HOTEL WINDSOR FIRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11401, 19 April 1899, Page 5

HOTEL WINDSOR FIRE.

A DISASTROUS PANIC.

CHICAGO, Illinois, March 18.

One of tho most terrible lire horrors ot recent years was the burning of Hotel Windsor, in Now York, yesterday. The awful fatalities which resulted have shocked the entire country, the number of those who perished being not less than 15, while 52 were injured and 40 are missing. Circumstances seemed „o have conspired to heap high file horror of this sacrifice. Yesterday being St. Patrick's Day, the occasion was celebrated in New York by a monster parade, the lino of march of which led directly past the Windsor, which Was located on Fifth .avenue, the most fashionable thoroughfare of the city. These circunistances resulted in the assemblage of large crowds at this point. ,- Many outsiders were permitted to enter the" hotel and occupy positions of vantage-for the review of the parade from the 'roof and windows. The hostelry was patronised by very fashionable cbentele, and at tho timo of the catastrophe, 1.30 in the ■ afternoon, a very large share of the guests were in the building. . - Without a moment's warning the hotel seemed to belch forth flames, and the wild cry of "Fire!" that passed from floor to' floor produced instant pandemonium. A careful estimate places the number'of persons in the building at 750, and practically every one of these was. crazed beyond .all control at tho first alarm. The blind con- i _te_nation which prevailed is indicated' by the fact that scarcely a person attempted to make use of the.fire escapes, notwithstanding the fact that each room was provided with a plan of .the floor showing the location of the escapes and the stairways. A common impulse to jump from tte windows and roof seemed to take possession of eveiy possible victim. One after another men and women hurled themselves upon the pavement below, some of them ' craSliijig upcm members of the terrorstricken crowd that had gathered to witness the parade. It is the opinion of the lire department that most of the persons who perished might have been .saved''had they preserved sufficient presence of mind to attempt the use of the,fire escapes. Among the famous' old-time "Fifth avenue -palaces" immediately adjacent to the Windsor site is the Gould Mansion, now occupied by Miss Helen Gould, who won the devotion and gratitude of the nation by her lavish gifts for the benefit ot the soldiers in the last war and;by' her devoted service in the field and. aboard ship as a hospital nurse. ' No sooner did Miss Gould, realise the nature of the.''tragedy than she threw open the doors of the mansion and gave orders that the- in- ' jured should be taken in and cared- for. Ihe possibility that the fire would be communicated to the palatial structure did not appear to give her a moment's anxiety save as it concerned the safety of:.he unfortunates for. whom it was 'opened, as a refuge. The despoiling of the costly furnishings and carpets, which were inevitably drenched with the, blood of the mangled and soiled by the slush of the ' flooded street gave her no concern, and the courage and tenderness which she displayed gave her another claim' Upon the laurels of a true heroine. She was not, however, the only woman who gave substantial proof of a high order of heroism. Mrs Charles G. Haskins, daughter' of Mrs James. S. Kirk, carried her mother down the burning staircases from ths fourth floor. The shock, more than the physical injuries which she received, caused" Mrs Kirk's death shortly after her removal.Mrs Kirk was the' widow of the wellknown soap manufacturer, and was widelyknown "in , society circles of Chicago and New York. Instances of great heroism occurred by the score, and the police and firemen were conspicuous for their deeds of. bravery. The. spectacle of-the ' conflagration was -as .peculiar as terrible. The flames converged to a single point and thus formed a pyramid of fire, the great draught caused hy the tremendous volume of combustion raising large pieces of board's and timbers to the surface of this pyramid, where they swirled about like-sticks in an eddy. The loss is estimated.!! at 1,000,000d01. ' ■ ■ -\ .

Forrest Crissev.