The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-22
Colonel Alex Pipper. u. S. A., of Louisville, Among
the Guests of the Hotel Who Pershed
-Four Bodies Recovered

NEW YORK, Feb 22.-The Park Avenue
Hotel situated at Thirty-second and
Thirty-third streets. and the armory of the
Seventy-frst Regiment National Guard of
New York. were destroyed by fire that
broke out early to-day in the armory. 1t
is certain that a number of lives have been
lost. Chief Croker making an estimate of
twenty dead now in the ruins of the hotel
Four bodies have been taken out and
one of these was identified as that of Col.
Alex Piper. U. s. A. of Louisville. KY.
Several persons were fatally injured in
cluding Rear Admiral Joseph N. Miller,
who retired from active service in the
United States Navy on Nov. %. 1895. He
uttered from shock A woman guest. name
unknown. jumped from the fifth story and
will die.
The loss is estimated at $2,OOOOOO. Up to
o'clock this morning no list OF dead or
injured was obtainabe.
The seventy-frst regiment armory. a
magnificent granite structure and one Of
the finest in the city. was destroyed.
The car barns of the Metropolitan Street
railway Company. on an adjoining corner,
were threatened with destruction. but the
good work of the hremen succeeded in
saving them.
The armory occupied an entire block and
was occupied also by the second battery
and first signal corps The fire was dis
covered bursting from window of the
armory on the Thirty-fourth street side
and by the time the fremen arrived the
flames had completely enveloped the build
ing and appeared through the roof. Soon
afterward the cartridges and ammunition
exploded Shortly after O'Clock a thous-
and pounds of powder in the cellar explod-
ed and the walls of the building were
thrown outward.
BY this time the people living in the
neighborhood had been driven from their
homes by the heat and were sheltered in
the car barns nearby. Many narrow es-
capes were witnessed and heroic work
was done by firemen and spectators.
The guests of the Park-avenue Hotel
numbering about co., were aroused quickly
as possible. but not without panic among
the women and children. The iremen
poured eleven streams upon the side of the
hotel nearest to the armory. but in spite
OF this the third floor caught fire and the
flames eating along the walls OF the hotel.
spread 10 the roof The firemen ran lad
ders up on every side and attempted to
work their way through the hotel. but
were driven back by the dense volumes of
smoke again and again.
a little after o'clock the four upper
floors OF the hotel were mass of flames.
and the fire was spreading rapidly down
through the structure. 1t was then appar-
en-; that the hotel doomed
Notwithstanding the fact that everybody
In the hotel had ample time to get out. a
large number of women were carried down
the ladders by firemen. until it was thought
everybody had been taken out. Just at this
time woman in her night clothes appeared
at q window in the fifth floor. and before
warning could reach her flung herself head
long 10 a portico over the main entrance. Ii
Is believed that she will die.
Two bodies were found on the fifth floor
by the fremen, and two more in other
parts OF the building. II is feared several
other bodies will be found in other parts of
the building
AT o'clock Chief Croker. who had been
inside the building. said that he believed a
large number OF dead were inside in the
halls and corridors.
Among those who escaped were Bishop
Ludden. Monsignor Kenny and a number
OF Catholic priests from Syracuse. y. Y.
James NJ Payne. OF Connecticut. and c.
II. stockwell. OF Troy. ~. Y.
"a. m.-Admiral Miller. L. 5. y. (retired).
who had room on the nth floor OF the