New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-02
FIRE IN HOTEL NETHERLAND
Blaze Starts in Storeroom ana
Burns Up Guests Baggage.
DENSE SMOKE FILLS CAFE
Nobody Hurt, but Traffic Is Con-
gested for an Hour and There
Is Loss of $40, 600.

Fire of unknown origin started in
storeroom in the sub-basement of the Hote
Netherland, Fifth avenue and 59th street
yesterda.. afternoon, and before the ar
rival of firemen spread to other rooms
damaging baggage belonging to guests anC
hotel furniture.
A number of porters were at work in the
endorsement, when they smelled smoke
IN the storeroom on the 59th street side. ir
which they had stored a new supply OF
furniture, they found pile of excelsior
which had been around the furniture. blaz
ing. The management of the hotel was
notified and a fire alarm sent in.
Employees of the hotel tried to fight the
fire but the smoke and flames were toe
much for them, and they retreated to await
the arrival of the firemen. By the time the
apparatus arrived the fire had spread vel
through the sub-basement, and clouds 81
thick smoke filled the main lobby and the
corridors.
Guests smelled the smoke, and a number
of nervous men and womtn called up the
hotel telephone operators to find out what
caused the smoke. They were told that
there was nothing to fear Many gave the
smoke no further attention, but several
guests descended to the main lobby and
:
The fremen were in charge of Chief
Croker who was driving past the hotel
when he saw the fire engines Croker had
his men play several streams of water on
the burning woodwork in the basement
and the men worked under his direction
for hour before they got the fire under
control.
Volumes of thick, black smoke rose to
no nd hS IF q
drove everybody out The BARRIERS got out
of their shop, but Miss Louisa Anderson.
a manicurist, and several customers were
caught in the shop, with no way OF getting
out owing to the smoke. Miss Anderson
screamed for help. and her cries were
heard by two chauffeurs in 18th street.
They dslodged ventilatOr leading from
the shop to the street, and then directed
the young woman to stand on a chair,
from which they lifted her 70 the street
and then helped the customers out.
The fire attracted a large crowd of peo-
pie, who blocked Fifth avenue and 18th
street in their efforts to get a good view
of the firemen at work The congestion Of
traffic became SO great that the reserves
of the East 9th and East 51st street sta
tons were called to the scene. They
reached the hotel on the run and waded
through the jostling crowds with such good
effect that within few minutes after their
arrival traffic conditions were normal again
and the firemen were able to work with
greater ease. Mounted policemen also
worked on the crowd and made the car
riages and wagons which had been tied up
proceed a double quick time.
When the fremen got through with the
fire it was found that there was about
foot of water in the barber shop and cafe
Men were set to work pumping the water
out. and they had the floors cleared in
short order
Colonel George H Sweet. manager of the
hotel, said that there were about fifty
pieces of baggage in the room where the
fire was worst. Most of them were de-
stroyed, and Colonel Sweet put the damage
at about $4,000