1929-03-12 — Page 4

THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, MARCH 12th, 1929.

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Instead of expecting your foot to conform to a stock shaped shoe, the makers of K Shoes have provided a special range of fittings for feet of individual shape. They are called K "Plus" Fittings and they have heel parts one fitting narrower than the foreparts.

If your shoes seem too loose at the heel or too tight across. the toes ask us to show you K "Plus" Fittings. There is a pair of K Shoes that will fit your feet to a nicety.

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The Ruling

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SOLE AGENTS:

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Proper lighting

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KING EDWARD HOTEL DISASTER

HEAVY DEATH ROLL AND MANY INJURED.dah. A sheet was held for him in

AMERICAN SAILOR'S DESPERATE CLIMB TO SAFETY.

FULL STORY AND LATER DEVELOPMENTS.

Terrible scenes were witnessed during the disastrous fire in the Klag Edward Hotel in the early hours of yesterday morning. In some quarters, it is believed that over twenty lives were lost. A number of bodies bate been recoveted and some of these have been identified, but, as was explained to the Dally, Press," thers may yet be a number of "migratory" guests to account for, and a complete search of the debris may take several days. `-

The Ore is believed to have originated, shortly before 3 a.m. at the bottom of the lift shaft. A strong draught carried the flames to the two top floors and, within an incredibly short space of time, the fire was raging 'fiercely.

The fire brigade were quickly upon the scene, the first call having been received at Central Headquarters at six minutes past three. Three engines and two escapes were sent to the scene, and, later, additional engines and escapes were called from other Stations. The blaze was got under control by 6.40 4.m.. but debris within the building continued to smoulder until the afternoon.

Up to the moment of writing, the bodies of two Europeans, one American, and four Chinese had been recovered. Mr. D. J. Robson, Naval Store Ocer of the Royal Naval Yard, has been identified among the dead. Mrs. Robson was killed in lamping from the Gith Boor. Mr. Enos Seth is reported to be among the missing. Many others were injured including General Chen Ming Shu, Chairman of the Canton Political Council, and Mrs. Chen.. Ming Shu

THE STORY OF THE BLAZE.

The fire seems to have obtained a firm hold on the Ice House Street end of the building but, by four o'clock, the second, third, fourth, and fifth floors of the building on the Des Vaux Road side were furi- ously ablaze. Three lines of bose were being worked but the efforts of the brigade were handicapped by an insuficient pressure of water.' The scanty pressure

further WAS weakened by leaks in the hose and a considerable loss of water was said to have been occasioned by a faulty washer on the connection between the pump of one of the most powerful engines and the bydrant...

As the blaze increased in inteps ity, the buildings in the vicinity were illumined by an angry glow and residents from neighbouring hotels and buildings hurried to the scene, many of them wearing dress- ing gowns and slippers. Some of the bystanders gave the firemen valuable assistance, among them being ir. N. V. Croucher, a mem.

·ber of the staff of Messrs. Benjamio & Potts, Ltd, Mr. Croucher assist ed the firemen with the canvas sheets into which several of the survivors succeeded in jumping.

E

floor and the blaze was · fiercest

LIST OF KNOWN CASUALTIES.

DEAD.

Mr. P. Baile (Mr. Max Pick.

man) (French). Seaman Kish (American), U.S.S.

Memphis.

Mr. D. J. Robson (British)...... Mrs. D. J. Robson (British). Mr. William Woods (British), Mr. Chung (Secretary to Gen.

Chen Ming Shu).

Tani Kem Shii, alas Dr. Wong

Yak Ying.

Dr. Wong Kwok Leung (brother

of above).

Leung Kwan (botel "boy").

INJURED.

General Chen Ming Shu," Civil

Governor of Canton. “Madame Chen Ming Shu,

Andrew Plecioli (28), U.S.S.

31emphis.

To Chat (52), hotel “! boy.** Ng Jor Yin (19), hotel ** boy,**

MISSING.

Mr. Enos Seth (British), Mr. Ma.

Mr. Y. Y. Chai.

Captain W. Y. Wu, of the

Canton Navy,

The fire escape had been run up in an attempt to reach him huz it

was several feet short. As the flames were growing in intensity, anxiety for the sailor's safety in- creased. With great presence of "mind, Phillips dasbed inside, made a rope of sheets and blankets which he fastened at one end to the verandab and then swarmed down

TWO HOTELS.

OUR REPRESENTATIVE'S VISIT.

