The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-02-25


The fire in the armory started on the
floor on the 33rd street side, where there
was a tier OF rooms occupied by differ
ent companies OF the regiment. Within
five minutes the whole structure was be-
yond saving and ten minutes later the
roof fell in with a terrific crash. There
was no one in the armOry at the thine.
except ianitor and his family. They
escaped by going through a scuttle hole
in the roof and thence along the battle
ments on the 34th street side to safety
on the roofs of houses to the east. This
passage was attended by much danger,
owing to the icy condition OF the roof.
Six alarms We're turned in, but In spite
Of the quick responses the armory was
doomed. The prevailing gale made 1t iu.-
possible TO check the flames. Several
hundred pounds Of ammunition stored in
the tower OF the armory detonated in q
series of minor explosions partially
wrecking the portion OF the walls, near
which it was stored. This added terror
and caused fear Of greater explosions to
those who were lighting the flames.
1t was not until almost ) o'clock thas
flames were discovered in the Park Ave-
nue. Hotel. directly across from the ar
mory. Manager Reed, OF the hotel, had
the armory with guests from the hotel.
He had descended TO the first floor, and
was standing talking TO a guest when a
burst of flames came I'D through the ele-
vator shaft. Immediately he ordered his
men to go through the hotel to give the
alarm. The lights almost Immediately
went out and the hotel corridors were in
darkness. The flames leaped up through
the elvatoer shaft and semed to gather
around the fifth and sixth floors, filing
the halls with dense smoke and making
exit by means Of the stairway almost
impossible.
Manager Reed ran up TO the fourth
floor, and there entered the elevator
which was descending. He alighted at
the first floor and soon after the elevator
was q. wreck.
Various opinions are given as 10 the
origin OF the fire in the hotels The
manager claims that it was of incen-
diary origin Others hold that the fire
originated from sparks from the burning
armory building swept by wind in the
! direction OF the hotel, descending the
nir shaft, which was directly alongside
the elevator and igniting the debris
which was piled up In the basement and
near the elevator shaft. The idea OF in
guests Of the hotel and by Fire Chief
Croker. Another theory is that the fire
started en- the fifth and sixth floors and
thus resulted in the damage TO those
floors more than to any other portion OF
| the building. The theory advanced by
the majority as to the air shaft Is con-
frned by many Of the fire captains.
The flames mounted rapidly and the
FIRE exlinguishers made little impTe ssion
The guests on the fifth and sixth floors
had been aroused and those who had
not lost their heads started for the stair
ways, clad only in wrappers and some
! with only sheets thrown over them.
Scores of people were taken from the
windows Of the third, fourth and fifth
floors oi the house by tiremen and by
police, many OF the rescued being made
hys ericAl from fright.
SCENES OF TERROR
AT the windows on the Park Avenue
side Of the hotel. many persons appeared.
Women were screaming frantically for
! help. \ Mr.. and Mrs. Bradley, guests OF
the hotel, who were TO lave today on
the transport Mcclellan for Manila, ap
pearcd at a fifth floor window on the
: Thirty-Third street side screaming
loudly. A Mra. Charlotte Bennett anu
her husband. of Alabama, stood on the
fifth floor On 4 ledge directly over the
portco and main entrance Of the hotei.
Mrs. Bennett evidently thinking that no
one was going TO rescue her, struggled
from her husbands grasp and shouted
that she was going 10 jump. The nremen
gathered in q circle below and stretched
out their arms. She broke away from
her husband and flung herself out OF the
window, while the flames had almost en-
velop@d her. She killed. her nus
| band rushed into the hall and MADE MS
escape, though he was slightly puTneu
and almost overcome by smoke.
Col. Burdett after making a desper-
ate attempt TO save his life, met death
in 4 shocking manner. His skull VAS
split open and he was found shortly a1ter
. O'clock lying in the court yard "itnii
the hotel. lie mad fallen six stories
Col. Burdett was q guest on thc 'i'ii
| t1Ccr. Soon after the alarm oi IRE
reached him all escape was cut OF. ne
dragged the mattress froni MS oed
and dropped it to the roof OF an cAten
| sion over the hotel dining room, III GO
stories below Then by tying the sheets
together he made rope and secured IL
TO the window. His object was 10 lanu
on the mattress and thus break MS 1ais.
Tc miscalculated the distance ana leii
/ TO the court
| Que o. the saddest incidents OF the
! fire was th cdeath of Mira. Salome ros-