New-York tribune., 1903-01-07
BURDEN HOME 4FIRE.
One Daughter and Sons Of 1. Tozcns-
end Slightly Hurt.
DIFFICULTY IN RescuiNe MAID.

AS The result of fire which broke out at $50
a. m yesterday in the home of l. Townsend
Burden. No East Twenty-sixth-st-, Miss
Evelyn Byrd Burden. William Burden and l.
Townsend Burden. jr. were injured, and the
house and furniture were damaged to the extent
Of $1,000 a servant. Gurda FagerGuest was
burned on the right hand and left arm before
she was rescued from the ledge of window on
the fourth floor back by a policeman and sew
eral hremen. The other servants were rescued
from window ledge of the fourth floor front by
fremen
In the house when the fire started, were
Mrs Burden. William and 1. Townsend. jr
the two sons. and Miss Evelyn and MISS
C;wendolyn the daughters.
Miss Evelyn was just leaving the bathroom,
which is on the third floor in the northwestern
corner where she had been having steam
hath administered by the maid. Gurda- when
an alcohol lamp in the room was overturned.
The flames spread to towels. spread to the hall
and ate their way up a narrow spiral stair
case that leads TO the servants quarters on the
fourth floor They then turned south, down the
hall and filled the hall with fire up TO the doors
OF J. Townsend Burden, jr.'s. room. at the
front of the third floor Miss Evelyn was
b ~led severely the feet. as she ran but was
able to reach her room. although the fire
burned low along the floor. Her room is across
III.
the bathroom.
GO TO AID OF SISTERS
Meantime her brothers had run from the sec
ond floor to the aid of their sisters. Miss
GwendoIyn who had remained quietly in her
room the third floor, next to that of Town
send was led downstairs. and then Miss Ev-
elyn was conducted down Miss Evelyn and
the young men were cut on the feet by the
shattered glass from skylight.
The four young people Joined Mrs. Burden on
the second floor, and all went TO the home of
Adrian Iselin, jr.. No. East Twenty-sixth-st.
TWO doors away where Mss Evelyn at
tended by DR.. e NJ. Alger.
In the meanwhile the flames had not only
gone up the spiral staircase. but had eaten their
way through the ceiling of the bathroom and
spread out in all directions on the attic floor
The girl Gurda, had run upstairs, shouting
Fire. before the flames had made much head
way The three servants. rooming on the front
OF the fourth floor, broke the glass of the three
windows Of the southwest room and climbed out
on the ledge, where they screamed They
waited till Hook and Ladder Company No. "a
drove up. Extension ladders were thrown
against the house and the girls were carried
down 10 safety.
VALET CLIMBS TO SAFETY.
At The rear the room directly over the
bathroom was entirely burned out. Into the
room TO the east of it Gurda with Arthur
Griffin the valet Of Townsend and William
Burden. The hall staircase shut off for
escape by smoke and flames. Griffin decided
that the window the only chance of escape
They climbed out on the ledge. Griffin then
set his face the west and gripping a twoply
electric wire which UP and down the house,
clamrered over the extreme west window of
The house This was the window of the room
already burned out Griffin then reached out
from The ledge with one hand and seized some
other electric wires foot to the west of the
window He swung out and reached an exten-
sion ladder which rested against the side Of
The house BY tl4is he descended
Ciurda WAS mean time sitting on the ledge Of
slia window with one arm thrown the
sash When Griffin reached the ground he told
George Mckay. a policeman. Of the plight Of
the maid
MeKay's story as told to Tribune reporter
follows:
Il used the extension ladder from the second
TO the third story Of the house. and from there
p scaling ladder. I threw the hooks OF it up
into the window of the fourth floor and swung
IN. and sat down beside the girl the ledge.
She was the pluckiest girl have ever seen Her
head was dropping. and she could not have held
on much longer 1 caught hold Of her, and we
waited till the fremen broke into the room
behind us and put hose on the fire. which was
making good start there The hremen then
got the girl into the room. down the stairs and
out doors The fire pretty much out then
Csurda was taken 10 the New-York Hospital
where sweet oil was applied TO the burns on her
hand and arm. She is not seriously hurt.
Miss Evelyn Burden spent last night with the
Iselins Mrs Burden, Miss Gwendolyn, William
and l. Townsend, Jr., went to the Holland
House
MR. TOWNSEND IN TROY.
I Townsend Burden is in Troy. He was in
formed of the fire by telegraph but encouraging
reports were sent, that he did not come to
the city last evening.
The house in which the fire occurred was re-
Gently sold by Mr.. Burden to realty company,
which plans an apartment hotel on that and ad-
Joining sites The family was 10 move to
their new home at Fffth-ave- and Ninety-sec-
ond-st.
Mr. Burden in Troy in connection with
his case against the Burden Iron Company
James A Burden and others. Justice Belts on
Monday handed down decision against l. T.
Burden The contest is over horseshoe ma
crime.
on December 2s. 1895. Mr. Burdens home
was the scene of diamond robbery, thieves
taking more than $4,000 of Jewels in the alb
sence Of the family at the opera. The robbery
was the work of a butler and footman. who
were caught in London. Two-thirds Of the
Jewels were recovered.