Page 39 - Demo

Built by Francis Aveline as a 4-story hotel (the Aveline House) in 1863. After a fifth floor was added in the late 1890s it was usually known as the New Aveline Hotel. On May 3, 1908 it was destroyed by a fire, which started at the bottom of the elevator shaft. There were 70 sleeping guests, of whom eleven died and twenty were injured. Some found safety by going to the roof, and jumping onto the tops of neighboring buildings. In desperation, others leapt from the windows. Some landed safely, others did not. The post card below shows a horse-drawn, steam-powered fire engine%u2014but without its horses which were likely led away from the heat.