HOTEL BOYS ORDEAL. IMPRESSION OF THE To Chat, one of the boys employ-}· ed at the King Edward Hotel, was trapped on the third floor veran

Ice House Street, and, standing on the balustrade 'of the verandah te

It was after tiffin when I visited closed his eyes and jumped. He in now in hospital suffering from the scene of the fire, writes & Daily burbs and an injured leg. ⠀

Press representative, A Sikh police- Another Chinese boy who was also man mounted guard over five binck trapped on the third floor veran- coffins" in "the foyer of the Savoy dah, climbed down to the second Hotel Dark streams of water- flocr. It was a most precarious trickled down the stairs, and over- descent watched breathlessly by the turned tables and chairs strewed. big crowd of spectators. From

the streaming Boor of the louage. the second floor, he was taken to From overhead, water dripped and the street by a fireman, on and of the escapes,

despite the hot sunshine in the Another thrilling escapa

waatreet, an air of intense gloom. mado by Mfr. Ng Ting Ying, a pervaded the big room. Canton Government Engineer, who Not yet. I wait!” replied the-- arrived here three days ago to policemani impassively to my ques inspect the work on the newtion as to whether the coffins con- Canton gunboat, now building tained any Yemaine. “ Mongkok.

He had a room on the fourth floor, and when, awakened by the shouting, he opened the door of his room, he encountered a mass of flames. He tried to make his was

I passed on.

On the landing of the first floor,. uniformed official from the Publio Works Department stood chatting to & Fire Brigade officer. One of

to the staircase, but dense clouds then held up an umbrella. Here, of smoke drove him back. He then one met with darkness, and the bir rushed out to the verandah and reeked with the pungent smell of called for help, but the jumping charred wood and burnt furnist- sheets were then being used at the ings. back of the hotel.

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I spoke, and the sound of my Mr Ng succeeded in gaining a voice caused them to start. My re- precarious footing on a ledge of Quest was cut short, one of the two- oficials merely 'nodding his head masonry projecting from the fourth in reply." .- floor and then made a perilous descent to the ornamental stone

the hotel. On this ledge about a work above the main entrance of to the top rungs of the fire escape foot wide. He stood in imminent

Ascending another fight of stairs. I passed, amid camades of failing

Through an open doorway, I caught water which trickled through the ceiling and down the wall sight of a deserted bedroom. The

ladder, emid cheers from the on-peril until he was seen and firemen fire had not penetrated into this

lookers..

4

took him off on an escape. : Mrs. Robson's Fate.

"Speaking to a Daily Preza repre- A tragic leap was made by Mrs. Robson, the wife of Mr. R. D.eative, Mr. Ng said that he con Robson, a Royal Naval Yard off. sidered his escape almost miracul- cial, who also perished in the ous. Had he stayed on & moment Sames. According to an eye-witnger, he would have been over-ed near a smashed wardrobe, and

ness, Mrs. Robson attempted to

jump into a sheet held by firemen come by the smoke. She struck a wire in mid air, missed the sheet by about two feet and was instantly. Hilled.

MR. WITCHELL'S ESCAPE.

STAFF ACCOUNTED FOR.

As far as can be gathered, with the exception of one boy, the

room, but streams of water had saturated everything. Curtains torn from their bangings lay bedraggled upon the floor. Bedding had been flung into a corner. A tin of cigarettes was lying in a corner, a Fulpy - brown, maas, burst and broken. A lady's silk stocking float-

half a dozen aspirit pellets were slowly dissolving on a dressing table.

ON THE VERANDAH.

Leaving this room, I passed along

A graphic story of the fire was employees of the King Edward a passage and up another flight

Hotel escaped with their lives. sentative by Mr. H. Witchell, The Chinese "boys" tell stories of the manager of the Hotel. The first running down from the upper blowing of police whistles and shouts

in the street below awakened him floors, paly to find that the normal from sleep. Under the impression way of escape was blocked by zmoke that it was only a minor outside and flames. The majority of them disturbance, he commenced to doze

a mass of water-logged plaster fall behind me. I paused uncertainly from the ceiling to the fo until I caught the reassuring flash of a torch in the darkness ahead. burried on, my footsteps making.

no sound.

As I progresed, the acrid smell. of smoke grew more strong while the falling water increased in volume. Passing through a ruined sitting- room on to the verandah, I bent almost double to clamber through a hole which had been picked by firemen through twelve-inch

off again when he smelt smoke. appear to have made their escape Opening his eyes, he saw amoke by the bridge leading from the King pouring under the door of his room Edward Hotel to Alexandra Build and through the open windowe, while a glare was reflected from ing. None of them saved their be

Joggings, however; and two boys ad opposite building.

