Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-05
PERIL OF GUESTS
IN BURNING HOTEL
Blue Mountain House at Pen
Mar Destroyed-Loss,
100000.
WOMEN FLEE TO LAWNS
IN NIGHT GARMENTS
Washingtonians Among Those Who
Lose Belongings-Two Norfolk
Men Injured.


Mountain House at Pen Mar, on the Penn
sylvania- Maryland line. was destroyed by
fire today. two guests being seriously in
jured. They are b. + Metzgar and Nal
colm Frank of Norfolk. Va. The men
were badly burned and bruised in at
tempting To escape.
Metzgar and Frank. who are uncle and
nephew, did not hear the alarm which
aroused the sleeping guests. They found
themselves surrounded by fire in their
room on the fourth floor, and in their
frantic effort to escape they fell through
q trapdoor into a fame-swept hall and
We're seriously burned about the face and
head. Both We're taken to Waynesboro,
Pa. in an automobile.
Guests in Scanty Attire.
The fire started at ) am in the main
building. driving the guests to the lawns
in scanty attire Some of them were un-
able TO save their belongings The build
ing was quickly destroyed. and it was
impossible to save anything in the way of
furniture.
The fire had it's origin in the kitchen
and quickly spread to adjoining rooms
and halls. thence to the elevator shafts
and the floors above. There were 175
guests in the hotel.
The hotel was built by the Western
Maryland Railroad Company twenty-five
years aSo, and I'm its day was one of the
best known mountain resort houses in
town. Md, corporation. The loss is about
$4,000.
Baltimoreans Lose Belongings.
BALTIMORE, Nd, August J.-About
one-half Of the guests at the burned
Blue Mountain House were Baltimoreans
score Of these, clad in garments Of all
descriptions, returned to the city on q
morning train. So swift was the prog
ress Of the flames that none Of the party
was able to save any Of their jewelry
and clothing.
1t - estimated that more than $4,000
worth OF .ewelry was lost. Mrs. B. Looe
OF Eutaw place gave q hasty description
Of the 1rst stages Of the fire. 'It was
awful she said. 'T saw babies thrown
ont g tae windows. We were aroused
- - ser slesp hy the sharp reports Of a
our lives, - the hotel was afre. We did
not walt but grabbed mp the first pieces
e clothing that came to hand and ran
from the building"
In Wrappers and Kimonos.
Al the women left the train at the sta
tion hero they presented . sorry appear
ance Wrappers. kimonos and such form
ed the wearing apparel Of most of Them
Hair was loosely knotted on their heads
ana In many cases struggling down their
backs.
Colored Porter's Courage.
To the courage and coolheadness of
Frank Thomas colored porter OF the
hotel. many Of the guests owe their
escape from the burning building, accord
:ns to Arthur Mark Of Newbern. n. C.
cne Of the party arriving here this morn
~
This man." said Mr. Mark, although
alf suffocated by the smoke. went from
TO toor. awakening the guests Then
herring them together. he would call
is way, outr and lead them through
tear exit to safety
Thomas. ii was declared did not leave
1e building until he was assured that
every one was out.
Some Guests Ill.
Some of those who were hurried from
their rooms were old, feeble and i'll.
Most OF these We're accompanied either
- nurses or relatives. Many children
We're among the guests These were
taken out Of their beds and carried
outside before they could realize their
peril. As soon az the news of the fire
cached the Baltimore Headquarters of
ne western MARYLAND railroad spe-
,lal train was ordered to be made M
tJuipped with clothing and other sun-
|lies for the guests. The train was
'ushed To the scene with several ply
Sicians on board to look after any who
might require their services
Mrs. Fox and Daughters Loss.
Mrs. Albert r. Fox. wife OF the presi-
dent OF the Columbia National Bank q,
this city. and her daughter. Miss Mar
garet Fox. were guests at the Blue Noun
tain House. and though they lost all their
hssongings, they escaped without iniury.
Mr. Fox received a long distance tele-
nhone message from his daughter this
morning. saying that neither she nor her
mother had been injured. They We're
Unable TO save any Of their belongings.
she said.
Mr. Fox is OF the belief that his wife
and daughter may have lost a consid-
cradle amount Of jewelry in the fire. He
knows that they carried number of val.
uable pieces of jewelry with them Miss
Margaret Fox failed to say whether the
jewelry had been lost when she phoned
10 her father this morning.
MIS-. ana MISS FOX ieIt W aSnlnEtOn for
the Blue Mountain House last Friday
They were accompanied by Mr. Fox, who
remained there until yesterday morning
when he returned to this city.
Mr. Friedlander's Account.
Mr.. and Mrs. Harry Friedlander of 9f4
Massachusetts avenue northwest also
were among the Washingtonians stay
ing at The Blue Mountain House. They
escaped without injury. but Mrs. Fried
lander lost between $4,000 and S., 0OC
worth Of jewelry and all her clothing
Mr.. Friedlander lost all his clothing
and a watch fob set with fifty diamonds
and a pair of diamond-set cufr buttons
MIR. and Mrs. Friedlander returned to
Washington this forenoon.
my room in the hotel was opposit,
that occupied by the -nanager OF tn,
establishment" said Mr.. Friedlander to
day. II was awakened by his callins
and inquired the trouble. The hotel.
aiire. he shouted and ran down the hall
ycay.
NJ wife and / started to dress. bu
or The smoke drove us from the build
~. ] managed to get on a pair o
cJ~cr. AMI my shoes. Mrs. Friedlandel
sJi on :, pair OF bedroom slippers and {