The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-11
FIRE ROUTS MANY TENANTS.
LIVELY SCENES AT A BLAZE IN
FIFTH AVENUE.

Capt. Zalinsti. the inventor. SID Down
the Banister-Somc Of His valuable
Plans Destroyed-Art objects In
Rear Building Burned-Loss slOO. 900.
upper floors Of the fve-story double brown
stone building at 40 and 222 Fifth avenue
were routed out OF their beds about o'clock
yesterday morning by a fire which started
In an old-fashioned, three-story, nansa I'd
roof building In the rear. II has been used
a. Q storage place by John r. Douthitt. an
art dealer, who occupies the ground door at
az Fifth avenue.
The building where the fire started h said
to be more than ffty years old and TO have
been a private residence surrounded BY
spacious garden at a time when the rest OF
the block was not built up. The block 10
bounded by Fifth avenue, Twenty-seventh
street. Broadway and Twenty-sixth street.
The Hotel Victoria runs along It's northern
front from Roadway to Fifth avenue. The
Victoria Annex Ia at it's southwestern corner,
while It's southeastern corner IL occupied
by the Croisic apartment house.
The fire destroyed a number Of plans.
models and memoranda belonging to Capt.
e. l.. G. Zalinski, the inventor Of the dyna-
mite gun, Who with his nephew. Lawyer
Simon L. Adler. occupied three rooms on
the top floor Of the apartment house. Capt.
Zalinski. who has been at work for long
time on a new gun, was unable last evening
TO tell how serious his loss was.
The other tenants at 22o and 222 were:
j. Ensign Fuller, his sister and niece; the
Misses Huntington, musicians and rela-
tivee OF the late Coils p. Huntington; Mrs.
Penfield, artist, and Miss Little, a stenog-
rapher; Mrs. Rich and daughter, George
Hisgnson. sister-in-law Of Admiral His:
ginson, and her daughter; and Mr.. and
Mrs. j. Richard Tenant.
After the first alarm Of fire Mrs. Tenant
started out to rouse the other people In
the building; She began With Capt "a
she went to every other apartment in the
house.
Special Policeman Dunn and Mr.. Adler
tried to carry Capt. Zalinsh down, but
found him too heavy. The inventors
his direction the two men lifted him on the
the old-fashioned bsnister ard began to
slide him down. They had passed two
floors successfully, when they got tangled
up in lot Of hose dragged upstairs by the
- picked Capt. Zalinski up In his arms
and carried him downstairs.
Mrs. Penfi Id was discow n d in her room
by tn" janitor, William n. Harris. She
was walking. around in h,r nightdr as.
from tho walls. Shn was I'd downstairs
with h arms full OF pictur 8. Mrs. and
Miss Higginson ars the ownt rs OF thr q
Angora cats which they say are worth
Win Policeman Duffy reached the top
floor, he found the two women chasing tho
cats from one room to anothr r. The cats
would not b. caught and the wom n would
not | av, without tn cate. Duffy had to
help in the hunt until thu last cat had bc'n
party mad tn ir way to the stntt.
Thu fir. cais d D putty Chi Z Binns to
seld In a cond alarm. 1t spr ad along
two wood bridg q from tn old building
TO IN apartm mt hous. wh'r, how r.
rooms that sun r d much damag.' wrrc
thos, OF Capt. Zalinski and Of Mrs. Kraus r.
who liv right le!ow him. tn" old build
ing, with most OF its cont nts, consisting Of
tap stries, paintings, antique furniture
and art obj Cts was almost totally de-
TherN was sornc cxoite mr. Mt In tho Croi-
dc and tn Victoria Annex and lodgrs
in both rlac s got out in varying stays
In the Victoria Night Clerk Cavanash
sounded the fire gongs and sent hallboys
to the rooms OF the guests. In few minutes
nearly every guest had appeared in the
lobby. One OF the first to appear was
Senator Towne OF Minnesota, who came
down carefully gloved. but insufficiently
dressed otherwise. Another man showed
up in silk hat. nightshirt and a pair
OF trousers. Under his arm he carried a
box Of fine imported cigars, his most val
liable property. One OF the last Of the
guests to come down was Pete Daley. the
actor. Finding the lobby full Of smoke and
half-dressed women, he walked up to the
counter and called out to the clerk:
Look here, sir, l must protest against all
this smoking in the presence Of ladies'
There were so many cries too stimulants
and so little responses to them that a water
wagon club was organized on the spot with
Daley. Tony Pastor and Frank Bostock.
the animal man, as chief officers. just as
the organization was about to be perfected
Bandmaster Duss appeared on the scene
In a beautiful suit OF new pajamas. He
explained that he had been strolling about
the corridors looking for somebody to
rescue.
Mr. Douthitt said last night that his stock
was insured for $4,000, but that he was
wholly unable to estimate his loss. Chief
Purroy thought the entire damage
amounted to about 100000
SAYS TEXAS HAS BEEN ROBBED.