New-York tribune., 1913-11-18
WIND TOSSES SPARKS
in HOTEL WINDOWS
Women Guests in Alarm as
Threatening Fire Rages-
Three Firemen Hurt.
HEARSE WAITING BODY
WRECKED BY ENGINE
Blaze in Seven-S Story Office Build
ing, Next Door to Chelsea,
Does $4,000 Damage.

The crescent shaped vents in the base
ment iron doors Of the seven story Office
building at Nos. Pa and 246 West 2$d
street sent forth an unusual glare to
Patrolman Reitmeier at o'clock yester-
day afternoon. He investigated and see
ing that q fire was well under way in the
nlant Of Cushman & Dennison, next door
~ the Chelsea Hotel, sent in an alarm
BEFORE the first engines had arrived
the iron doors were white with heat ana
the flames had cut through the ceiling
into the office Of the Bronze Novelty COM
many. and. driven by an east wind that
found entrance through the heat-broken
windows. fared up the elevator shaft TO
the roof Sparks, riding on the vino
blew into open windows on the west side
of the ten story Chelsea. alarming sew
eral women. who communicated with the
office and were assured that the elevator
was at their service If they felt in peril.
At the same time Michael Brennan the
manager sent employees up through the
building. and Miss Whalen the telephone
operator. did what she could to allay fear.
Upon the arrival of Chief Kenlon on the
second alarm the situation the fremen
would have to face became apparent i'm
medately and a third alarm was sent ln.
with the police reserves from two pre-
rincts came Commissioner Waldo.
Firemen on ladders placed against the
front of the building found their efforts
so ineffective that a number Of men were
sent to the rear on 22d street, where the
fire was hottest.
In making the run through the base
ment John Robertson, of Engine Com
pany Co. was so severely burned on the
right arm and body that he had TO be
carried to the street Among the firemen
who kept on were John Foetch and Jo-
seph Goldmg. of Engine Company lG.
They mounted a ladder and were pre-
pairing 10 shoot a stream Of water
through the third floor when they fell
from their perch TO the yard both sus-
tanning injuries that, while not very seri-
Gus. uecessitated their removal TO the
New York Hospital.
About this time the wind turned to the
north. shielding the Chelsea from danger
This gave the iremen a chance TO work
their hose with success. Though they
got the blaze i'm hand fairly quickly. II
was not until three hours had passed
that the fire gave in, leaving the building
quite whole. with n damage of $4,000.
Incidental TO the fire, the policemen and
fremen had troubles aside. westboune
23d street crosstowu car was halted in
front Of the building, hut the passengers
refused to leave the car. asserting that
their payment of fare entitled them to
everything that went with the trip. Po-
lice urging was unproductive until hose
burst and sprayed it's 36-degrce water
through the ventilators.
While the fire was moving along favor
ably. the tender o. Engine Company a,
trying TO find room TO settle, slapped an
automobile hearso standing in front Of
an undertaker's shop, at No. 24l. opposite.
Professional pallbcarers were carrying To
the hearse the body Of Frank Harris, of
Toronto Canada. but the hearse was so
damaged that the transfer to a railroad
station had 70 he POSTPONED.