The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-04-19
THE ST. LOUIS FIRE.
Thorough Investigation of Pro-
prletors and Other Parties.
An Ample Supply of Water and
BabCOCk Extinguishers.

Sr. LOUIS, April lS.-The Coroner
inquest proceeded with the investigation
OF the Southern Hotel fire this morning
but no evidence having any bearing OF
the origin OF the fire or its management
was brought out.
John K, Reese, Professor OF Mathe
matics in the Washington University
gave u very graphic DESCRIPTION Of thl
escape OF himself and wife and two cham
bermaids, who were rescued from hi
room on the sixth lloer, on the Tourtl
street side, by Philip Toole, the brave AM
daring fireman, but he did not know any
thing about the origin OF the fire. lie
knew Of no alarm being given in tho up.
per story, and only learned OF the fire by
the noise in the hall. When he opened
the door Of his room the smoke was &c
dense that he was forced to go back into
the room, where they remained till taken
down the Skinner escape by Toole.
James Mckee Gardman, whose duty
it was to put the supplies in the store
room, testified that on going into the
store room on the day Of the fire he found
a lot Of loose matches scattered over the
lloor. He picked them up and put them
into bucket Of water. Then placed the
box which contained the stock Of matches
upon high shelf.
Geo, S, Darling, day clerk, son Of one
OF the proprietors, testified that he didn't
know that any particular orders were
ever given to the employees Of the house
regarding what they should do in case Of
fire. The fire alarm, or annunCiator,
never worked well; couldn't he relied
upon. Never heard that the employees
had ever been directed not to give an
alarm TO the Fire Department in case Of
fire until instructed to do so; always
understood that they were to sound the
alarm at once. The pot washer, or scul.
lion, who was seen fumbling around the
store room doors with burning paper
in his hand few hours before the fire
broke out, went TO New York with the
cook few days ago.
Geo. Darling, one OF the proprietors,
had started for his room at about 1880
and called at u genilemans room on his
way mp stairs. Shortly afterward he was
called by 4 bell boy and told that the
house was on fire. He started for the
lower Iloors at once, and met some ladies
i'll high state Of excitement; he tried to
pacify them and told them they would be
saved; he went to the parlor and was
told by some one, he did not know who,
but thought it was Ford, the night clerk,
that water was being thrown on the fire;
he again asked the ladies to be quiet, and
told them they would be saved; lie told
some OF the gentlemen that they could
get their baggage; he went to his own room
and told his wife that there was Il fire in
the house, but TO be calm and remain
where she was; started back and met
Capt. Warner; the fire had got into the
elevator, and it could not be saved; re.
turned to his own room, and told his
wife to get out Of the house rs rapidly rs
possible; did not go out with his wife;
she escaped with some other ladies. lie
gave n number OF orders himself to have
the guests called and notified Of their
danger, but hearing cries of fire coming
from the Office llSor, attempted to go TO
the store room, but could not get there
Tor the smoke; never gave the employees
instructions how 10 act or what TO do. in
case Of fire. Russell, the engineer, had
charge Of all the fire appliances; had seen
him on one occasion practice men in the
house with Babcock extinguishers. He
had no recollection Of urging the ladies
TO return 10 their rooms, or saying to
them that there was no danger. Such
statements are untrue. Witness knew
nothing about the fire, what had been
done 10 subdue it, or whether an alarm
was given. lie didn't go below the par.
lor floor till he left the house.
Capt. Charles p. Warner;one OF the
proprietors, said he was in room on the
fifth floor with some friends. lie had not
gone 10 bed. The first intimation he had
OF the fire was the presence OF smoke.
This was 1885 o'clock. He Immediately
started down stairs and attempted to get
to the office floor, but he could not
on account OF the smoke; saw number
Of ladies' and gentlemen and told them to
get out as speedily rs possible, and or.
dered u policeman 10 put every body out
OF the house whether they wanted to 60
or not. There was 4 water stand pipe
running from the basement up through
the roof OF the house with hose attach.
ments on every floor, six hundred feet Of
hose, thirteen BabCock extinguishers
buckets, one at every stairway, and seven
no21les, were in order to the best OF my
knowledge. There had been fire bri.
gade in the house under the former pro,
prietors OF whom he was one
and most OF the men belonging TO ii
were in the house at the time Of the fire
they had been well drilled, but did little
or no service. That night the fire was
SO sudden and spread SO rapidly that
there was no opportunity to do anything
The lire annunciator in the house was in
an unfinished state and was not consider.
cd OF much practical value. The witness
gave lengthy description Of the store.
room, its location and relative position
TO other parts OF the basement. He said
the walls were stone, except one corner
nearest to the baggage elevator, which
was Of plank; it could be easily seen by
the man who attended the elevator en-.
ginc and the fireman in the engine room.
His theory was that tho fire was
caused by superhcated steam pipes.
At what point the fire caught he couldn't
say. These pipes were numerous ran
overhead in the basement and through
the store room; couldn't say whether
matches standing on a high shelf in the
store room would ignite from the heat Of
the steam pipes. He based his theory
somewhat upon the fact that the fire was
seen spreading along the top OF the
wooden part OF the store room wall
Nospccial watchman was in the basement
but always one or more men at or about
the engines and boilers. There were lour
large cisterns and tanks holding some
10000 gallons Of water and two wells il
the house.
Soldiers Home Fund.