The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-04-04
Terrible oonhagration il st. Louis.
SIR mrs March 81

The LindeIl Hotel, the largest building Of
its kind on this continent, if not In the world,
was totally destroyed by fire last night.
There is a good deal of mystery about the
origin of the fire, but the most reliable
accounts are that it broke out in one OF the
west front rooms in the fifth story, about
half-past eight o'clock, but the alarm was
not sounded til! after nine-oclock AT this
time the fire was confined to two rooms on
that floor, but owing to the extreme height
of the building, and the difficulty of reach
inc the locality with the hose, it gradually
assembled till it broke through the sixth and
seventh stories aud reached the roof near
the northwest corner Of the building. From
this point the fire rapidly extending under
meath the roof across the entire width of the
hotel to the East Sixth street front, and
then moved rapidly downward until the
whole structure was enveloped IN names
Up to the time the fire spread across the
building it was the general belief that the
lower part of the hotel would be saved, but
al soon as the flames reached the elevators
and inner courts, up and through which
strong currents of air rushed, and the IRE
received new and powerful impetus, all
hope of staying the devouriug element was
lost. The efforts of the fremen were not
relaxed, however, and tho full force of the
fire department were put forth till 3 o'clock
at which time all the inner works were con
sumed and a large portion Of the walls had
fallen, and what was once the most stately,
imposing and handsome hotel in the conn
try was mass of crumbliug, blackenod
ruins The building was owned by the es-
tate of Henry Ames & Co, Edward Ames
being the representative of the property
Its original cost was a little over 5000, 1000,
and was bought by Ames & Co., in Decem
Der, 1863, two months after it opened, for
$373,OO0 The insurance on the hotel
amounts to 1910, 900, from $70 900 to $50
600 of which is in eastern companies, main
ly in New York, Brooklyn and Philadel-
phia. The lessees were Hatch, Weaver &
Felt, whose loss On furniture and stores was
about 100000; insured for 800 900.
But little of the furniture was saved There
were about 400 guests in the hotel, large
number Of whom consisted of families
boarding in the house. The latter lost
most of their personal effects, owing to the
confusion and excitement prevailing, and
the disbelief that the house would not be
destroyed, until it was too late to save
them. The loss from this source probably
reached 100000. The goods in the stores
underneath the hotel were almost totally
destroyed although there was abundance Of
time to save them. The loss is probably
$4,000. The total loss by the disaster will
scarcely be- less than $780, 900. The
rest of the losing companies will be given
as soon as obtained.
The FIRE was seen distance OF ~ miles
from the city. Mr.. Ames says be shall not
rebuild the Hotel, but a number of promi-
nent citizens have taken the matter in hand
and exertions will be made to effect its re
construction.
The following is partial list of Mr..
Ames insurance on the Lindell hotel SO,
900 each in the Phoenix and Loriliard, OF
New York, North America of Philadelphia,
Commerce, of Albany, and $4,000 each
in the following ST. Louis offices, Marine,
Globe Citizens, Atlantic, United States, st.
Louis, Mound City, Mozart Mutual, Home,
and Pacific.
Hatch, Weaver, Felt & Co. had the fol
lowing among their insurance on Furniture:
$4,000 each in the Cincinnati Washington,
Jefferson, st. Louis, end Excelsior; $10,-
900, each in the Pacific, Mutual and Mis-
sissippi valley, all st. Louis offices, and So
900 in the Htna of Hartford;
This fire is the most serious calamity that
has befaIlen st. Louis since the great fire
of 1849 1t causes universal regret and
sorrow. The value of the surrounding prop
erty has already deprecated from ten to
twenty per cent, and if the hotel is not
rebuilt, this depression, will be felt for a
distan CO of many blocks.