The Washington times., 1922-04-24
WORK Of
REPAIR IS
/ 6 TAR Ed
Entire Tenth Floor Will Be Re-
Notwithstanding lnspeo-
tors to Pass on Roof.

A cigarette stump left by one Of
the banqueters at the Gridiron Club
late Saturday night today was de-
clared to be the cause of the $780,
900 fire which early yesterday
morning swept the entire tenth
floor of the New Willard Hotel.
l.. v. Seib, fire marshal, stated
this morning thar he had made an
extended investigation to determine
the origin Of the fire.
TT must have started on or near
the toastmaster's table in the center
OF the large ball ROOM" Seib said.
"The tables and cnarrs in this part
OF the room were burnt to practically
nothing.
II believe a cigarette, left by a
departing banqueter caused the fire.
This cigarette probably set some of
the furnishings afire. The fire must
have been smoulderlng for several
hours before 1t began to sweep
through the auditorium"
Cleaning Up Debris.
Scores of workmen today started
the work OF cleaning up the debris.
Both ball rooms were practically
destroyed. Most of the coiling drop
ped to the floor.
Samuel ]. Prescott, local builder,
Is in charge OF the work of removing
the wreckage.
1--WE intend first to see that the
roof is absolutely safe" said Pres
cott, Next we are going to nail up
boards to keep the weather out.
It will be several days before we
can make a thorough inspection TO
determine the damage. It may be
necessary to build a new roof, but
OF this we are not sure at present
Inspectors on Job Today.
District building inspectors today
began their investigation. They will
determine the safety of the roof.
Only the F street entrance to the
hotel is open, the other entrances
being because of the danger of stone
work falling from the roof
Several pianos, scores Of tables anu
chairs, costly rugs and other decora-
tions were destroyed. The damage
will reach at least a quarter OF
million and may run more. motel
officials declared.
The ninth floor of the hotel was
considerably damaged by water.
Rugs in the hall were ruined. The
damage by water will run into the
InOuSdnOS, II was SldItu'
The fire apparatus was called out
again early this morning 10 eH-
tfne1Iish a blaze which had broken
out in one of the caves. 1t was
not serious and was extinguished IN
q few minutes.
In a statement issued today, hotei
officials declared the entire tenth
floor would be remodeled. I'VE In
tend TO make the ball rooms moro
beautiful than ever before said one
official.
Five Alarms Turned.
The fire was discovered about
o'clock yesterday morning. A
policeman seeing smoke coming out
of the windows on the tenth floor
turned in an alarm. Two alarms
followed and when F/re Chief Wat
son reached the scene he turned In
q fifth alarm.
When the extent of the fire was
established, guests were aroused on
the seventh, eighth and ninth floors?
and in q few minutes the lobby ana
Peacock Alley, famous as prone
made for the great and near great,
were crowded with sCantily-clad
men and women.
Among the guests who made their
permanent nome at Lne NE" w mar VI
are Vice President and Mrs. Cool
idRe. Senator and Mrs. France, of
Maryland; Senator and Mrs. Calder,
of New York; c. c. MCChord, chair
man of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, and Mrs. McChord;
Senator McNary, of Oregon; Con-
gresham and Mrs. T. b. Dunn, Of
Rochester, n. Y; Congressman and
Mrs. Homer p. Snyder, of New
York; Senator RawsOn, of Iowa;
Senator and Mrs. T. Coleman Du
Pont, of Delaware; General Sawyer,
personal physician to President
Harding, and Mrs. Sawyer and
Congressman and Mrs. Dan Null
vane, of Kansas.
The firemen battered down the
door of Vice President Coolidge's
suite and without ceremony rushed
a line of hose through the apart
ment to the small balcony overlook
ing F street.
Sawyer in His Pajamas.
Mrs. Sawyer, wife of General
Sawyer, became agitated when the
firemen rushed through the hall on
the sixth floor, and was hurricdly
escorted to the office floor by her
husband. He hastily slipped his
overCoat over his pajamRs and to-
gether they went to the White
House, where quarters were placed