Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-03-06
From the ST. Louis Democrat, Feb. 22.]
PACIFIC HOTEL CATASTROPHE.

From the St Louis Democrat, Feb. o.
PACIFIC HOTEL CATASTROPHE.
Particulars Of the Burning of the Pacific Hotel
in 81. Louis.
The morning of the goth Of February, 1858, is
made painfully memorable in the history of this
city by the occurrence Of one of the most heart
rending of mortal calamities. A thropged hotel,
the wearied and travel sore inmates of which were
at the time sunk in the deepest slumbers Of night,
at that sad date took fire and burned around and
among them with the swifiness of doom. The
fearful total of the accrung horrors cannot yet be
told, and probably months will elapss before the
fate of loved ones whose forms are now too charred
to be known if found, and the last inscribed record
Of whose names has persisted, can be satisfactorily
ascertained.
Scarcely less than eighty persons can have re-
tired to the rooms of the Pacific Hotel then stand
ing ON Seventh and Poplar streets, on last Friday
night. It is too certain that an unusually large
number Of guests had that evening arrived on the
Pacific train, who supped and took rooms at this
doomed hotel.
At about three o'clock in the morning, watch
men at Centre and Seventh streets, square south
ward detected the fire light of a burning building
reflected from the rear walls OF the structures on
Sixth street and in the rear of the Pacific house.
Hurrying to the scene they found the entire rear
OF the hotel wrapped in raging flames. The edi6ce
was OF three Stories and had eighty feet of 'front.'
with depth of forty or fifty feet Poplar street
The rear walls were of wood, and had ignitei with
astonishing sudienness and rapidity-since an Off
Ger had passed there fifteen minutes before.
Aside from the cracking and roaring OF the
fierce fame, the stiffness of the grave reigned in
the hotel. The watchman Numbered and yelled at
the entrances till the answering bark of dog in
A. - n. II
startled that gentleman from sleep. A heavy roar
ing filed the air, and the glare Of fire came into
the room through the open door. With cry of
alarm he sprang into the hall aud rushed for the
fire plug, but was repealed by advancing flames
that sweeping with such fury as to render the
rescue OF life his sole idea Through his efforts and
those Of the watchmen without, the dodgers awaked
to consciousness of imminent destruction. DR.,
Strader then ran TO call his own family, in a safer
portion OF the house, and found them still sleep
ing. Some of his servants he was compelled to
drag forth by the hair. BY this time any exit from
the house by the main entrance was impossible.
1t on fire, and the stairs leading to il passed
over the drug store below, the combustibles of
which were thus quickly ignited, and the element
ragged with tenfold fury. Only a small staircase
and doorway-constructe for the use of ladies
led into the street, and the passage 10 this was
speedily interrupted and rendered impossible by a
deep Darrler OF IRE. a lew nau Deen IN time 10
follow the landlord into the street, and some Of
them we're severely burned. To the many dear
ones who remained within the burning pile, there
remained no egress save through the second and
third story windows. And SO swiftly had this
horror grown, that scarce dozen persons had yet
gathered to the rescue Ladders there were none,
and the fantcilly implorng victims at the win
dowswere already writing with almost ntolerable
heat. Others, suHo,alted in their rooms, were at
this very time, as the sequel 100 surely owes,
actually being bioied and roasted ia their beds.
Others, still, stmg ON slesp by the greedy fame,
darted from their couches through the windows,
while still Others with scarcely less haste, made,
for the most part Intellectual efforts 70 descend
with safety. The dead and manned wcrc picked
up and conveyed from tile scene-the still living
TO the Sste. s hospital.
Mr.. II. Hubbard, and wife, Of Boston, were on
the third floor. MIS- Hubbard awoke in such pain
that she only walked her husband before plunging
headong out Of the window. He instantly followed,
and fell on the icy pavement near her. She bud
leg fractured twice, a knee disocated aud her
lower Jaw broken in two places. She was removed
to the hospital and still survives lie had the left
ANGLE and hip joints dislocated and the forehead
badly confused.
A gentleman, who proves TO have been Mr.. Jos.
Jones, called from the third story to those below
on Poplar street TO look out for lady and threw
down a mattress, begging them 10 catch her upon
it. They had not well adjusted il when it was
knocked from their grasp by the fall Of lady, with
an infant in her She struck the inner edge Of
the mattress, and then the pavement. She was
sent to the Sisters Hospital and still survives.
Her child was taken to tne depot opposite, and
shortly died.
Miss Mary Hunter, formerly OF Kentucky, having
first been badly burned, jumped from the second
story. She was taken up a corpse.
Elihu Hays, Wisconsin stranger, was picked up
with broken thigh aud head. His recovery is
hoped for, but is doubtful
Mr.. Thomas Hart Strong, a member Of the st.
Louis bar jumped from third floor window in the
rear and was lying helpless on n narrow space be-
tween two cellar entrances, when two others jumped
upon him--there being other place for them TO
leap without going into the cellar. He was taken,
still living, TO the hospital, but soon died. VIII
liam Terrence, one Of the persons who leaped upon
him, escaped with strained ANGLE.
dor J. Wagner, a Hungari,n by birth, well
known as the able typographer Of st. Louis county,
is known to have persisted. He retired at night to
his room at the hotel and is since missing.
Mr.. j. +. Gcary, local reporter for the Leader"
makes the following statement MY wife was
very sick last evening; much so that |, staying
at home with her, was unable 10 attend at the Of
fice then sat with her all night, doing in a
chair. Early in the morning--I cannot say ct
what tme--I was awakened by officiating smell,
rs of fire. / took no notice OF this at the time,
supposng that the servants were lighting the fires
81 orty alter, however, heard some one running
over the house shouting |" fire." ! told my wife
TO lie still, while should go down and see what
was the matter. When | got some way down the
stairs, the smoke ovefpowered me for moment.
Recovering, vent up stairs TO my room, which
was No 10, got a shawl, which Mrs. g. put around
her. then he'd her down. The smoke was so
dense now that site was all but sufocating She
fell down. then dragged her out and left her
in the custody Of some one who promised to take
her Off safely. / returned to get my little giIl,
Florence Geary) To get to her was Obliged to
20 through the fire, which cut off our return by
the stairs. / got her TO the window, then threw
mattress on the balcony; on this let her fall,
jumping after her. The fire now seemed to be
coming out Of the Windows and npprehending
danger IN this position, called out to those who
were on the pavement, threw the mattress to the
ground, and again dropped the child upon It. Al
this moment some one placed ladder against the