Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-03-13
NARROW ESCAPES
IN NEW YORK FIRE
Women Flee in Night Clothes
Some Creep along Window
Ledges-Heroic Acts.

New York, March 9.-Clad only in their
night clothes, the guests ut the Hotel
Burlington, an apartment hotel at 10 West
Goth street were driven from their rooms
shortly after 90 a. m. yesterday. They
were helped down ladders to the street
ran down tho fire escapes in the rear, and
some had to be carried across lodges into
the Holland House next door.
The fire started on the first floor of
the slx-story oldfashioned building, and
eating its way through an apartment in
front, got to the rear and into an airshaft,
mp which 1t roared to the roof. 1t car
RED smoke high in the air so that per-
sons in the street thought the whole
building was afiro inside.
Guests received their first intimation of
trouble when the bells in all the apart
mtnts were set ringing by the hallboys
below. The elevator man shouted at all
floors that the building was on fire be-
low, and when the smoke began to sift
up they made for windows and fire cs-
capcs, if they could find them.
Some who could not find them, missed
the fire escapes, pushed up the front VIM
doWs and were carried down by iircmen
over the extension ladders. Women with
only their night clothes to protect them
from the piercing cold stood shivcrng and
crying In the street, until helped into the
Holland House and given clothes and
warming drinks,
Those in the rear had an even harder
time of It. The fire escapes led into a
back courtyard. which dismayed the
women. Some We're not fortunate
enough to get to fire escapes.
Mrs. William H. Clagett, Jr., OF Wash
inston' who had a room in the rear of the
sixth floor, climbed out on ledge about
two feet wide and in her night clothes
worked her way across this to the Hol-
land House, which abuts on the corner.
There she found a window opeh and was
soon In place of safety
{. +. Harmon, who with his mother
Mrs. Harmon. over Co. another relative.
Mrs. c. y, Stockwell, over 70. found him
self with no means Of escape except the
ledge on his hoor the NTH. lie knocked
out tho window glass with his hands,
cutting mis- wrists badly, and then car
ried both the aged women across To the
Holland House. Mr.. Harmon needed the
attention of a physician.
The Holland House was soon in an
uproar. excited men and women scanti-
ly clad, trying to find their rooms and
corridors They all turned out and those
who were first on the ground took many
'of the women from the Burlington to
their rooms and cared for them.
Among the guests in the burning build
Ing were Herbert s. Houston, vice-prcsi-
dent OF Doubleday, Page q Co., Mrs.
Houston and their relatives, Or, and Mrs.
F. NJ. Burdlck OF Brattleboro, VT, Were
on the top floor when they were awakened
by the smoke. They made their way down
the rear fire escape to the first floor,
which they entered and fortunately We're
able to make their way through the
smoke TO the street
Chief kenlon, who arrived on the Sec
ohd alarm, did good work in limiting the
piaze and was afterWard warmly con-
graduated that there was no loss of life.
me damage was estimated ut Sooco' The
loss to tenants was considerable,
The hero Of the fire was Henry smith,
b. who has been in the hotel tor % years
he ran his elevator until the smoke drove
MN out The damage by fire was con-
hned mainly to the lower floors.