Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-02-27
HORROR IN A HOTEL
EIGHTEEN GUESTS PERISH AND
SCORES ARE INJURED.
FINE ARMORY DESTROYED
Priceless Portraits of Famous Gener-
ais and Rare Souvenirs Consumed
Properly Loss Over $500, 900
Many People of Note Among the
Victims.

New York, Feb. 23.-The seventy
first regiment armory, destroyed in
Friday nights fire, cost the state $780,
900 to build. The loss will be some
what more. The fire destroyed the
original famous paintings of General
Grant, Sherman and Sheridan, the ST.
900 sword presented by the state OF
Massachusetts for the services of Mas
sachusetts volunteers, all the original
war records, rosters, numerous other
valuable trophies and prize ARTICLES.
The damage to the Park Avenue hotel,
Manager Reed said, will not exceed
$4,000 The hotel s still open, Serv-
ing meals and providing accommoda-
ton for guests. 1t is assumed that the
fire in the armory started from cigar
or cigarette.
The manager claims the fire was OF
incendiary origin in the hotel. Others
hold that the fire originated from
sparks from the burning armory build
ing, swept by the wind in the direction
of the hotel, descending the air shaft,
alongside the elevator, igniting debris
piled up in the basement near the ele-
vator shaft. The latter theory is con
firmed by many fire captains.
The latest reports increase the num-
Der of known dead to seventeen IN
the fire that swept through the fourth
| fifth and sixth floors of the hotel
| having originated in the armoTy across
| the street, reducing it to a mass OF
ruins. 1t was the worst hotel fire
since the Windsor was destroyed. The
fire was first seen about 1870 Satur.
| day morning in the armory, and in q
remarkable short time that building
was af1ame from end to end. The
hotel was crowded with guests who
| had come to attend the festivities II
honor of Prince Henry. More thar
| five hundred persons were in the
house. Following is a list Of persons
who lost their lives in the hotel or who
| died from the injuries received:
Newman Acton, Colorado Springs.
Col. Charles L. Burdett, Hartford
commander of 1st regiment Connect
| cut volunteers.
William J. Bernhard, furniture
| buyer for Siegel Cooper e Co, Chica
go.
Mrs. William J. Bernhardt.
Lee G. Conrad, New York.
Fred S. HOvey, Lyons, n. Y.
J. r. Hames mot certain, may be
| Thomas Horne), Denver
| John Iveson, Denver.
Minnie E. Ligdert, Denver.
Mrs. J. McManus, elderly invalid.
Captain Charles O'Connell, formerly
clerk of the supreme court.
Ex-Congressman CASTOR A. Robbins,
Savannah.
Esther Schlessinger, daughter OF
prominent merchant, Chicago.
Jacob SPAIN, Rochester.
John G. Walker, Columbia, Tenn.
Col. Alexander NJ. Piper, u. S. A,
retired.
Mrs. Salome Foster, known as the
'Tombs angel"
UniNentified body of a woman, may
be the wife of Rev. William S. Board
man, patient at Bellevue hospital.
The injured are: Lester l.. Wood
bury, Portland, Maine; Frank Ever
hardt, agent for a candy company; &
S. Hest, Columbia. Pa; William Steb,
bins, Jr., West Indies; Rev. William
S. Boardman, hotel; Perry w. Liv-
ingston, Campville, N. Y; Charlotte
Bennett, Sophia Beach; Emma S.
Meyer, Savannah; Mary c. Bennett,
Denver; Catherine M. Bennett, Den,
yer; Mrs. Samuel H. Hall, Newark;
Miss Anna Hall, Newark; w. s. Brad
ley, South Carolina; VIM. D. Hale,
Williamsville, Mass; Sarah Brigham,
Savannah.