El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-02-28
iNGE[US GUESTS
SAFELY ESCAPE
Soldiers, Police and EUemen
Brave Smoke and Flame
to Rescue Women.

More than 80 gue=rS or Hotel AuIel u.s.
including many women. had narrow
escapes from suffocation by smoke.
Tuesday afternoon at : o'clock. when
fire was discovered in the basement
Of the building. shortly after volumes
of smoke We're seen coming up the ele-
vator shaft and filling the corridors
I and rooms Of the hotel But for the
prompt work OF firemea. civilians and
, soldiers who voluntee ed their services
; many persons who were incapacitated
by sickness would nave. Undoubtedly.
been victims Of the smoke. which buff
feted by q strong west wind went into
every corner OF the building. The origin
is unknown.
Ten Women Taken Out.
Many women on the third floor Of the
hotel were carried out by firemen and
soldiers it being estimated tina, a.
/ least ten were taken out OF rooms and
. Gown the fire ladders to safety one
thrilling rescue was carried out by
3 Corp James r LoEsdOn. Of the Colo
g RADIO signal cOrDs who mounted fire
D escape on the north side of the hotel
near the e Paso * Southwestern rail
way tracks. and passed Miss Audra
I Alden. leading woman Of the stock
company at the Crawford theater.
through a window to "A ladder. and
then climbed down 4 rope by himself
J TO the ground sailor fashion. having
learned the hand over hand climbing
while in the navy
Chief Calls Out All Companies.
Fire chief John v. Mray. after the
first alarm had been received. ordered
a general alarm turned in. and com
panies one. two three four five and
seven. and truck company one ran TO
the scene. and assisted in extineuish-
ing the fire. which was confined to the
cellar alone one line from No. La
France pumper was carried to the top
of the building and was played down
the elevator SHAFT in order 10 keep the
blaze confined 10 the cellar. there be
ms great fear that sparks would so up
the shaft ara catch the dry wood OF the
Railways.
Three Lines of WRter.
Three Ines Of hose were ordered
played on the snaft from the first floor
by chief Nrav. and two more were
placed through holes that had been
chopped through the floor and the cell
lar nozzle. one OF the most useful
pieces Of apparatus used by the fire
department, was attached. The nOzzles
were stretched through the holes and
were turned. the water making COM .
plete circle playing on The flames
>t1pietOn and Adams Overcome.
Capt. O. F Stapleton. Of SeaCraVe
pumping engine No. I. who led in fight f.
ing the fire. was overcome by smoke. F
and staggered TO the door Of the build
ing where he was caught by comrades P
ana carried behind the fire lines until
he regained consciousness and became .
able TO return Billy Adams. member T,
o. truck company one. was overcome :
minute later. and was carried TO a
small store On Mesa avenue. where he (
vas revived by police chief B. J. Ia /
e-iskIe and several members or the I
police department.
Garry Out Mrs. Carpenter.
Mrs w L Carpenter. who was i'll on
the third floor Of the building, was I
carried out by motorcycle Scheerer and I,
Iiremen John Drew and Billy Adams.
and later taken 70 Hotel Dieu. Capt. Q
Deppermau. OF truck company No .
brought down a man from the third
floor who was unable 10 walk.
Rescues HyterfcaI Woman
Fireman G. r. GOwdy. OF hose COM i
pany No. .. rescued . woman from the
third floor. who had become hysterIcaa.
After assisting in taking Mrs Carpen-
ter 20 safety foreman Adams returned
to the third floor and carried another
woman down the ladder 70 the ground.
where she was revived. Mrs. A :.
Lewis. a member Of the Lewis-Lavelle
stock company. who had A room on
the third floor. remained in the build
ing until she had thrown her valuables
TO safety ana then climbed down the
fire escape
Lnmkin Brings Woman Down.
Traffic officer N Lamkin also
brought a woman down the steps from
the third floor through the smoke. The
tragic side. Two young men were seen
wearing several hats placed on top of
the other. having rescued these ar
ticles from their rooms Another had
several hotel keys and was passing
them out to guests who were unable
to get into their locked rooms
L T Smith and ). l. Ruble who were
occupying rooms on the third and sec
1nd floors. We're awakened by the
alarm. and ran TO a fire escape
Asleep in Hotel. Escape.
During the early part OF the rescue
work IL was reported that police Of
ricer j. Wilson and fireman a. Won
Balldow We're in the building. but IL
vas found later that neither had been
overcome by the smoke. Officer Will
son who was III in the hotel. was
awakened by the cries Of fire and
-limbed down fire escape Police
apt Tom Armstrong and Capt J. F.
stowe. OF the city detective depart
nent. were active in the rescue work
Furniture was removed from the
'ayne real estate offices at Main street
md Mesa avenue and from the Park
Realty company on Main street The
Angelus cleaning works and a photo
-raph studio in the building We're also G
ndane ered. while stage employees Of y
he Crawford theater kept a careful
he evening rehearsal a the theater
ad just been completed d
Local Company Owns Building. u
The hotel building is owned by the II
y Paso Land and Improvement assoc o.
fation and is leased By Jack Mearus. I I,
ieorgs Sanberg. who is manager OF the
otel said Tuesday afternoon that he a
ad no idea of the origin Of the fire. u
einc asleep on the second floor when