New-York tribune., 1912-01-16
Dozens of Guests Thought to
Have Been Trapped by Flames
Which Destroy Historic
Revere House.
WILD SCRAMBLE FOR SAFETY
Police officers, Forced Back by
the Flames, Declared All the
Guests Had Not Left Build
ing-Heroic Rescues
by Sailors.
IRy Telegraph 10 The tribune

BY Telegraph TO The Tribune.
Boston, Jan. 16.--Endangering the
lives Of three hundred guests and abou
thirty employees. many of whom were
carried to the street down ladders, a
fire. for which four alarms were sound
cd in close succession. broke out shortly
before . o'clock this morning in the Re
we're House. the famous old Boston hos
tIery. in Bowdoin Square.
Police officers who went into the hotel
TO rescue the guests were driven back
by the dense smoke. They declare that
dozens of people were still in the build
ing and that many must be dead,
At 2:15 o'clock this morning scores OF
guests had been carried to the street
but there were rumors that others re-
manned in the structure still. Many fed
from the building scantily clad. Inside
the hotel the flames created a blazing
furnace and it was evident that the
hotel was doomed.
From the Revere House the fire spread
to the hall of the National Lancers on
Rulhnch street and then TO the house oi
Engine Company No. 4, on Bulfincn
street Hotel Rexford, another of the
older hotels in the city, is in danger and
the guests have been ordered out.
One fireman is dead.
Four alarms called out the greater
rortior NJ the city's fire fighting appa-
ratus. and the fremen were able by he
roic measures to save the Lancers Han
and the engine house, although there
we're brisk fires on the roofs. A sudden
shift in the wind sent the blaze around
70 the main part of the hotel and al
90 II was seen that there was no hope
for the building.
The fireman killed fell from the fourth
story and landed on a picket fence. HI
died on the way to the hospital.
Confirmation Of the report that there
are number of dead in the hotel is
still lacking
4 party of sailors from the batteshipS
in the harbor were in the vicinity wher
the fire broke out and did heroic work
They assisted the firemen in raising lad
ders and carried several women and chill
dren from the burning structure.
More than 300 persons were sleeping
in the hotel when the fire was discovered
and there was wild confusion as they
scrambled for safety. Families became
senara+Ad and for time the police had
dificulty in restraining some who sough
10 return to the building.
At 3 o'clock ii was thought that az
had been accounted for, MISUNDERSTANDING
the report of the policeman that many
vere stiu sleeping when ne was driver
out by the smoke. At that hour the h''
was still beyond control. r. D Harrlsoi
is the present lessee of the hotel
The origin of the fire is unknown al
though it is believed TO have starteu
the Grotto. as one of the restaurants ol
the main floor is known. The buildinl
is six stories in height.
No hotel in Boston and few III th
United States is richer in ASSOCIATION
than the Revere House. Here stayed
in the heyday of the hotels popularity
visiting royalty, famous statesmen ant
soIdiers. and some of the prima donna
who charmed a generation Of Bostoni
ans. now dead.
The Revere House was named atte
the famous Boston patriot. Paul Revere
II was opened on May 10. 1S47. as IN
most sumptuous hotel Boston had ma
up to that time The ballroom and IN
banquet halls were regarded as model
Of splendor and OF convenience Para
Stevens, one of the best known hott
men of the time, and the landlord OF tn
fremont House. was at its head.
1t was patronized by Webster, CleVe
land, Adelina Patti, Christine Nilssoi
Emperor Pedro Of Brazil, King Kalakau
Of the Hawaiian Islands, Admiral Ma
homet Pacha, Of the Turkish navy; hi
imperial highness the Grand Duke Alexi
Of Russia and Generals Grant Sherma
and Sheridan.
Here, too, in 1860, stayed Prince Alber
Of Wales, the future King Edward vi
q England. One Of the rooms in tn
hotel has ever since been set aside
faded in its decorations-but rich in il
associations. 1t is the room Prince Al
bert occupied.