The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-03-22
Awful Fire.

NEW YORK, March 17.-Just as the St.
Patrick's Day parade was passing the
Windsor Hotel, corner Of 47th Street and
Fifth avenue, flames were seen bursting
from the roof Of the hotel. Ten minutes
later the fire was roaring through the inter-
Tor OF the hotel and all means OF escape by
means OF stairways and elevators were cut
of and there was the widest scene OF ex-
element within and without the building.
Hundreds OF guests and employees were in
the hotel when the fire broke out and for
many OF them escape with safety was i'm
possible. Probably from ten to fifteen
lives were lost within q half hour and
thirty or forty other persons were injured
through the roaring flames in the corridors
and on the stairways. Many who were
injured died later at nearby residences and
at hospitals, and others who made wild
leaps to the stone sidewalks were so badly
injured that they are still lowering between
lite and death.
The list of dead includes Mrs. Warren T.
Leland, wife Of the proprietor Of the hotel
who died at the Flower Hospital from
burns, and Miss Helen Leland, their daugh-
ter, who was killed by jumping from win
dow to the asphalt pavement below.
When the fire broke out Fifth Avenue
was crowded with people watching the pa
rade. Every window in the front OF the ho-
tel facing Fifth Avenue was filed with
spectators, watching the marching men and
floats in the street. The day was all that
could be desired and an unusually large
number of people were on the streets on
that account, fact which interfered not a
little with the movements of the firemen
and police. AS soon as the flames were
first discovered shooting from the windows
that part OF the st. Patrick procession
which was near the building came to halt
and in few minutes the parade was dis
banded, for the police came rushing towards
the fire from every direction and az far as
they were able, drove the people from the
streets One alarm after another was turn
ed In and the first Of the fire engines were
not long in appearing upon the scene and
they rushed along the streets and got into
position for service. In addition to the reg
ular guests Of the hotel the windows were
crowded by large number OF spectators,
residents OF the city, who had congregated
there to witness the parade.
AS soon az the fremen could get their
scaling ladders into position they climbed
the sides OF the building and entered at
every window where there was an unfor-
tunate guest appealing for assistance and
many cases OF heroic rescue were Witness
ed by the throng in the street. At the cor.
ner OF 47th street and Fifth Avenue direct-
ly across from the hotel is the home of Miss
Helen Gould and at her direction many of
the injured were carried there and were
treated by physicians and nurses whom
she had sent for. In the meantime the
chief Of police had telephoned to every hos
pital in the city asking that assistance be
sent to the fire sufferers. Ambulances
forced their way through the crowds as
quickly as possible and the injured people
who had made the frightful leaps from the
MOTEL windows were placed in them and re-
moved to the hospitals. Several occupants
OF the hotel appeared at the windows of the
sixth and seventh stories and even on the
roof and made their leaps to the streets
from those points. Very few of them es-
capped either instant death or injuries which
resulted in their death short time later.
How many persons are buried in the
ruins is not known, but several were seen
to jump whose bodies have not been recov-
cred A young man apparently, an en-
ploye, Jumped from the roof on the 46th
street side Of the hotel. Another unknown
man Jumped on the Fifth avenue side and
Two more were seen to jump from the rear.
shortly after that two women jumped from
the roof to tbs court yard below. 1t is
known that two of these at least are dead.
Eye witnesses say they saw a woman throw
child from a window and fall moment
later herself just before the collapse of one
OF the walls. AS yet no trace of these bo-
dies has been found.
A guest at the hotel who was watching
the parade lighted a cigar and threw the
sui burning match aside. 1t fell into the
folds OF lace curtain In an instant the
himsy fabric was ablaze and az instantly
the flames shot to surrounding draperies
rms, from all the accounts, was the origin
OF the holocaust in which many human be
ings persisted and Others we're severely
mangled while helpless thousands looked
on in wild horror,
The Bean Memorial town hall at West
Falrlee was burned on Saturday. The
building was the gift OF Maj. Alvan Bean
and cost about $4,000 1t was insured in
the Vermont Mutual. Jackson Lodge OF