Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-15
Guests of Hotel Aroused From Sleep
by Flames.
JAMES ". DoNoH0E SUFFOCATED
Several Persons Severely Injured
in Jumping From Windows.
P ROPERTY LOSS, So, 800

A disastrous fire, resulting in the loss of
one life and the severe injury of several
pt.sons and which almost wrecked the
building, occurred at the Merchants Hotel,
No. 4S5 Pennsylvania avenue northwest,
shortly before o'clock this morning. The
fire is believed to have originated in or
near the office on the second floor, and
was probably caused by electric light wires.
Several exciting and painful scenes were
witnessed during the progress of the flames,
and several guests in the house narrowly
escaped death or serious injury.
Steve Collins, proprietor of the hotel,
risked his own life to save his guests and
was severely burned. James w. Donohoe
of All New Jersey avenue, who was a
guest in the hotel last night, was suffo-
Gated. His dead body was found in a room
on the third floor of the building after the
firemen had succeeded in getting the fire
under control.
man, whose name was given as w. B..
Ketchum, said to live in Kentucky was
one of those who jumped from a window
to escape the flames His left leg was
br oxen. John Scanlon, who has lived at
the hotel several months, was Slightly in
jured about the head and Mrs. Strand
was painfully injured. The body of Dono-
hoe was removed to the mOrgue. Collins
and Ketchum were taken to the Elmer
gency hospital for treatment. Those but
slightly injured did not go to hospital.
Just who was first to discover the fire is
not known, but Mr.. Collins, the proprietor,
whose room was not far from where the
blaze started, was about the first to leave
his room. The bright light and the smell
of smoke aroused him, and when he saw
that his wife was safe he hurried to other
rooms to arouse the occupants.
Sleeping in a small room on the landing
between the second and third floors was
los, ,l,r,4 old t,o
lived there before Mr.. Collins took charge
of the hotel This guest was sound asleep
and had Mr.. Collins been several minutes
later in reaching his room his rescue would
have been difficult. AS it was, Mr.. Col
Inns had to go almost through the flames
to reach his room. 1t was while engaged
in the work of saving this mans life that
Mr.. Collins was burned. Mr.. Malambre
did not have time to save his clothing,
and in getting from his room to place of
safety his hair was Singed.
Policeman Gives Alarm.
Policeman Newkirk, who was doing duty
in the vicinity of the hotel, discovered the
fire about this time from the outside and
turned in an alarm. A second and third
alarm followed the arrival of the firemen,
and twelve companies in all responded.
Before the firemen reached the scene Po-
liCeman Newkirk procured n ladder and
went to work getting people out of the
building. Fortunately there were not many
guests in the house, the inaugural visitors
having all left there several days ago
The women, who were rescued went to the
National Hotel. They were in their night
clothes, and after the flames had been
extinguished their wearing apparel was
sent to them. Policeman NewRirk won
applause by his work of rescuing women
from the burning building.
Mr. and Mrs. Strand. who occupied a
room on the third floor, had an experience
vaifi a,,1 do, tl,,1 >f
the other guests. The room they occupied
opens into the hall, where the flames had
complete control. Mr.. Strand was aroused
by the smell of smoke and realizing the
dangerous position of the room he hur
riodly opened the door to see if escape
through the hallway were possible. Much
to his CONSERVATION he found that the door
of his room was actually burning, and the
blaze almost enveloped him.
Smoke poured into the room so thick and
fast that Mr.. Strand experienced some trou-
BILE in closing the door. He became salts
fled that the only way to escape was to
jump from the window to the tin roof be
low, distance of about fifteen feet This
roof covers the rear of the barroom and
in it there is big square skylight.
Both Jump From Window.
Without stopping to save his valuables
or to put on any additional wearing APP
parel, Mr. Strand broke out window sash
and then threw a mattress to the tin roof
Following this he made jump, but missed
the mattress and landed on the tin roof.
Then he called to his wife to jump, and
as she did so he stood beneath the window
and caught her. Her weight was too much
for him, however, and she went against the
tin roof with such force that her leg was
badly cut.
After reaching the tin roof they were
hemmed in by four walls, and it became
necessary either to make another jump or
remain where they were and risk suffoca-
ton. They chose the former alternative,
and in order to drop from the roof to the
bar room it was necessary to smash one
of the big skylights. This was DONE and
the couple went through the opening.
dropping on the stone floor of the saloon
fifteen feet below. No particular injury
was sustained this time.
In order to get out of the saloon it be-
came necessary to break out one of the
big panes Of glass in the front door AS
soon as Mrs. Strand reached the sidewalk
she was hurried to the National Hotel,
where she was cared for until later in the
day. Blood from her injured limb had sat
urated her gown, and people on the street
who saw her taken from the building
thought she had been fatally hurt.
Guest Becomes Bewfldered.
John Scanlon, who has lived at the hotel
several months, was aroused by the noise,
and in endeavoring to get out of the build
ing he became bewildered. Instead of GO
ing to the rear Of the building he went in
the direction of where the fire was raging,
not stopping in his room long enough to
get any clothing. The result was that
when he had almost reached the flames he
was forced to get out of window opening
on the alley. He received only a few
scratches, and Frank Mann, a neighboring
saloonkeeper, provided him with the neces--
sary clothing.
Mr.. Collins, the proprietor, was about the
last person to leave the building, and al
though he was so severely cut and burned
he insisted on remaining to see that no one
was left behind. Just before leaving the
building Mr.. ketchum jumped from the
window of his room on the second floor
When the police realized that the guests
We're in danger they summoned the Emer-
gency Hospital ambulance. DR.. Sperro re-
sponded. but the injured people objected
to being removed in the vehicle. They
employed private vehicles and went to the
hospital in them. Several persons who had
been slightly injured refused treatment.
ut <H,n inf