The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-10
FLAMES NEAR Big HOTELS.
FIRE EARLY THIS MORNING AT
81 AND 29 EAST l4TH STREET.
Man Drops from . window on . Fence
and Dies soon Afterward -tiuests
at DelmOnIco's and sherrys Alarmed
Woman IL swung to Safety.


The two four story brownstone houses
at 81 and 20 East Fortyfourth street were
Quilted by fire this morning and one OF the
occupants jumped from the top story OF
20 and was injured no badly that ne died
before no reached the Presbyterian Hospital
He was Arthur C. Nicely, a wealthy young
man. who lived In bachelor apartments on
the top floor.
Nicely was the only person who lost ms
life az far az known at an early hour this
morning, 1t was said at o'clock that all
the other tenants were accounted Tor.
Several Of them jumped out OF rear windows
to escape from the flames.
The fire started in the rear OF the two
buildings and went rapidly to the roof
through the dumbwaiter shafts In the rear.
The flames shot out Of the roof as II there
had been furnace beneath The fire was
discovered ut $50 O'Clock.
Roundsman Meshsn and Policeman
Hawkins we're the first policemen on the
scene and it was Meehan who turned in the
alarm from the box at the corner. When
the first fire apparatus arrived the
whole roof Of both houses was aaame.
Before the Aremen arrived Mr., Nicely
appeared at the fourth story window with
the flames close behind him.
He climbed up on the window sill and the
two policemen shouted to him not to jump
Just as they cried out to him flames shot
from the window and Nicely dropped. He
fell on picket fenoe and was bruised and
bleeding when he was picked up. He was
when he was lifted into the
He was 80 badly injured that
the ambulance surgeon said he didn't think
there was much chance Of saving his life.
second alarm was rung in quickly after
the first fremen arrived. The nearest fire
apparatus was delayed some in getting to
the fire because Of the condition OF the
streets The sparks and burning embers
from the two Forty-fourth street buildings
Aoated over the houses on Madison avenue
between Forty-fourth and Forty-ffth
streets and the tenants had to desert their
houses The fremen took possession OF
them and fought the fire from the rear
where it was burning most fiercely.
The ground floor Of the two buildings
that were Quilted is occupied by DR.. Carlos
Macdonald, the alienist. He only has his
office there. Robert H. Cory leases the rest
OF the two buildings and rents bachelor
apartments. Cory couldn't tell how the
fire started, but it spread 80 quickly that
the tenants had not time to gather up their
The residents OF some of the houses on
Forty-flftb street, in the rear OF the two
burning buildings. deserted their homes
Many were 40 afraid that the FIRE would
spread from the rear to the rear Of the
houses on the south side OF Forty-ffth
street that they hurried out OF their houses
wearing only bathrobes
Mr.. Nicely was widower and the brother
of F. Tennyson Nicely, the publisher. The
brothers occupied the same apartments.
Tennyson Nicely tried to lead his brother
out the hallway through the smoks, bit in
cropping around to find his way he lost his
brother.
Arthur Nelly became bewildered then
and rushed back to the window from which
he jumped,
John Frazer broker. and his wife were
on the third floor rear of p when they found
themselves penned in by flames. There was
only one way to get out. and that was by
the third floor windows, and there were no
fire escapes
Frazer ter, sheets into strips while
his wife knotted them together SO as to
make a rope. One end Of this made rope
he tied fast to the bed and the other end
he tied arc und his wife's waist.
Mrs. Frazer WAS lifted out Of the window
and her husband swung her like a pendu-
lum over the one story extension in the rear
Of the adjoining house at rs.
As Mrs. Frazer swung over the extension
the sheet rope lroke and she dropped on
the extension roof. She wasn't hur., and
Frazer soon joined b, r. getting to the roof
In the same way in which his wife did
The fire was directly across the way from
ST. Bartholomew p. F., Church and q block
away from the Hotel Manhattan. On the
corners Of Forty fourth street
are Sherry's and Delmonico's.
The changing of the engines and the
rattle of the other fire apparatus awoke
the persons living in all three hostelries.
Nearly every one in the Manhattan was
a Weakened. for an engine stood putting at
the Madison avenue side OF the hotel. Many
Of the guests left their rooms.