The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-02-24

Conrad arrived home from New York
last night where he attended the
it,inuer Of the Delaware Society Of
New Yoak. After the dinner hewent,
with his cousin, to the Park Avenue
Hotel they were assigned to room
No. sos on the fifth floor. They re-
tired abont midnight, and about 2
O'Clock Saturday morning were awak
ened by the fire in the Armory of the
Seventy first regiment, on the opposite
side Of Park avenue. The burning
armory was such a magnificent sight
that Mr.. Conrad and his cousin arose
and, putting on their undcrclothes,
went to the window to look at the
fire.
This is Mr.. Conrad's story of his
experience:
II imagine my cousin and l stood
watching the fire In the armory about
an hour, wncn | suddenly noticed that
the hallway of the hotel was filling
with smoke. l remarked to my cousin
that we hac better make preparations
to leave. When we got up to watch
the armory fire We had Slipped on our
underclothing. After we noticed the
smoke in the hallway we Started to
get dressed. l had drawn on both
my stockings and had got on one Shoe
when we saw through the transom of
our room the lurid glare Of flames in
the hallway. I said TO my cousin,
''Lee we haven't got time to dress.
We are hedged in. Iow.can we get
Out?" don remember him max Ing
any reply to it. went to the Win
dow and raising it found there was a
cornice that ran around the building.
/ started 10 climb out and as | did so
my cousin called to me: cousin
Harry, don't jump off. That would
he instant death. | suppose he had
an idea that would jump, but othing
Of that nature entered my mind. |
thought that could possibly attract
the attention of the tiremcn and they
could reach us with ladders.
! had no idea where the cornice
lead when got on it. l found that
it was iron and thought thatsnch be.
ing the case, it would be the las. place
to be affected by the fire. | even
thought the best plan would be to
reach a corner, as | knew corners were
frequently the last place flames reach
and then also that, being on corner
might be seen sooner. reached up
my hand and found that each window
there was a sort OF a pillar or column
with ornaments at the top. l found
could grasp these ornaments and
steady myself, and then commenced
my walk around the cornice. | could
not hold on with my hands all the
time, for the pillars with the orna-
ments only occurred at each window.
Tie cornice had sort Of q zigzag
course, going in and out of each win
dow.
before starting on my walk l
stopped fora minuteorSO ahd thought
or tried to think. The thought that
flashed through my head. as l now
Tecollect, was that 1t was the end. !
wondered II would die by fire ca fall
from the cornice. I thought tina il
the fire came through the window the
impulse would not be stronger to drop
over the edge to death than to fall a
victim to the flames. ! don't know
what prompted me, but I started to
walk toward the centre OF the hotel.
should Judge that 1t was fully $50
feet from my window. 1t was tedious
work going along that narrow footing
partly coated with ice and uncyenly
shod as | was, for on one foot was a
shoe and on the other was only
stocking. During that walk did
not meet soul Every window l
passed was closed tight.
"After walking what seemed to be
a long distance, | reached q point
directly over the main entrance. l
was soon seen by some tremen, who
Immediately shouted not to Jump. l
had no idea that they were calling to
me. l had no idea oil jumping. l
supposed they were shouting topeople
on the floor below, who were at the
windows After some time the fire.
men got a ladder on top Of the portico
oyer the main entrance tO the hotel.
"The ladder was extendedits great.
est length and Lthen only reached to
1.-The fourth floor. In a few seconds
|flremen came running up. Evidently
they had been used to dealing with
.panioky people and supposed that l
tmlght be nervous, for one of them,
looking at me over the cornice, called
jputs "You're all right! Don't Jump.
Stay right where you are! Well get
you on! Just wait minute and yollll
he all right"
II looked over the cornice and saw
them take two persons from the win.
dow below me. The fireman then
looked up again and called to me:
''Now, don't you jump Wen get
you next. This ladder won't reach,
We'll have to get another ladder,
Just hold steady and you II come rext.