New-York tribune., 1902-03-09
MRS. A. L. MILLS.
FIRE ALARM MAKES RIOT
GUESTS OF HOTEL ENDICOTT IN WILD
STAMPEDE FOR EXITS.
ONE ANOTTIER-SLIGHT BLAZE IN DIN
ING ROOM CAUSE OF TROUBLE.

Several hundred guests Of the Hotel Endicott.
Colum bus-ave, between Eighty-hrst and Eigh-
ty-seCond sts.. were thrown into panic about
noon yesterday by an alarm Of fire from bell
boys sent through the hotel The guests were
told that for their own safety they would better
make their escape.
Despite the assurances Of the hotel employee
that there immediate danger. the fright
ened people boted down the stairways and to
the elevators, pushing and showing one another.
| in stampede for the exits. The two en-
frances one in Eighty-hrst-st. and the other
in Eighty -second-st. were the scenes Of fearful
crushes. Men and women screamed. and police
men came rushing from all directions 10 learn
the cause of the uproar.
Policeman Gardner. Of the West Sixty eighth
st. station. started into the hotel by the Eighty
second-st entrance at the first alarm. He was
forced back into the street by the crowd and
had 10 make several attempts before he could
get inside and up the stairs
4 big crowd gathered around the hotel at
tracted by the screams and cries of those within
trying TO get out. woman wearing furs
emerged from a sixth floor window. and,
screaming for help, began to pick her wav gin
gerlv down the fire escape. About the time she
reached the fourth uoor a thin film OF smoke
came from the dining room window twenty
feet away, where the fire originated. The WON
an clung 70 the FIRE escape for minute in ap-
parent inability to proceed further. Then she
set up a louder outcry than ever and crept
down. When she reached the second floor,
where the fire escape ended, she screamed
wildly for help.
Unless YOU save me ! Will jump she cried.
The distance 70 the pavement about
twenty feet ROundsmau Mccullough and Po-
Hcemen Gardner and Bloss commanded her 20
wait. telling her that there was no danger. and
that she would be saved from the interior
Then they made a flying wedge into the fighting
mob in the hotel corridor and forced their
way 70 the second floor. a window by the fire
escape was thrown open. and the woman in
downstairs. She said she was Mrs Leona Reed.
visiting Miss Dunham. who has apartments
the sixth floor of the hotel.
The fire was confined 10 the fourth floor din
ing room on the Eighty -second-st side A maid
was cleaning a lace curtain with naphtha and
for some reason which she could not explain the
naphtha blazed up. The woodwork of the win
dow ignited, but by that time the hotel office
downstairs was informed and a still alarm was
sent to the Fire Department. The fourth floor
dining closed. and only 4 small sec
tiOn Of il was damaged.
The hotel management however dreading a
disaster like that at the Park Avenue Hotel,
sent bellboys and employees through the hotel
with hand eXtinguishers. No hose was used in
the building
No injuries sustained in the panic in the
ridors reported to the police. but many
people complained of having been numerically
pushed and showed Several had their clothes
torn The policemen who entered the hotel
pecialIy complained Of having been trampled.
When quiet was restored the guests returned
to the hotel rather sheepishly.