Year: 1872

Fifth Avenue Hotel discovered smake issnlng
from the stairway Immediately beneath her,
anu on running down TO see what
the cause was confronted by q dense cloud
Of thick, binding smoke, that came up through the
openings IN ftiul gusts one after another in quick
succession. Realizing the danger in instant, she
ran down stairs shrieking, Fire fire y at the top of
her voice At every step she took doors opened
to the right and 10 the lett and the already fright
ened guests rushed out haGclad all clamorlnc to
know what had happened But the girl on,
| stil sbIiekDg


'F,sE' rinem


IN piercing tones, ana every hallway she met
some other "watcher'' who having already
noticed the smoke, ,oined her in waking up the
guests Ihe smoke by this time had
spread Itself in every part of the hotel
ana had become sti1ing enough to
alarm even those who had not been awakened by
the ontcries OF the servant. HEhALp re-
porter, happening to he passing the hotel
at the time and noticing the smoke
curling out into the street III little
blue clouds under the doors, ran In 10 ascertain
the cause. without, he got OF the car trere
was nothing pcing more than usual
People were coming from places OF
amusement in couples, laughing gayly,
and carriages were standing at the curb and
men stood on the corner chatting as usual, no



tracted TO the smoke. once inside the vestibule il
became evident that something 0ui OF the ordi
nary had occurred. the clerks looked anxious
and group OF men stood around the marble coun-
ter pesterine them with questions They al
GUESTS YHE HOrEi.


ana To everyone the clerk made the same repl, -
"Ihere ~ nothing TO be scared apout; us
only a little fire in the laundry strange
to say the majority oi the men seemed
80 take matters very easy and one OF
them very co0ny remarked, Gwen, my folks
are all on the parloy GcoY l can easily get at
| them" Meanwhile the smoke became more
and more dense, an,l down stairs, in
the DeIshborhoo0 OF the billiard room, a
sound as of rushing water omnonsiy echoed in
the halls. The reporter al made his way
below, and, following the course OF q huge India
rubber hose pipe that lead from the fire engine
room at the foot OF the stairs to AMI one OF
the windows going TO the area at the west
end OF the billiard room, was soon between
the two walls OF the wings of the building in the
open air. The noise OF the rushing as 1t fell
from one Of the upper stories was almost dcalcIi-
ing, ana the smoke was positively sunocating
Above


TIE DIN AND CONFUSION


could be heard the screams OF women and the cry.
ING and loud weeping Of others coming rom the
direction Of the girls attic the top story on the
Twenty-third street side. Retracng his steps
the reporter again reached the Office
by this time there was quite q crowd
OF people in the vestbule, all asking
one another whether there was any danger and no
one seeming to know anything about where the
fire was. The guests too, had now become thor
oughy alarmed. The han leading from the Twenty
third street entrance darkened with trunks
boxes ana baggage OF all description, and at
m thp IN ipr oEn
which prevented one person at one end OF the hall
rom seeing another at the other end, he was sure
to run against hal-nantic guest,
who, carpetbag In hand, was making the
most violent efforts to reach the door,
/ The hallway was drenchcd with water which
poured down in perfect stream rom the upper
| floors. During all this time, be it known, nobody
had been sent out to


GIVE AN ALARM


TO the Fire Department, amt fully half an hour was
allowed to go by without any one connected
with the hotel thinking it worth his
while to call for the fremen. IL was now
very twelve O'Clock, and q policeman
passing by noticed the confusion in the oilce,
learned ITS cause, rushed ont and gave the
alarm, and in q minute the engines were
laundering in front OF the house. But
much precious tine had been lost and to
all appearances the fire on the Twenty
third street side on the upper stories had gained
serious headway and everything was confusion in
every part of the building. on the paror floors
the guests were all assembled in shivering
groups, their baggage all strewn about in
confused masses, trunks, valises nat boxes
and baskets being piled up here and
there whichever way one turned Many OF the
ladies were In


THE Widest STATE or EXCITEMENT,


and were crying piteousiy through sheer fear snd
horror. The men, at least the greater portion OF
them, appeared as frightened as the women, and
ran about here, there ana everywhere in the halls
not exactly knowing what they wanted and yet
afraid to leave the floor for fear OF something
worse below. The carpets were soaking with
water ana as one dashed his way through


THE AFFRIGurED CROWDS


the water splashcd about as if from a road
puddle. "Come here" said gentleman " no met
the reporter on his way to the third noor. "isnt
this terrible?" And the sight that met the re.
portcr's eyes was really heartrending. on the
wet carpet in the hallway just OF the
main parlOr moor, lay poor servant girl half clad
wrihng in torture and presenting the most hide
Gus appearance. She was covered with burns
and bruises from head to foot, and
looked as though she had been smeared
with blood. 1t appears she had been
found by the nrcmen in the attic and was carried
uo"n auu icIt WHcic Tue TcpOTteT UeHeiu UeT III
her agony. Some kind person. in the absence Of a
doctor none could be found at the time) had
attempted to assuage ner sunerings by pouring
sweet OIL over her body. IL was truly


A sICKgNING SIGHT.


Are you suneringy" she was asked. The lips OF
the poor creature opened slowly, the head was
half raised rom the carpet, and as 1t fell back
heavily groan escaped the swollen lips as she ut
tered the words


my COD, But THIS IS HoRRIBLEr


And indeed II was horrible. Fancy the picture
The body writhing on the carpet; the busy crowd
bout each one intent OnIy on his own SAFETY,