Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-04-19
ANOTHER HORROR.
The Southern Hotel in st. Louis De-
stroyed by Fire and Several Lives
kLOst-ThriIIfng incidents.

OF. LOUIS, April IL.
About half-past one O'Clock this morn
ing people in the neighborhood of the
Southern Ho1el were startled by cry of
fire, and almost Immediately thereafter
smoke was seen issuing from the lower
windows of that building. The alarm
was rapidly spread, and three fire COM
panies and two hook and ladder COM
panies, with the Salvage Corps, were
quickly on the ground by which time
second alarm from the fire. boxes had been
sounded, as it was apparent that the
flames were spreading over tho entire ex-
tent of the vast building.
Within ten minutes of the first arrival
of the fire force, red flames began TO shoot
through the windows of the first and Sec
Ond stories, and immense volumes of
smoke crept from every doorway and out
let. The hotel was six stories high, and
almost block in dimensions, bounded by
Fourth, Fifth, Walnut and Elm streets.
At two a. m. the scene, as viewed by your
correspondent, was of the most thrilling
character. At that time it seemed as if
the immense structure had been set on
fire in several places. The confined
element was roaring and cracking
inside, black smoke was rolling
from the main and ladies' entrance,
and away upon the fiat roof the
glare of a general conf1agration was re-
lieved only by the lightning streaks of
fame brushing through here and there
from the rooms below. Now and then a
frantic guest in deshabille, with clothes
or valise in hand, rushed out into the
streets, but it at once became apparent
that the great portion of the inmates was
still inside. First one window and then
another in rapid succession was violently
raised, heads of men, women and chill
dren were seen everywhere, and wild
cry for help filled the air
Many people were evidently preparing
to jump from the windows, and those in
the streets below continually called out:
Don't jump; the ladders will be ready'
The hook and ladder companies were
splicing their ladders as rapidly as posi-
BILE, but the work seemed to be slow, and
the sixth story was red with flames before
they began to elevate them. A shout of
triumph went up from the crowd below,
and faint echo came from those above;
but when the ladders were tried, it
was found that they would scarcely
reach to the fourth floor. and this
discovery was met with the most
agonizing cries of "Help! Help"
The hoartrending shrieks which fell upon
the ears of the iremen seemed to almost
paralyze them, and the usual efficiency
which has always charac terized the st.
Louis Fire Department was evidently lost
for the time being. The tremendous draft
caused by the smoke and hot air had ex-
tinguished all the gas-lights, and the only
illumination was that which came from
the flames that licked the walls on all
sides. On the Walnut side there was
verandah even with the first floor, and in
obedience to the suggestion of cool
headed spectator, one of the ladders was
raised to that elevation, and the sixth story
reached in this way, and down this at
least forty people descended, thus saving
themselves.
Meantime sheets and blankets began to
float from the windows on the various
sides of the building, many Of them tied
together, but none of them making rope
of sufficient length to reach safe land
ing, though two men and one woman in
the sixth story descended these perilous
strands and succeeded in swinging them
selves in tifth-story windows, thus in
creasing their chances of rescue. One of
the first men to mount the ladder on the
Walnut street side was George Frank
Gouley, Grand Secretary of the Masonic
Fraternity in Missouri. To reach the lad
der he had to descend the knotted rope of
blankets from the sixth to the fifth story.
He had not passed more than half dozen
rounds when his head fell to one side, his
body reeled and fell, the skull being
crushed by striking the cornice, and both
legs being broken, produced instant death.
One man, whose name is unknown, ap-
peared at a window Throwing the end
of a sheet on the outside, he began to
make preparations to descend, and, though
the crowd called out to him to remain,
still he persisted in swinging loose. Slid
ing down to the end of the sheet, he found
himself just above the fifth story, and
nothing below but the pavement, 120 feet
distant. Realizing his terrible position,
he endeavored to climb back, but the
effort to raise himself was vain, and, after
a desperate struggle of three minutes, he
shrieked 'Let go!" and fell with every
bone crushed Another man appeared at
an adjoining window, in his night
attire, and frantically called out,
what shall l do?'' The flames
were leaping all about him, and
seemed ready to envelope and consume
him. Jump Jump!" answered back
a dozen throats. The man looked down
at the pavement, as if hesitating what TO
do, but the scorching flames were closing
in on him fast, and he bounded from the
window, turning over twice, and whirling
to the stones below, striking upon his
shoulder and head He was Immediately
picked up and carried into an adjoining
saloon, and lived long enough to say that
his name was J E. Stevens when he eX-
PRED. Two other faces soon appeared at
the window from which he had Jumped,
but the flame and smoke closed them from
view almost instantly, and left no doubt
of the awful fate that befell them.
A most pathetic scene was witnessed by
many of the spectators on the Fourth,
street side, just as the danger appeared
most imminent. In tifth-story window,
upon background of lurid flame, might
be seen the prOfiles of man and woman
shaking hands and taking a last farewell
of each other. They had stood at the
window and appealed for aid until hope
gave out, and just when they felt the vol
umes of smoke overcoming them and
saw the flames apparently stretching
toward them with rapid strides, they fell
into each others arms, and were evidently
prepared for the worst.
A dispatch late on the evening of the
18th, says:
DIR. Auler, Coroner, gives the following
list of the killed reported to him, and
thinks it comprises all known to be dead:
Rev. A r. Adams, of Stock Cross,
Berkshire, England. at
George Frank Gouley, Grand Secretary
Masonic Fraternity, this State
Kate Reilly, Kate Doolan and Mary
Moran, servants.
Henry Hazen, of the Auditors Depart
ment of the Missouri Pacific Railroad
He was formerly from Newcastle, Pa,
whittier his remains will be sent
Mrs. Stewart, wife of W. s. Stewart,
of the firm of Derby & Day, of this city
Andrew EiStman, of the firm OF Tech