The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-03-19
MORE THAN A DOZEN PERSONS
INSTANTLY KILLED IN A
DISASTROUS FIRE
sevenHov Apartment House New York Destroyed and Members
of Twenty-Four Families Have Narrow Escapes From Death
MANY Thrilling Rescues Are Made by FHemen, Several
of Whom Are Seriously Injured

New York. March 19,-Failure of MS
family OF the police 10 discover any
trace of him, has led to the rear thd'
,,obn w. Simpson, well.known IN
surance man, and formerly preSlocn'
Of Marietta college, In Ohio, met DEAN
in The fire which early today caused
the injury OF a dozen persons and en-
6aupered many others In the seven
story apartment building at "a Cen
traI Park South Mr.. Simpson lived
with his wife and daughter on the
seventh floor of the building. Mrs.
ano Miss Simpson, who sustained ser
Ious burns. were rescued by 1lIemen.
New York, March 19.-The fire
which swept through the seyen-story
apartment house In West 59th street
near the Hotel Plaza last night was
not under control until l o'clock this
morning and at that hour two persons
were missing. They are Prof. Pena-
roy Simpson, said to have been con
nected with Marietta college. Ohio.
and Margaret Hlllhouse. 1l-year-old
girl, who lived on the fifth floor with
escaped and we're lost in the crowd.
The fire was spectacular and replete
with sensational rescues. A great
crowd blocked tho streets below and
cheered the flremen in their work. Ten
persons including three 1remen were
injured. Seven tenants were carried
down extension ladders from the burn
ing building after sustaining burns
which were painful but not necessar
iiy fatal The building was practical
iy destroyed. Those who were not
taken to the hospital were cared Tor
by physicians from the Plaza. which
became place Of refuge.
New York, March 19-More than
dozen persons were instantly Killed
and members of twenty-four families
had narrow escapes from death by
fire when seven-story twin apart
ment building known as the Fifth Ave
nue. apartments. at "a Central Park
South was burned early today. The
loss Is about S250.000 The builclng
was separated from the Hotel Plaza
oply by smaller building and the
ltONSi OhiCC " % u uOoIJlldl lOl
the injured while many wealthy reOi-
dents OF the hotel watched the blazing
building from the hotel windows and
doors. When the firemen reached the
scene, men, women and children were
sitting on window ledges or hanging
out OF the windows gasping for breath.
aud others, overcome by smoke, were
being held in position by their rela-
tives. One girl was standing on VIII
dow ledge on the sixth floor preparing
to jump into the street despite the
warnings of pedestrians who gathered
below.
The injured include:
Mrs Francis Hillhouse, burned
about the head, arms and body.
Bertha Hulseweth, governness for
Mrs. Hillhouse, burned about the
body.
Mrs. j. w Simpson, burned abou,
The face. body and legs
Miss Minerva Simpson, aged ~.
burned about the feet and legs.
Mrs. Margaret Merrill, slightly
burned
Captain Leland Potter, fireman; feet
crushed, internal injuries, caught be.
tween two fire trucks.
Benjamin Tracey, fireman: hit by
stones from cornlce, possible fracture
of skull
Three other iiremen were injured
less seriously.
Beginning In the base OF tho ele-
vator shaft at No. "a. the flames went
W the shaft and spread out ON the
fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh flocrs.
the occupants of which fled to tie
windows without waiting TO dress.
F1remen raised extension ladders TO
tho fourth floor and went by scaling
ladders TO the sixth floor whence they
carried down MT and Mrs. John w.
McDonH and their son John, and a
servant girl,
On the third floor, the escape of
MT and Mrs. Francis Hillhouse. their
son and govenness, was cut or by
the flames, but tiremen carried Mrs.
fllllhouse and the soyeEnese down
the ladders at the front OF the build
ing. while Mr. Hillhouse was trying
!" escape by the rear fire-escape. The
ladders at the front had been removed
Fhen Mr Hlllhouse came back, and ne
hung by his hands to the window sill,
until flremen again raised the ladders,
hour and half after the fire start
ga all the floors collapsed and several
nremen barely managed to reach the
widows as the floors dropped out
from under them.