New-York tribune., 1901-01-31
TWO DIE IN A HOTEL FIRE.
MANY THRILLING RESCUES At A BLAZE
N TIE JEFFERSON.

fire in the Jefferson Hotel, adjoining the
Union Square Hotel in East Fifteenth-st-. caused
two women TO lose their lives early yesterday
morning and placed in great danger many OF
the $50 guests Of the hotel There were many
thrilling rescues by the firemen and police, and
the rescue Of f Waldo Mason and his wife by
means of a rope from a sixth story WINDOW u
the burning building one of the most eH-
citing scenes ever witnessed at a hTe III ue
city. More than a thousand persons looked at
Mrs. Mason. who had tainted. as she was swung
in midair in the glare OF A searchllghf from
window OF the burning hotel ia window OF the
Union Square Hotel.
The rescue Of Mrs. Mason was the more eNcit-
ing because her nurse had fallen from the rope
and had been dashed TO death on the SIDEWALK
All the other persons had escaped from me
hotel except one unfortunate waitress, who hal
been suffocated when Mr. Mason fastened his
wife securely at one end Of the rope and pushed
her insensbe form away from the window.
Mrs Mason had been i'll in bed. The death OF
her child soon after its birth few days ago had
left her weak and prostrated. Miss Eleanor
Downing. a trained nurse, had been attending
Mrs Mason Hundreds of people were rushing
toward the burning hotel attracted by the
screams of the persons who were being rescued
when the nurse appeared at a bay window at
the sixth story and called for aid. For Gods
sake. save Mrs. Nasoni" she screamed
Deputy Chief Ahearn. accompanied by hls
driver and another man. leaned out Of a sixth
story window Of the Union Square Hotel ani
threw the end of rope TO the woman telling
her 10 tie IL around her waist. She seized the
rome and climbed out on the window SILL ready
for jump.
For Gods sake put the rope around your
body and don't hold it in your hands," yelled
the Fire Chief
Crazed by fear the woman paid no attention
10 his words and, with cry of despair, tried
10 jump across the space between the bay win
dow and the window where the Fire Chief was.
She lost hold of the rope and fell headlong TO
the sidewalk She was killed instantly by the
fall.
Mr. Mason had dragged his wife to the Win
dow. and they saw the terrible fall Of the nurse.
Ahearn and his helpers ran up to the roof or the
Union Square Hotel. Making a moose in the
rope Ahearn tossed it to Mr.. Mason and told
him to fasten his wife in II securely. Mrs Ma
son was almost fainting then. She threw her
arms around her husbands neck sobbing out,
''Oh Waldo let us die together!
The husband quickly fastened the rope about
his yife's waist and called TO the men above to
swing her 10 safety. She swooned as he pushed
her from him. The searchlight OF Engine No.
20 had been turned on the window by that time,
and the crowd in the street was breathless with
exciternen+ as the womans body clad in a night
robe swung in the glare OF the light in midair.
II required a few minutes for the men on the
roof 10 swing the woman within the reach OF
men at the window Of the Union Square Hotel,
and there was mighty shout Of relief when she
was drawn in in safety.
The rope was then thrown to Mr.. Mason, and
he was rescued in the same way.
Mrs Mason was put TO bed and a doctor was
summoned. He found her in such serious con-
dition from shock that he ordered her removed
10 a hospital.
The FIRE in the hotel had been discovered about
4 a m II had started In the basement, prooa-
bly from the kitchen range When the alarm
was given John E. Chatfed, the proprietor Of
the hotel aroused his wife and her mother, on
the fifth floor. and told them TO get out quickly
Then he rushed out Of his room and aided IN
awakening and saving other persons IN the
house Mrs. Chatfield and her mother remained
in their rooms until the smoke became too thick
TO permit of their passage downstairs. They
were taken from a front window and were
carried down an extension ladder by hremen.
Many other persons were taken down ladders.
and several were rescued by way Of the roof
crossing 20 the roof of the Union Square Hotel
After all the people were believed to have left
the hotel, the firemen gave their attention to
the flames. 1t took nearly two hours 10 extin-
guish the fire. When the firemen were able to
make a search in the building, they found the
body Of Catherine Fay. waitress who had been
employed in the hotel, the seventh floor. She
had been suffocated by the smoke while trying
70 escape.
Shortly before Z o'clock under directions from
Chief Croker, Acting Battalion Chief Coleman
made a careful search OF the burned building
and reported that he could find more bodies
mated al the foot OF the elevator shaft The