The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-07-25
THE LAST DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN ST. LOUIS,

THE LAST DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN ST. LOUIS,
The St Louis Republican thus supplies the particulars
of the last destructive fire in that city of Tuesday
ming
ssThe fire broke out in Boswels planning mills, adj
Joining Marrows bedstead and table factory, situated ON
the block between Main and Second and Jefferson and
Monroe streets in North St Louis At the time of the
origin of the fire brisk breeze blowing from the
northeast which, together with the combustibe nature
of the contents of the building contributed 70 the rapid
progress of the fire. and In the OF an hour 1t had
extended to the large factory of Marrow and included in
its devastation Marlows private dwelling, the residence
of Mr. Jones large, threcstory brick houses
frame tenemcns, and the northern portion OF what Is
known MS Sheppard Row. and belonging to Mr.. Mciee.
SO sudden and rapid the destruction OF the buildings
we have named that few of those occupying them were
able 10 save any furniture and some with difficulty even
esc,red from the houses with their lives Obe man. NO
understood happening to be in the fourth story OF Mar
low factory, when the fire communicated to that
building was unable to find egress except by jumping
from one of the windows bed held to receive him by
six men below When We reached the fire it had
s,ed all the houses enumerated above, and the atten-
ton Of the cmcn and people present was directed to the
protection Of the surrounding houses and the Immense
quantity of lumber slaves, ETC., lying about III all dirco-
tons In the immediate neighborhood
In Sheppards Row 1t is stated there thirty
families residing all of whom by this disaster are rem
tercd hoiseess. The northern part of this was
verey burned while the southern portion by the exer-
ton of the remen who had but scnty supply of wner
was saved None Of the houses however, are habtable
al is impossible to arrive at the precise extent oil Inc
loss by this fro or to ascertain at this late hour the
amount of insurance The saw mill belonged to Broth
crton and Sturgeon and worth, we suppose about
$50 900 Marlows factory which one of the largest
of the kind in the West worth nearly 500 900 and
the entire value of all the property destroyed could not
DO loss than 100000 Tomorrow we will be enabled to
state the PRECISE loss and the amounts of insunnDos
.sSinoe writing the above we have learned that MARROW
was insured to the amount Of SlS 00On what office
we could ascertain that his loss over insurance
will be S32 900 Brothertors loss is estimated at 1885,,
900 and that of Chas Boswell the OF the planning
MILL where the fire broke out, is supposed to be about
thp samp,
""s Several persons were in the upper part OF MARROW
factory when the fire caught it through the west window
So nammable the contents that the entire structure
was blazing while the last Of the party David Tuppcr
renaned-unable to descend. He appeared at an east
window aud ysag relieved from imminent peril through
the promptitlde of Mayor Winner, who Instantly had err
nets and bedding piled beneath and then stenly called
to him to Jump He took the leap and landed safely
Loud shouts Of the multitude and warm congratulations
greeted his safe landing.
No water to be obtained for nearly an hour after
the engines arrived on the ground and though only .
short distance from the river they had not hose enough
to bring it up Much of the property destroyed might
have been saved if water could have been obtained