Springing hastily from his bed, are believed to have been injured he ran along the corridor to the main staircase where he was met They are stated to be Ng Ger Yen dividing wall a few hours before. by clouds of ameke.

He held a and To Chat.

In one step. I had left the Savoy handkerchief to his nose and strug.

Hotel and was in the King Edward. zied down the stairs to the third SAVOY HOTEL RESIDENTS. A hissing sound told of hoses still Boor where roaring flames turned

playing upon smouldering ruins him back. He opened doors and All residents of the Savoy Hotch and a loud crash, just ahead sug- gave the alarm and then ran back the top floor of which was burned gested a falling section of wall. to the fifth floor, rousing Mr. Woods out, managed to escape without coolies Bounded bizarre and out of who gave a sleepy response.

The cheerful chatter of Chinese

Awakening bis three children, injury. The majority made their place in the surroundings. A voice ternal Bro escape by which they down to the alley running between relapsed into silence. Mr. Witchell led them to the ex-way down the fire escape leading swore at them in English and they

made their way to the street.

A FUNERAL PYRE.

Tink, tink, tink! A new wound attracted the atten-

- Orept Along a Dóping, Three residente orept along. stone coping forty feet from the ground With their backs to the wall, they gingerly felt their way Shortly afterward, the bine along their precarious path, eddy jackets who were

fighting the ing clouds of smoke fanning their faces, with occasional bursts of dame Savoy Hotel outbreak were rein- from windows just beneath their fareed and additional hoses were feet licking at their clothing. They brought into play. Soon the fire in managed to reach the corner of the this building was got under control building but fiercer burst of flame met them and they hesitated. and naval man were able to relieve Just at that moment, the firemen, firemen at various points in the after great difficulty, contrived to

street below where they received get an escape to work and effected their rescue.

orders from Fire Brigade Superin. The fire escapes were inadequate, tendent Brooks, who was in charge They reached only to the third of the operations. above that height. To add to the walls, charred rafters, smouldering Dawn revealed smoke-blackened

general horror of the scene, it was masses of debris, water-soaked observed that a large number of buildings, and a general aspect of people were entrapped in the burn-desolation. Aside door of the ing building on the Ice House King Edward Hotel wits hattered Street side in full view of the crowd down by firemen and hoses were below,

turned upon a great heap of glow Despite the efforts of the firemen ing and red-hot debris within, and a party of gallant bluejackets Pumping was continued for several from H.M.S. Suffolk, the flames hours but it was not until a little spread to the top floor of the Savoy past noon that the last yellow wisp Hotel which was soon alight.A of smoke was quenched, although large are dost was moored to the

a search of the ruins had already Star Ferry Pier and her powerful been going on for some hours to searchlight was turned on to Ice discover remains of missing resi- House Street. Sailors ran lines of `dants. hose into Prince's Building from the upper floors of which streams of water were played on the new outbreak. Fortunately, the open- pants of the rooms on the top floors

There is a peculiar horror about of the Savoy Hotel had bee

an alarm of fire during the night aroused from sleep long before and were all taken lely cut of the and, in this instance, the terrer was intensified by the fact that the building soon after the alarm-w38 residents of the upper floors of the Shanghai to attend the Third Kuo- King Edward Hotel found, as soon Insufficient Water Supply. as they were cognisant of the fact Hydrants in Chater Road and of the fire, that escape was cut off, Des Vaux Road were also tazed Dense clouds of smoke billowed to their utmost, but here again the from the windows of the upper supply was insufficient. Despite floors and, stirred by the faint every attempt to subdue the fire, brecze, gave way to fames in the the blaze spread and the top floors light of which men and women in of the hotel were quickly gutted, their night attire were seen shout- On several occasions, showers of ing and gesticulating on the veran sparks seriously threatened Alexan daha. dra Building and it was found Three American sailors climbed necessary to tear down all inflam on to the parapet of the fourth mable fittings, such as sun blinds, door verandah. Firemen below from the outside of the building to held out 2-sheet and ons of the prevent a further outbreak.

sailors jumped. Before he touched Just after 4.30, the roof and up the ground, his companion also per floors of the King Edward jumped. Both men were injured. Hotel collapsed with a loud crash The third maz, Petty Officer Phil and a shower of sparks shot sky lips of U.S.S. Asheville; climbed

