The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-22
Flames Rout Guests of Tontine Hotel
 At Early Hour
Fire Breaks Out in Kitchen This Morning. Driving In mates to the Street in Scanty Attire = Women Carried Out.

l New Haven, June 22-Sheets of flame which, when discovered by Officers
 John J. Kane and Robert Hollinger | seemed to spell the doom of the Ton tine Hotel, threw half a hundred | guests of the house, which was filled | to it's capacity, into a panic shortly before ? o'clock this morning. The rear part of the hotel was filled al ! most to suffocation with blindine ] smoke which poured from the back
 part of the building where the kitchen | is situated. While Officer Kane sent in the alarm, Officer Mccormick, at tracted to the corner, rushed into the office, closely followed by Kane, both cli1n ping the stairs through the smoke
 to awaken the guests. On the tor floor three were overcome by the smoke and dazed Sergeant Doherty,
 who rushed from police headquarters with several officers, helped to awaken the guests, and assisted two of the women who were apparently in con dition of collapse. While the guests were assisted to the lower floor flames shot high into the sky and the send ing in of the second alarm caused fur ther excitement
 George T. White, proprietor of the hotel, said that he was the last to leave the kitchen and closed it up about 12 o'clock At that time there was only a fire in the range and un- less the blaze was started by defec- tive wiring he cannot account for the origin
 The blaze was discovered by the of ficers mentioned in the nick of time for the guests. The two officers were just returning to the station on their report when they noticed the flames shooting out the windows of the rear addition. MT. White and the night clerk were both in the office but did not know of the fire until the officers came running in. By that time the upper floors of the hotel were filled with dense smoke. Within a moment or two the hundred Or more guests started to pour out, panic stricken, in various stages of dishabille, some pull ing on trousers and coats, some with suit cases in their hands and some in but the scantiest attire.
 PatroImen Mccormick, HoIinger, Doughan, Kane and Landy had made their way through the smoke filled halls and rooms and had successfully taken out all of the guests. Patrol man Mccormick carried two women down from the third story. Other ing likewise. Sergt. Doherty and As sistant Chief Patrick F. Redmond went way up into the attic and be- tween them carried out Mrs. Kate Harrison, one of the employees, who has worked there for twenty years. Mrs. Harrison had been so overcome with smoke that she was unable to grope her way out. She appeared to be in a serious state. Mr. and Mrs. c. Mackin were also helped to the lower floor to safety after being in danger. A number of other women had to be helped or carried from the upper floors. Several women were so frightened that they became almost hysterical. adding to the pandemon- ium in the halls as men poured out looking for the stairway.
 The hotel office and the street in front of the building were soon throng- ed with guests in various stages of dis robement. One man even went over the Green in his pajamas and bath robe. The excitement in the building when the firemen arrived to fight the flames from the front and rear was at a high state Many of the guests had been stopping in the house over Commencement week.