Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-26


Former guests of the Broadway Van
Nuys, now scattered at various hotels,
arose early yesterday morning and be-
gan search for their valuables, which
they left behind in their hurry to es
cape from the fire which destroyed the
structure Sunday morning. Mrs.
Thomas H. Benton was made happy by
the recovery of $4,000 worth of jewelry
which was found IN IL dresser drawer
by a travelling man.
The ruins were we'll guarded by the
police, who gave aid in the search and
succeeded in finding many watches
which were still ticking away under
pillows. l.. A. Falck of San Francis
co found two of his trunks in good
condition and their contents uninjured.
Mrs. Falck lost several hundred dol
lars worth of jewelry and clothing.
A New York travelling man went to
his room not expecting to find any
thing of value, but found a water
soaked pair of trousers in which were
"a check for $125 and $65 in cash.
Tales of Bravery
Many tales of bravery and many
humorous incidents were told yester-
day by the men who escaped from the
hotel as they sat around the lobbies
of other houses, clad in perhaps the
only garments that they possess.
While the fire was burning its
fiercest some one reported that there
was woman on the fourth story.
Not stopping to think Of self-preserva-
ton a travelling man ran upstairs and
kicked in the door, but found the room
empty.
If there are any persons who should
be designated as heroes the guests say
they are Roy Golf, chief clerk, and
Robert Bradley, the elevator boy. The
-aI ba fir,a
they were first alarmed until every
person was out of the building. Goff
stated yesterday that the elevator was
unsteady and would jump from one
floor to another and that they could
not stop it when they wanted to.
Elevator in Tantrum
When they came down from the top
floor the elevator would go to the base
ment and jump up again. AS they
passed the first floor Goff would push
the guests one at time out of the
elevator. He continued this until each
load was disposed Of
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. j. w.
Searles down the stairs and out into
the street He received a liberal
Christmas present from Mr. Searles
yesterday.
To the fact that friendly poker
game was in progress, keeping six of
the guests up until an early morning
hour, is probably due the saving of
many lives. Those engaged in the
game rushed about the hotel awaken
ing many persons and were the last
to leave the burning building. Not one
Of them saved as much as n tooth
brush, as one of them expressed it
yesterday, except the clothing they
had on.
Will J. Denny, representing an east
ern shoe firm, visited his room yester-
day and found an order book and two
of his sample cases unchanged. He
stated that they were worth $500 to
him.
- All of the hotel books and mail were
saved by Night Clerk II. r. Murch.
The mail is being distributed today
from the Broadway hotel, where tenn
porary quarters have been established.
The proprietors of the Broadway Van
Nuys, Messrs Clark & Forsyth, stated
yesterday that they were unprepared
TO say as to whether they would con-
tinue in the hotel business or not, but
that they probably would, if not in the
old quarters, new ones. They said that
the question of building rests with the
owners of the building, the Henry
Martz estate, but that it is their de-
sire to have the building rebuilt at
once.
Fl. c. Eagan, president of the Van
Nuys Broadway Catering company,
said yesterday that he is anxious to
again establish his business but that
he has had no conference with the
owners of the building. He stated that
his loss is fully $4,000 and that he car
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