The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-04-28
Close Of the St. Louis Hotel In.
TeStlgatiOn-Verdict OF the Cor.
Oner'S Jufy,

ST. LOUIS, April q. The Coroners
Jury in the investigation on the victims
Of the Southern Hotel FIRE closed It's Ia.
bors this evening aud rendered a verdict,
The jury examined niuety.tWo witnesses
and had before them three afidayits OF
persons not personally examined. From
the testimony the jury reached the con.
clusion that the FIRE originated IN the
basement OF the hotel and in their opin.
ion in the store room, but possibly
in the wine cellar, but In either case II
originated near the bottom Of the baggage
elevator which carried the smoke and
flames almost instantly to the upper
floors and roof OF the building. The Jury
then recount when the fire was first dis
covered, the delay in the alarm 10 the
Fire Department, the use Of the ladders,
skinner FIRE escape, the rescuing Of the
people from the windows by the lremen,
the Jumping or falling from the windows
OF those who were killed, and the services
Of the police and citizens. all Of which are
familiar TO the public. As to the cause OF
the fire the jury say they have no tes-
timony sufficient 10 base an opinion
upon. As to the appliances Of the hotel for
the extinguishing Of fires, they say
they were complete, with the exception Of
pipes and nozzles being wanted in the
floors above the parlor floor, but from
lack Of system and want Of men the use
OF the appliances and OF the rules for
their guidance on the night OF the
FIRE, except for few minutes in
the basement, were neglected, and
the fire had then gained such pro.
portions that the slight efforts made BY
the engineers and fremen Of the hotel
were futile. The Fire Department and
Salvage Corps did their duty with
efficiency and promptness, as also
did the Police Department. The lessees
Of the hotel, in our opinion, are censura.
bic in several particulars.
!. While providing the necessary ma.
terialS for extinguishing Gres, they had
provided no means for their use.
:. In keeping in the store room and
wine cellar large amount OF inAamma.
BILE matter without adequate watching.
3. In removing from their Office the
gong, necessary to alarm the inmates Of
the hotel in case Of FIRE.
4. In employing only one watchman,
and he a very inefficient man, and sup.
pIemeuting his duties As such with other
matters. ~
). In the lack OF rules and instructions
to their employees as to their conduct and
duties in case Of fire.
9. In making no efficient efforts on the
night OF the fire to Waken the guests and
employees, laying, however, no stress on
the expressions OF one Of the gentlemen
"a to the FIRE having been e1tinguished,
and that there was no danger, ETC., as
there is no evidence that any OF the
guests were endangered thereby.
In conclusion the jury make some sug.
gestions looking to the avoidance OF such
calamlties in the future, which may be
summed up as follows: That no hotel
or public building should be unprovided
with means for extinguishlng Gres; that
u sufficient number Of watchmen should
be employed to detect ere and drilled in
the use OF the appliances for its extin.
guishnent; that in all large hotels gongs
or bells large enough to be heard through
the house should be rung continuously
till the safety Of every guest and EN-.
ploye is assured, that the stairways and
elevators should be placed as far apart as
possible and that the elevators should
be closed automatically or otherwise,
as the platform goes up or down;
that the store rooms, ETC., should be
made fire proof and carefully watched
day and night; that no gas metres should
be allowed inside OF such building, and
that none Of the size OF the largest one in
the Southern Hotel should be permitted
at all; that in all large cities the duties
OF building inspectors should include the
inspection OF all appliances for e1tin.
gushing fres and see that the men em.
ployed in their management be efficiently
drilled,