6ths of that ward. After this, the constant down from the parapet and disap- of the distance to the ground. ⠀⠀ From the same source, the Daily Juster my head, something General Chen when seen by his Press understood that the blaze flapped noisily against the paraper streams of water, which had been peared from view, Many of the played on the blase, began to take onlookers standing in Ice House friends, at the hospital said that originated at the bottom of the of the verandah on the next floor! effect and the glare of the flames Stroet were under the impression after his wife jumped, he found he lift shaft. Whatever occurred must Glancing upward I caught gave way to a cullen hissing, while that he had been overcome by had no time to wait as he was have been sudden and almost with glimpes of bed sheet stirred by vast clouds of steam blended with smoke and fumes and a faint cheer already badly burst about the face. out warning, and the theory is the wind and I remembered that the masses of smoke which rolled went up, when, a few seconds later. Both the General and his wife age advanced that a strong draught car one survivor owed his life to that. from the empty window frames and his bead reappeared above the now at the Government. Civil Horried the flames straight up the sheet.

shaft to the two top floors? pital above the roofleas walls.

(Continued on Page 5.) pirapet

According to the manager, Mr. the Savoy Hotel and Alexandra B. Henderson, Mr. L. M. Hiras and Building, Mr. J E. Wentz were unhurt, but among the missing were Mr. Enos Sunday night were Mr. Peaman, tion, and, repping over the blister-

Residents in the Savoy Hotel on

Seth and a mmber of Chinese res dents who were believed to have Mr. Banner, Mr. and Mrs. Med remains of a mahogony ward- included -Mr. Ma and Mr. Y. Y. Taquel and two-year-old baby, Mn robe, I found a steaming chash Half-a- Chai, Mr. Woods' charred body Cairn, Mr. Herbert, Mrs. Edmon dozen khaki-clad P.W.D. coolies

barring further progress was afterwards found lying on the son and two children, Mr. L. R. bed.

were asking over a great mound of Labedel, Mr. Whelan, Mr. R. Lim- blackened debris upon which water. Mr. and Mrs. Witchell and their burg, Mr. and Mrs S. C. Farson, from hoses still hissed, and splut- children were the only survivors Mr. W. T. Geall, Mr. C. Bloden tered. from the fifth floor.

Klon, Mr. G. Raymond. Mr. Wet- One of them, shovelled the dust ton, Mr. M. Manuk, Mrs. Houre, that his fellows had loosened into GENERAL CHEN MING SHU. Mr. and Mrs. Mancini, Miss M. large bakket, fingering the frag

Manuk, Mies A. H. Scarbrook, Mr.ments of charcoal carefully as they Among those who were injured T H. Raydt, Mr. Keller, Mr. Phil- fell from the shovel. When the was General Chen Ming Shu, the lips, Mr. Clothier, Mr. Mullen basket was full, bé signalled to two Civil Governor of Kwangtung, and (U.S.A. Navy), Mr. Willard. Mrs. other coolics who seized it, carried Commander of the 11th Nationalist O. Peterson, Mr. William, Messrs. it a few yards over a sagging foot Army, who came down from Can Hader and Wintoile, Mr. and Mrk on to the verandah, and then tipped ton on Thursday en route to H J. Best mintang Congress."

given.

SAILOR'S DESPERATE

CLIMB..

He registered at the King Ed ward Hotel with his wife and his secretary, Mr. Chung. The latter is believed to have been killed.

Mr. Fan Ke Mo, the Finance Commissioner of the Canton Government, who was to accompany General Chen Ming Shu to Shang haż, escaped unhurt by a fire escape.

A POLICE OPINION.

it over the parapet.

One heard the rubble fall with a erash in Ice House Street, below.

Suddenly, one of the diggeri uttered an exclamation. His mates suspended work to crowd around "him as he delved with biz bared arm into the debria at his feet. The officiaf in charge spoke to him in Chinees, with grunt, the coolie straightened his back and held aloft a blackened buman bone

I removed my hat feeling that the dust which was being hurled to the street below deserved more careful

urtering thro

General Chen was to have left on Sunday by the .s. Khyber, bat his departure was postponed. He It is impossible to state with occupied a room with his wife on any degree of accuracy the exact the second floor, and when they number of lives lost in the dies were routed from their sleep, they ter," said a prominent police found the building in flames."

officialOne has to take into con General Ohen assisted his wife sideration the fact that quite a to gain the verandah, where they number of migratis. guests would mere scen by the firemen. A sheet be likely to be staying at the hotel There are about three or four, was held out and General Chen for the night only. A complete hundred tons of that stuff to milt urged his wife to jump fret. At search of the debris will take over" said the official, and it is. this time, flames were no close that several days and, in many in- probable that there are ten or more he scrambled down the side of the stances, it will be impossible to bodies buried in the building and dropped the remainder identify the victims.

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