Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-24
second FIRE ROUTS'
WILLARD GUESTS:
Blaze Breaks Out in Debris at
Washington Hotel Early
in Morning
LITTLE DAMAGE IS DONE


New Willard Hotel. with the memory
I Of yesterdays daybrcak FIRE still fresh
| in their minds--or in their dreams
were aroused early today BY the clnt-
! ter of fire apparatus. called to extin'
guish q small blaze among debris in the
/ tenth story ballroom wrecked BY the hre
n little more than twenty -four hours
before.
This mornings blaze. although not
considered dangerous and quickly put
out. caused number Of guests. espec.
tally on the upper floors. to crowd the
corridors. Most OF them. assuved BY
/ hotel attendants there was no danger.
returned to their rooms. but others,
more skeptical, remained on watch until
the firemen had departed.
Workmcn today began removing the
final traces of the damage done by yes.
tcrIays fire. and the hotel management
announced that with the exception or
the ballroom the restoration would be
, completed by night.
Coolidge Is Routed
Five hundred persons. including Vice
President Coolidge. n score or more cf
Gc,ernmcn. officials. Congressman and
mon and women OF national reputn,
were forced from their rooms by yes.
terday'S fire.
No one was hurt and the panic which
usually accompanies II MOTEL blaze was
entirely lacking. but the lobbics of the
building and the famous Peacock
Alley" which extends the length Of the
hotel we're thronged with the several
hundred guests forced from their quar-
ters by the streams Of water cascading
down the stairs.
A few women on the upper floors into
which smoke penetrated fed in their
night clothes. but cool headed hotel em.
pioyes turned them back. with assur.
ancc that all had time to dress. The
fire. which was discovered at 9 O'Clock.
was under control within an hour and
did not prevent serving Of breakfast In
tho main dining room. Later most OF
the guests returned to their rooms. to
find their effects in many instances
damaged by water. Some Of the more
daring, il was reported. took their
showers before coming down to break.
fast
Flames Sweep Ballroom
The whole incident. il a hotel FIRE
Of an estimated damage Of more than
5000 900 can be called an incident,
was remarkable for the lack Of excite.
ment, beyond the confusion in the lob.
! bics. While flames OF undetermined
origin gutted the tenth floor. which
houses the hotel bathrooms where. the
( night before. the Gridiron Club had held
/ its semi annual dinner. the elevators
went up and down emptylnc the aoV
rooms on the first n'ns floors.
Mrs. a. kohn. OF New York. VINO
! was Ill with pneumonia on the oisnth
floor. was taken down the elevator on
' strctcher and later removed TO hos
pital, c, , ,.o.,
Brigadicr General sawyer. PrcSl-
dent Hnrding's phvs!can. who lives
in the hotel. managed TO get his chccts
down stairs and ne an'l Mrs. SAWYER
90 TO- the White House. Later in the
day the Sawyers returned TO the hotel.
and few guests left permanently. Last
night II banquet of the Knights Of 40.
lumbus. which was ~ be IN tho ball.
room. took place on the main floor while
employees were clearing away the debris
upstairs.
Tie r,atter Of the gongs Of tire com.
panies at the New Willard woke Vice
President Coolidge. who. upon going
to window. saw the apparatus drawing
! up across the street. He called Mrs.
| Coolidge, remarked that there was a
fire in the neighborhood and suggested
! they 60 ou. to see 1t. While they were
dressing they learned that the fire was
in the hotel. Leaving their apartment
on the third floor, they descended to the
lobby and Mrs. Coolidge was sent to
the home of, the Vice Presidents Sec
! retary. Edward T. Clark.
Mr.. Coolidge remained at the hotel.
where he was again Joined in the after
noon by Mrs. Coolidge. Hc is the sec.
ond successive Vice President Of the
United states TO have an experience in
n fire At the New Willard. a blaze
having routed ont the Vice President
and Mrs Marshall late one night nearly
/ four Years aso.