The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1907-03-07
THEATER PEOPLE
IN HOTEL FIRE
The Fatal Leap Of John COnIey,
a Comedian.
AN ACTRESS TERRIBLY BURNED.
Death and Suffering in an Extrav-
aganza Company-The Members and
Other Guests of the Hotel Arcade
in Chester, Pa, Awakened by Fire
Early Sunday Morning.

Chester, Pa. Especially AS the re-
suit of one of the worst fires that
has visited this city in years, and
which destroyed the Hotel Arcade,
Sixth Street and Edgmont Avenue, at
an early hour Sunday morning, one
man is dead, one woman is dying,
and several other persons, members
of a theatrical company, are patients
in Chester Hospital under treatment
for burns and other injuries.
The dead:
John Conley, Philadelphia, COM
edian with the Vanity Fair Extrava-
ganza Company, jumped from third
story window.
The injured:
Mrs. Lillian Watson, Elmira, n. Y,
member of same company, burns of
body and limbs; condition critical.
Fred Reed, Boston, comedian Van
ity Fair Company, burned and suf-
fering from shock and inhalation OF
smoke
Ella Reed, wife of Fred Reed, suf.
fering from shock and slight burns
Ernest Shaw, Boston, burned hand
The fire was attended by many
thrilling rescues and escapes. There
were "a guests and the members of
the family of Thos Hargreaves, pro.
prietor of the hotel, In the building
when the fire broke out.
So quickly did the flames gain
headway that none of the guests had
time TO save any personal belongings
all escaping attired only in their
night clothing.
The origin Of the fire is a mystery
Shortly after o'clock George Bart
lett, a performer at the Family Thea.
ter. was awakened by smoke. Arous.
ing his wife, they hurriedly dressed.
and, going out into the hallway, dis
covered the entire third floor in
flames. At the same time Mr.. Har-
greaves was awakened and tried to
send in an alarm over the telephone.
but was forced to rush down stairs
with his wife and daughter.
Bartlett and his wife, finding es.
cape cut of by the stairway, tied
blankets together and swung to the
roof Of the Morning Republican
Building, adjoining.
In the meantime the other guests
Of the hotel, the majority of whom
were members of the Vanity Fair
company chorus. awakened to find
themselves henimed in by flames, and
being unable to descend to the lower
floor, had gene to the windows, and
leaning outward with the fire sweep
ing over them, screamed for as
| sistance. In response to an alarm
turned in at 3.29 o'clock by a pedes-
trian all the local fire companies were
soon on the scene.
Mrs. Lillian Watson, wife of the
| property man. OF the theatrical
company. clasping her eight-months-
old baby to her breast and shielding
it from the flames, had made her
way to a rear side window of the
| building, where, becoming exhausted
and partly overcome by the smoke
she held the infant out from the sill
James Kamin, procuring a ladder
ascended to the roof OF the building
adjoining, crossed over and carried
the woman and baby to the adjoining
roof, and then to his home, from
where she was sent to the Chester
Hospital.
Fred Reed. his wife and two chill
dren, who occupied rooms on the
third story, also figured in STARTLING
rescue, using blankets to swing his
! loved ones to safety