Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-20


duty, noticed the smoke and went up
to awaken Manager A. r. Moore. MIR.
Powcll made an cnot To turn In nh
alarm by telephone, but could not
get central" then he turned his nj.
tcnlIon to the awakening OF fellow
guests
In the meantime Manager Moore
had reached the scene and. using his
fist npon the glass door of the fire
alarm box. he sent in the call for the
ucpa 1mcnt Later Mr. Moore dis
covered that In breaking the glass he
had cut his hand rather painfully.
| All Guests Aroused.
After the ala m was in. MIR Moore.
Clerk Brickcr. MIR. Powell and others
aroused all guests who were not nj.
ready out or on their way out of the
! lnildmg. Tho dense smoke I'm tho
nails made this task n difficult one
and everyone who venturcd ,m the
slairwnys was almost sufrocatcd.
Manager Moore was IN the verge of
being overcome several times. ana
trip inside. would have fallen on
Cierk Smith. upon returning from
n tin inside. would have fallen IN
The sidewalk had not Police Omccr
Griffin carried him bodily out into the
cold nieht air.
Entire Building Seemed Attire.
Even after I; was known that every.
hodN was safety ont of tho hotel II
looked us though the building With
us contents would he DESTROYED. The.
extent of tho ne was not known
ana the volnmc of smoke made II an-
pear That the entire building was
about to be cnveloped In namcs.
FINALLY when II became apparent
that Fire Chicr stow and his; mon
mad the situation well IN hand. Tho
serious side Of The ami. seemed TO
he lost in the mcrriment occasionel
ny various Incidents which few
minutes bcfo had seemed ANYTHING
bur humorous.
The ladies. most of whom had IN.
Ken refuge In ncishlorlne residences
rcappcarcd on the scene ana covlv
twlttcd each other upon The question
OF which appeared to tho hest MI
vantage under the circumstances
Commanded Mallison's Adventure
! Commander George Madison. IT. :
~, and his friends laughed nlahttlv
I
was made the subject of lest. mirht
have cost the popular ofllccr his lifn
lie commander occupied n room on
the third hoo. directly over Tho frc
I when he found that he could not
! leave his room on account of thc
smoke. he remembered ropc which
! he mad bought for the purpose only n
week or so ago. Fastening one end IF
inc ronc securely to his window thc
! commando. clad In paiamas. launch.
icd iorth into the night and lowered
himsclf three stories. only TO nnI
that he was suspended directly over
n deep areaway. from which stonm
ana smoke were arising The officers
nositlon was p'ccarIous one. and
ne was saved from injury only bv the
3 lih,cly appearance Of Mr.. NJ. W
loalbN who. called To the scene by
/ lhc'alarm oil fire. had seen the white
4 hgurc leave the window MIR. Daily
climbed the high fence IN the read or
( inc motel ana managed to reach the
:opc by which the commander was
suspended
Although many Of the guests were
badly frightened. and all wcrc nnfu
rally excited. there was none oi thc
lighting and scrambling for safety OF
ten incident to such occasions. Man
aSer Moore commented upon this with
evident qualification
Manager Moore Talks.
When asked for ii statement IN ref
ercncc to the fire. Mr. Moore gave
). the following TO Daily Press re.
20 ter The fire was Just one o.
those things which are liable to Ian.
pen at any time. any where. While
regrcttlng extremely the inconvcnis
cncc. annoyance and disquietmde on
,alled upon the guests, | hope and be-
lieve that those concerned are salts.
fed that everything possible undeo
thc circumstances was done for their
comfort ana protection All of our
guests were aroused as promptly rs
= possible aftcr the fire was discover.
cd. and 1t was source of gratifcn.
non 10 me that where so many unto.
ward accidents might have occurred
NOT single personal injury resulted
rue calm and ordely dcmcanOr OF
our guests under somewhat irving
"a f.tts