The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-04-27

Coroner Auler began an investigation
Of the cause of the fire on the 10th. and
number Of guests and employees festi-
fled a. 70 their personal experiences.
The gi-t Of the testimony is given be-
low, being that OF Israel Russell. chief
engineer. lie said: was chief engi-
ncer Of the Southern Hotel: live al lis
North Nineteenth Street have been en-
ginccr AZ the hotel for two wears come
Isl Of July next: was in bed in the build
inc al the time Of the fire i'm room 3G4
fifth fioOr; can't say what time woke.
~ didn't look At my watch till got
down IN the basement; il was then 20 /:
was awakened 10y screams of the ladies
for help; opened my door. and seeing
the smoke was very thick. | stepped
back and gathered up my clothes and
started for the lower story; in going
down ! stumbled over some one; kept
on my hands till got TO the staircase
the smoke was SO dense | could
scarcely breathe or keep INV ewes
open; crawled down the steps
10 the bottom; crawlcd over from
fifteen u twenty persons: crawled
around and over them; some were cling
ing to the banisfers and some to TIE
steps; made my way 10 the foot Of the
stairway, which j. at the dining room
on the parlOr floor; then passed over
the hall into the kitchen went down
the back stairway; when got t. my \
cnginc-room ! ran around to the front \
Of the boiler, adjoining the sfore-room:
there found fireman named Thomas
Haley, who told me the nozzle had
blown on the hose. and be wanted an
other nozzle: we got another nozzle and
put i on, and started the pump again;
u must have been ! 30 when / looked
~ my watch; don't know how long |
had been asleep; after | started the
pump the second time the fire and smoke
We're 50 strong that the firrmen couldn't
stay % hold the pipe: he and were
alone there; just at this time
THE sTEAM-rIrE BURST
over IN the storc-room. with loud re
port; then started To 90 10 nv shop 10
get paper from my locker: the shop Is
immediately north of the engine-room
i Il part Of the large room where the
iining-room girls took their meals:
found the flames first In the engine
room: the first flame | saw came from
f'~' 1880 49, ~ h'di tiit ~tOlf-TODfu. .
coming from the east side; | staid down !
here at least eight minutes, till the fire
yot 70 strong that saw We could do no
more good after the stcam-pipc burst; ,
~ the pipes 20 through the store-room
AN not tell which one burst; il was then !
started to 20 70 the shop. hut the flame
vas 80 strong could not: saw no flame
rom the shop-only smoke: think the
make came from the neighborhood Of !
he store-room; the fire was strongest in
nc enginc-room; then turned round.
nd, seeing the smoke so dense. thought !
would have time 70 close of the large I
meter Just IN behind one Of the boilers .
l-2-pipe connection; the flames were :.
lark red, and leading from the elevator !,
nto the servants dining-room; then !.
rent - The cellar. and opened the valve !.
nder tho hot-water boiler. 10 let the !,
'atcr out ON the roof; this succeeded J
doing; ! next stepped out into the I
ard, and, looking up at the building, ! !,
NV the
WINDOWS ALL LIT UP.
nj volumes of smoke coming through
ear the center of the building, about III Q
line with the elevator; the windows !