Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-18

riously injured
Thomas. Nellie, assistant housckeeper;
shock
clifford, John; severe scalp wound.
body.
Love, William f., cashier; burns; conu,-
ton serious
James. Arthur, fireman; scalp wound.
calhoun. Mrs. caro- H.. shock.
simmons. Mrs. c. c.; burns OF body.
Rosenthal. Mrs. Roslra; burns OF body.
Unknown woman. aged IS; fractured
skull; leg fractured condition critical.
Unknown man: hands and arms burned.
Mcpherson, Thomas; hands and body
burned.
Waterman. Mrs. f. D.: burns.
burlington, Mrs. S II. II.
Westerfcld. Helen
Iawnc, Margaret
Badenberg Mrs.
Winters. Miss
Butler, William
McClusky. Thomas
Striensr Mrs. G. II.
ROsenhcim. Miss
FLAMES COULD NOT BE CHECKED.
The flames could not be checked and I'm
two hours from the time that the ere
broke out the entire structure was I'm
runs. and the streets on three sides of
me building were filled with debris from
failing walls and tall chimneys. while the
sueams Of water being poured into the
interior OF the ruins did nothing but I'LL
'he air with clouds Of scalding steam.
making II impossible for any one to ap-
bodies.
1he fire was the most spectacular that
could be imagined.
PARADE PASSING.
when 1t broke out Fifth avenue was
crowded with people watching the ST.
Iatr,cks Day parade. which was passing
inc building as the fire broke out aud
every window in the front Of the hotel.
facing FIFTH avenue. was filed with spec
tators, watching the marching men and
noats In the street. An unusually large
number Of people We're on the streets. and
'h'eriered not little with the move
ments Of the firemen and police.
In addition TO the regular guests Of the
MOTEL the windows We're crowded with a
large number Of spectators. residents of
this city, who had congrcgated. there to
witness the parade.
Soon after the alarm was given people
on the lower floors Of the hotel. those
who had easy access to the street and
stairway, commenced to pour out Of the
building I'm great numbers. but II very
soon became apparent that great ma
tOrity Of the occupants Of the hotel were
either panic-strcken or unable 10 make
their way TO the ground floor. Windows
were thrown up on every side Of the
building, and the guests. mostly women,
made frantic appeals for assistance TO
the crowd below.
JUMPING FROM WINDOWS
Finally. some of them stood upon the
narrow window-sills and beckOncd TO the
spectators that they were about to leap
to the streets. Men collected upon the
sidewalks. ready to render any assist
ance they could. Some of the women
dropped to the streets. In most cases the |
efforts TO catch them ana break their fall
were unavailing. and broken limbs were
the result. As soon as the fremen could
get their scaling ladders into position
they climbed the sides OF the building, |
and entered al every window where there |
were any unfortunate guests appealing |
for assistance. and many cases of heroic |
rescue were witnessed by the throng in !
the streets.
INJURED TAKEN TO MISS GOULD'S. |
At the corner Of Forty-seventh street |
and Fifth avenue, directly across from |
the hotel. is the home Of Miss Helen !
Gould and at her direction many Of the |
injured We're carried there ana were |
treated Is physicians and nurses whom |
she had sent for.
In the mean time. the Chief of Police |
had telephoned TO every hospital in the |
city, asking that assistance be sent to |
the fire sufferers. Ambulances forced |
their way through the crowds as quickly |
as possibly. ana the injured were removed |
TO the hospitals.
LEAPS EVEN FROM THE ROOFS.
Several occupants of the hotel appeared |
at the windows Of the sixth and seventh |
stories, and even on the roof. and leaped |
10 the streets from those points. Very |
few OF them escaped either instant death |
or injuries which resulted in death |
short time later.
THE WALLS FALL.
Within forty or forty-nve minutes af-
ter the fire broke out the walls OF the |
side showed every indica-
ion of falling. and shortly. with an awful
crash. they struck the asphalt covering |
IF the street in front of the hotel. This /
fan weakened the walls on the Forty
sixth and Forty-seventh street sides, and
hey followed a moment later.
When the walls fell the bricks and |
mortar and twisted glrders and corrugated |
ron filed the streets on both sides Of
he hotel The door-steps and fences on
he east side Of Forty-seventh street
rom the hotel were wrecked, and the
mount of debris piled in the streets
vas so great that travel will be impeded
or several days.
The northeast wing of the hotel con-
inued to burn for half an hour after the
walls of the other part of the building |
'ell.
MISS GOULD'S IN DANGER.
Firemen continued TO play streams upon
he flames, and also upon all OF the adj
dining buildings, including Miss Gould's
which seemed in imminent
langer OF catching fire, but the flames
we're brought under control before they
ould reach any of them.
DISCOVERY OF THE FLAMES.
4 hall boy discovered the flames while
he was passing along the fourth floor
over the rooms occupied by
PRESIDENT McKinleys brother, Abner Nc
<inley and his family The boy puhed
chain attached TO the fire-alarm, but
he chain broke and then he cried OUT
IN alarm of fire and ran TO the moor De
ow. The blaze was then licking up every
hing on the Fifth avenue end OF
he building and the lad. when he got
d the floor above the main haH, ran
nto the American dining-r0om and gave
he alarm TO the guests there. Only
ew persons were in the dining-room al
he time, and they escaped. When the
oy reached the main floor, Mr.. Leland
he proprietor. was in the rear OF lhe
Dng hall and the boy shouted to MN
hat the building was on fire.
SAVING BOOKS AND PAPERS
On Mr.. I.eland's instructions. the clerks
ried ia save all of the books and papers.