Year: 1872

''The ruins OF the Fifth Avenue, was q sight
which impeled many citizens from all parts Of the
city toward the neighborhood of Madison square
yesterday. The usually bright and busy corner
was unusually busy yesterday with the coming and
going OF these stghtseers, but for all the ruins OF
the Fifth Avenue visible to casual observer, they
had their labor for their palms,


THE STATELY MARBLE WALLS


OF the edifce remained upright and towering their
beauty unmarried. and their apparent strength un-
strained. Here and there on the Twenty-thlrd
street side, the water had traced its way from the
top cornices to the ground, and on the side
walk few muddy carpets were lying, and
the ladies' entrance was closed and locked but
otherwise the hotel outwardy bore no evidence OF
the ravages OF the fiery demon within. In the
windows even Of the rooms that had suffered the
long lace curtains with the yellow silk Innings
behind them stin hung in apparent unfaded fresh
ness.


however the scene bore evidence OF the horrors OF
the night before. A detail OF police from Captain
Burdens precinct guarded the doors on each side
and required an explanation even from guests OF
the hotel before admission could be gained. Police
men also guarded the staircases, and rendered It
necessary for guests to be identified by the hall
boys before they could pass to their rooms and
altogether the life OF the guests that survived
the fire were rendered miserable enough
by the Inconvenience that came after
it. A general moving OF effects was
going on all day, the guests who were burned out
being given rooms IN the other wing II they could
get them or would have them; and q number OF
guests, feeling gloomy the disaster and doubt
fu OF the future, removed to other hotels, where
fire has not yet intruded itself in so CHASTITY FORM


ON THE SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH FLOORS
OF the south wing on the Twenty third street side
the richly furnished rooms now dismantled ex-
cept that the pier glasses in most instances yet re-
MAN, and the carpets in the long corridors are
soaked with water, so that they splash under foot
like thin Virginia mud


on the noor


WHERE THE FIRE TOOK PLACE
all Is now black cinders, torn flooring and dis
mantled rooms. The servants rooms are on this
story, and have each window opening out upon
the roof and door opening into the narrow and
low-cellnged corridor running the length OF the
house on Twenty-third street. Between the rooms
Oil and 5la, the larger or dor vitores where
the dead servant girls had slept this narrow cor
ridor runs at right angle to the spiral staircase
which served as servants stairway and to the ele
vator, narrow AFFAIR, on which the clothes linen was
carried to and from the laundry strong draught
OF wind came blowing up the stairway and elevator
yesterday, with such violence that 1t chilled those
who felt II, and match could not be lighted near
either OF these iues


THE STAIR AND ELEVATOR
were both completely burned out at the top down
TO the third story, where the fire commenced.
Below that they remained intact, showing that
their progress had been upward from the nrst, and
this strong draft was the agency which carried the
terrible element 30 rapidly to the doors OF the
doomed women. The windows Of these rooms,
opening upon the roof would have given ready
access to the women, but they were bolted and
barred against egress or ingress with


STOUT WIRE SCREENS


Only the strength Of strong men could move these
death traps. The proprietors say that these
screens were put up for various reasons-to keep
the girls from congregating on the roof to prevent
the marauding OF night desperadoes and thieves,
and to admit In Summer OF the ventilation OF the
rooms By the raising OF the windows, secure from
the danger OF midnight visitors. partition In
middle OF the long corridor divided the men


wants. rooms from the women,s, and thus cut


,unfortunates on rom egress by the staircase


the northern wing OF the hotel. There re-


dned only the spiral staircase for them and that


8 blazing and cracking in the fiery embrace be.


o the unfortunate women could have known the


yency that was Oh them.


IN THE Two ROOMS


O. GIL and 513 slept the girls who were lost.