Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-01-01
NOTED HOTEL BURNS
IN FIRST 1918 FIRES
Monticello at Norfolk Wrecked
by Flames, But Guests
Escaped Unharmed.
OTHER CITIES VICTIMS
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NORFOLK, Va, January Fire
caused by sparks falling on the roof
from another fire that had destroyed
three stores half block away almost
completely wrecked the Monticello Ho-
tel this morning. All of the upper part
of t6aehsesfzEassasept away. including
the magnificent dining room on the
fifth fonsssAndss sthesi1wer. fioors were
badly damaged by water.
More than $50 guests in the hotel at
the time were forced to flee. All es-
capped injury.
The rooms OF the board OF trade,
the Y. W. C. A. and many private homes
who are without shelter. and it is be-
Iieved that all will be provided for.
The fire was discovered this morning
about Z o'clock in the roof of the
was sent in and all of the apparatus in
the city responded. In the intense cold
the f1remen found all of the hydrants
frozen and 1t was necessary to build
fres about these plugs to thaw them
out. After the hydrants were opened
the water pressure was weak and the
flames gained headway before stream
could reach the top floor.
U. s. Boys Aid Firemen.
Enlisted men. both sailors and SOL
diers, assisted the firemen in fighting
the flames. which quickly spread from
one end Of the building to the other.
When the roof OF the kitchen fell in it
caught two fremen. both Of whom were
badly burned and otherwise injured.
They were hurried to the st. Vincent's
Hospital
The fire was the result, it is believed,
of another fire that started at o'clock
and destroyed three stores on CRANKY
street. about half a block from the
Monticello. It is thought that a spark
blew from the first fire to the roof of
the hotel over the kitchen. where the
blaze was first seen. The flames soon
reached the elevator shaft and with
the draft from that opening were quick
ly swept to other parts of the hotel.
Fall Asleep Watching Fire.
Many of the guests of the hotel had
just fallen to sleep after watching the
fire few hundred yards away when
they were aroused by the alarm that
the building was on fire.
The Monticello Hotel was one of the
best known hotels in the entire south
It has entertained some of the most
prominent people in the country. 1t
was built in 1898 for the. Monticello
Realty Corporation and was valued at
moro than $1,000,000.- For eight or nine
years it has been operated py a com
pany headed by Col. C. H. Consolvo.
Fire In Toledo.
TOLEDO. Ohio, January Fire in a
two-story apartment house here early
this morning, caused when lighted
candle fell from a Christmas tree.
trapped three sleepers, who were
burned to death before firemen could
reach them. The dead are: Mrs Felix
Schmidt. twenty-three: William Meinan,
eight, and Agnes Meinan, ten.
Felix Schmidt, husband of the dead
woman. and Mr.. and Mrs William
Meinen. parents of the children. who
attempted to arouse the sleepers re-
cei"ed serious injuries.
The families had held New Year
eve party. The children. who had been
sent to bed upstairs, were joined by
Mrs. Schmidt. who complained of feel
ing ill., When the blaze was discovered
Schmidt rushed to his wifes rescue.
Seizing her and Agnes Meinen. he
started to fight his way downstairs
the fire. At a window he was
overcome by smoke. Dropping the
others, he swooned, crashing through
the window to the ground below.
The dwelling was completely Destroy
ed.
Cincinnati Building AbIaze.
CINCINNATI. January Fire early
this morning did damage to the extent
of $125,000 to the building and occu-
pants at Halls West 9Th street. The
was occupied by Phillips &
Richter, wholesale jewelers.; Sarran &
Sauer. manufacturing jewellers, and the
natural gas supply company. Several
were threatened.
cATSKYJ,I. N v Januarv 1c;v