The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-18

filed with debris from fallen walls ana
chimneys. while the streams OF water BE-
ins poured on the Interior OF the ruins had
no other effect than to MI the air with
clouds of scaidinS steam. making II :ua-
possible for anyone 70 approach near
enough 10 search fer the bodies os those
who perishei.
The fire was the most spectacular that
eomldspe imagined. When |, broke out Fifth
avenue was crowded With people watct-
ing the ST. Patriek's day parade. and ev~
cry window In the front of the hotel fac
Ing Fifth avenue was niled with spec,a-
tors.
AS soon as the flames were discovered
shooting from the windows. that part OF
the procession which was near the bussd.
ing came TO halt. and in FEW minutes
the parade was dshanaed. for the poiire
came rushing toward the Are from every
direction. and where they were able. drove
the people from the streets One nre
alarm after another was turned in. Tho
engines caused Wild scramble among tho
paraders and spectators as they rushed
along the street and fell In position for
sevvios.
In addition 20 the regular guests of the
hotel the windows were crowded by
large number OF spectators ressdsnts cf
this city, who had conxresatsd there 70
| witness the parade.
Terrified Gaests Appeal for Help.
Soon after the frst alarm was given.
| people In the lower floors Of the hotel
| those who had easy access 10 the street
and the stairway. commenced TO pour
out OF the building IN great numbers. but
! IL very soon became apparent that a
great majority of the occupants OF ths
hotel were either pante stricken or unable
| TO make their way 10 the ground floor.
Windows were thrown ap on every side OF
/. the building and guests. mostly women.
/ in all stages OF terror. made their a?-
| rearance and uttered frantic appeals for
| assistance 10 the crowd below. A. the
| fiamea gathered about them they became
| more and more terror stricken. and pres
! emily some OF them stood upon the mar
| row silis and heckoned to the spectators
i that they were about To leap The men
/ collected on the sidewalks ready to render
any assistance they could and In the
meantime some Of the women LEFT the
window siils and dropped TO The street.
In most instances the efforts TO catch
them and break their awful fall were
4 MI
and in mort cases broken limbs were the
result.
AZ soon as the :iremen could get their
scaling ladders into position they climbed
the SIDES Of the building and entered at
every window where there was an unfor-
tnnate gues, appealing for assistance aud
many cases OF heroic rescue wero witt
messed BY the throng IN the ssree,a
Helea Gesia's Heme Hospital.
A. the corner OF Forty-sss.nsh street
and Fifth avenue. directly across from the
hotel ls the home of Miss Helen Gould,
and at her direction many of the injured
we're carried there and were treated BY
physcians and nurses whom she had sent
for.
In the meantime the chief Of police had
teisphoned 10 every hospital In the city
asking that assistance be sent Ambu.
imnces forced their way through tho
crowds aH quickly as possible and the is-
aured people who had made the frsxhsfui
leaps from che hotel windows were placed
I'm them and renewed TO the hospitals.
Several occupants o. the hesef appeared
at the windows Of the sixth and seventh
stories and eyen on the roof and ieap~d
10 the streets from those points Very
few az them sseapea' either fnstan, death
Or injuries which resulted In sheir death
ia short tine later.
IL fhe nssanssu.e ths entire Building was
being enVetcp~d in aasn~s which shos cut
from every window ard formed a picture
which struck terror 30 all fhose wsa were
witnessing T. wishln fovsy or sorty-aps
minutes after the IRE FIRST broke OUT the
walls on she Fifth avenue side showed
every isdsemsson ol falling. and presently.
~ltf "a awful crash they struck shs
aspfal. covering ef the street srY front 1s
the hofes ard caused the hundreds 81 pe6-
Y4e who wsfe sta nsfsns there 10 latter n
every direction This faEi weakened sfe
walls or the Eorsy-ssxsh ard Foyty-sev-
sash ssress sides and they fofaewed ms
rnens later. when ths wallis fell the brick
ard mortar ard twisted ssrtsars and cor
ruxatsf sFon flied tas streets on three
ss5ss of The hntsi
The ds~orsssss anG iron fences In trent
of ssse houses the opposite ssfe OF the
street frous she hotel we're wrecked Dy
fsxe fali1mx ~&iEx ARID re asnoGnf 81 Dr..
AsaS piled Sc tsss stg~@ta w-s - zreat thAt
irzyea vii te lnsf~<isxs far s~seral 1ays-
The nofsb3sss wing 90 tbs huisi con-
tsnped to turn Tor . aals hour after u