The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1851-01-28
From the y. o. Picsyune. lSth.l
ST. Charles Hotel on Fire!

|. At half past ii o'clock this forenoon the !
alarm that this magnificent building was Oh
hire produced the greatest excitement among |
our citizens, who hurried from every direction |
10 the scene OF disaster. Business men, stran- |
gers and ladies, boarders at the hotel and
who were absent, hurried in crowds 10 save
their baggage.
dense cloud OF smoke was issuing from
the north or left hand wing Of the building,
between the from, caves and the roof Ii
gradually came out from the edge of the
roof around The front portico. At first it was
thought that the fire could be easily subdurd,
and the greatest exertiOns were made TO ac-
complish it. The iremen were Immediately
Oh the ground in great numbers, with hose
ladders, &c. Hose was run up the central
staircase, and drawn up i'll front clear to the
root.
In the mean time the interior Of the vast
building presented "a scene Of confusion that
battles description. The hotel was filed
with boarders, and each person WAS busy
packing up, carrying out trunks, running here
and there. lew preserving and calmarsS or
presence OF mind The proprietors, however,
were seen every where slatloning servants at
the various stairs, To preserve some order and
keep the way clear. We noticed many Of
the police exertiig themselves TO keep order.
The create y dffi ulty existed in getting
water to SO great il height. The hose trtt
had been taken up in front Was soo:l lei down,
the smoke finally rolling out in clouds too
dense for the frcmen to remain in their ex-
I roS:d position Oh the narrow foof.
The scene OF confusion in the ladies'; de-
partment can be imagined, bu, to give an ink
ling of what it really was, would be impossi
bic. Trunks were packed in a twinklinE, al d
things gathered up in any fashion 10 be c;N
ried 10 place OF safety.
Husbands were looking for their wives, ana
wives wringlng their hands i'll agony inqur
ing for their husbands. The young ladies
were carried by their friends Into the ladies'
parlor, thinking that they were safe, as it WAS
reported that the fire was put out AT II
O'Clock the smoke Increased, and it WAS then
ascerta;ned that the fire Was making fearful
progress. The flames burst out IRON the
root, and the hope that remained for the safe
ty of the ho,e was soon dissipated by the
dome and cuiiola taking fire.
A strong breeze blowing from the north
west drove the flames over the south wing OF
The hotel: or the gentemen's apartmef Is.
which was also in The greatest conluslon.-
The ladies were Immediately removed 10 the
Verandah Hotel, Oil the corner diagonaly
opposite.
AT this time, about halfpast IL O'Clock,
the flames crossed Grdvier street, AMI al one
time Threatened the Church OF DR.. Clapp, Oh
the opposite corner; the iurrets oil The sieeple
took fire several times but were extinguish-
ed by the exertons OF the tiremen Every
avenue leading 10 the hotel was densely
crowded so that i; was almost impossible Tor
the firemen to work.
The height OF the roof was great thai
the force oil The engines was lot sui 'IcHi 10
carry up the water by means If ii pipe -
The whole iront of the purtieo Was low in
flames, the fire having made As xay into the
Interior OF the building, burning the raiters OF
, the roof, at the same the pillars supporting
the cupoIa Oh the s1uih side were wrapped
IN fumes. The plaster work commenced
falling, aud the firemep and the great crowd
Immediately in front of the building had but
hardly removed from their perilous sIiua-
ZION when the projec ion OF the root or cornice
over the portco. Tell with a crash.
The mignigcent dome wac now lettering,
and the spectacle presented was grand aud
sublime, while feeling OF regret ANA sorrow
generally prevailed to see the building, which
was the pr.de OF our city, gradually becom-
NO MASS oil ruins.
Att O'Clock the dome fell in with Ii irenen-
dous crash and the flames were fast extend
, ing TO the rear, through the interior of the
r building presenting IA scene which is beyoad
, description. Previous to this, much Of The
, furniture had been saved in danaved con
diiion. The furniture of the LADIES' parlor
, and the carpet was saved. and some Of the
bedding and linen.
We believe The silver plate ard valuables
, are safe. All O'Clock, p. NJ, the fire had
reached the parIor windows, and at hai-past
l, The whole budinI was wrapped ia flames,
: down to the ground floor the interior being
:. completely Quilted, and the entire ROOT and
walls on Gravirr street falling in.
, The setpe of Mr. Clapp's church and
part of the roofare fire while we are writ
ing, with no hope Of saving it. The build
= iiIgs on Carondelet street IN the rear OF The
hotel, also burning; and the roof OF the
Methodist Church, Oh the corner Of PoydraS
. and Carondelet streets. is in flames. The
lofty steepe has just fallen in.
I; Being oil OF wood there Is no hope OF saw
, ing this building. The fire is still extending,
aud us high wind prevails there is no tell
: ing where it will end. There seems 10 be
scarcity of water, and the fremcn are already
: much iatgurd. People are moving their
furniture in all directions. This is one OF the
: greatest calamties our city ever suffered.