Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-02-24
Eighteen Lives Lost In Big
New York Fire.
HOTEL GUESTS PERISH.
Thought to Be the Work Of
Thieving 1ncendiaries.

mOry Takes Fire and Firemen Fail
TO Keep Flames From Spreading.
Manager Reed Tells the story Of
the Catastrophe.
New York. Feb. 24.--Eighteen dead
and twOscore injured is the latest otfi-
cial estimate of casualties in Il disas-
trons confa grafton which has destroy
ed the Park Avenue hotel and the Sew
enty-tirst regiment armory in this city.
The dead and injured are nearly all
guests or employees of the hotel. which
took fire from sparks driven across
Park avenue from the massive granite
military structure. which had become
enveloped in mass of devOuring
flames.
The revised list of dead is as follows:
Norman Acton. millionaire mine owner
from Colorado Springs. Colo; died at
Bellevue hospital; body at morgue.
William John Bernhard furniture in
spector for Siesel-Cooper company, Chi
cago.
Charles L. Burdette. Hartford, Conn,
colonel Of the First Connecticut volunteers
and veteran Spanish war.
Mrs. Charles A, Bennett of Alabama,
mother of Lawyer Harold Bennett, who is
in Bellevue hospital severely burned. She
was severely burned about the hands and
body and died d short time after her ar
rival at the hospital.
Mrs. Ellen Foster. occupied room 6l2 for
several years; was identified by her
daughter, Mrs. W. G.. Bowers of - East
Twelfth street.
Thomas p Horn, Denver; found dead in
hotel
Frederick S. Hovey of Lyons, n y.
found dead in hotel; employed by II. b.
Clahin company.
John Ivson Denver employed by H. b.
Clatn company.
Mrs. j. McManus; found near elevator
shaft.
Charles Underwood O'Connell. grand
nephew of Daniel O'Connell. the Irish pa
triot, and formerly clerk Of the supreme
court; died at New York hospital from
burns and suffocation.
Alexander NJ. Piper. retired colonel Unit
ed States army; body identified by jor
General Roe Of the New York national
guard
CASTOR r. Robins. former congressman
in Fourth district. Alabama, and lawyer
at 81 William street; body at morgue
Miss Esther Schesinger, Chicago; died
at Bellevue hospital from burns and suffo-
cation: body at morgue.
Jacob SPAIN, lawyer "a Concord street,
Rochester n. y; died At Bellevue hospital
from burns and suffocation body at
morgue.
John r. Walker, Columbia, Tenn; suffo-
cation; body removed to undertaking es-
tablishment
Unknown man. thlrty-fve years old, 3
feet inches in height 40 pounds black
hair and mlstache, striped trousers. gray
underwear and silk jacket; wore heavy
gold ring.
Mrs. -. W. McIimnis permanent guest,
occupied room No 500: body found near
elevator shaft outside her room.
Unknown woman. found on sixth floor
of hotel; body burned almost beyond rec
.ognitOn taken to morgue.
The arlnory was completely destroy
ed. The hotel. though it WAS not at
tackled by the flames till an hour and
twenty seven minutes after the armory
fire started, was the scene of the fatal
tiles.
The patrons We're not notified in time.
The night clerk assured the few who
We're awakened by the din that there
was no danger. Some who had come ,
the office in terror returned to their
beds.
Others who We're in their windows
viewing the spectacle of the burning
armoly found only too late that their
own escape was cut off and died in
vain attempt to flee.
When the armory took fire. Armorer
Patterson tried to stay the flames I'M
aided and t last he had to seek safe
ty. with his wife and two children,
over Il plank to the next building. an
apartment house. Soon the great gran.
tie building. which cost the city $780,
600. was roaring in fire. and great
cases of cartridges kept for emergency
We're exploding. Still no one thought
the hotel was in danger.
sparks Fell ON Hotel.
But there were too many sparks fall
ing upon the Park Avenue hotel. one of
the first 'fireprOof" structures built in
New York. They fell down the elevator
shaft, it appeared to the reporters
when the night force of the hotel was
perfectly safe.
Suddenly there was a shaft of flame
shooting up, and the hotel was on fire,
while those persons who We're looking
out on the spectacle were still in their
windows. and those who We're asleep
knew oihing of their danger
There was talk of incendiarsm Ii
was wild night, and few We're abroad
in the storm. Many of the city officials
who were there declared afterward
that it was separate fire; how started
they could not tell.
Flames swept the fourth. fifth and
sixth floors. Spectators of the armory
fire suddenly found the flames beating
in at their own doors. Some We're found
dead in their rooms. Others died in the
halls in their rush for safety.
There were between twenty and fifty
injured and as many more who escap
ed with only the nightclOthes they
wore. Some fifty odd went to the Wal
dorf- Astoria, where they were caret
for.
vCharo xroro rnn trOps in tho ho@1