the stairways. Many who
were injured died later in nearby resi-
dences and at hospitals and others who
made wild leaps to. the stone sidewalk
were so badly injured that they are stlll
hovering between life and death
1t may be a hours or more before a
complete list OF the fatalities becomes
known. and II will be longer than that
before II can be ascertained definitely
how many charred bodies are in the mass
OF fallen masonry that marks the spot
where the hotel stood.
The flames could not be checked and in
two hours from the time ne fire broke
out the entire structure was in ruins
When the nre broke out Fifth avenue
was crowded with people watching the
ST. Patrick's day parade and every win
dow in the front OF the hotel facing Fifth
avenue was filled with spectators Soon
after the flames were discovered shoot
ing from the windows the parade was
for the police came rushing
toward the fire from every direction
and drove the people from the streets
Directly across from the hotel is the
home of Miss Helen Gould. and at her
direction many OF the injured were car
ried there and were treated by physicians
and nurses whom she had sent for
Following is a list Of the dead:
Mrs. Elizabeth Leland. wife OF Warren
Leland, proprietor OF the hotel; burns on
body; died at a hospital.
Helen Leland, daughter Of Warren Le-
land; jumped from window; body identi-
fled at East Fifty-first street station
Mrs. Amelia Paddock, Of Irvington, n.
Y, jumped from window; died at Miss
Gould's house.
Nancy Kirk and Mrs. James S. Kirk.
Of Chicago; died in Bellevue,
Mrs, NJ. Pierce. of Macon, Ga, jumped
from window; died at 10 East Forty
sixth street.
Miss Lascelles Grandy, of Elizabeth
City, N c., jumped from window; body
It East Fifty-first street station.
Mrs. Addie Gibson, aged ~. fell from
,ne of the upper stories; died at the /
Murray Hill hotel.
Elanor Louise Goodman, aged It. frac- |
ured skull; died at Bellevue.
John Connolly. hotel employe: burns
md internal injuries; died at Flower /
iospital
Unknown woman. middle aged. jumped !
rom window; died at Helen Gould's resi- !
lence.
Unknown woman; body at East Fifty ,
irst street station.