Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-04-21
THE HOTEL DISASTER.
Incidents Of tho BurnlnE of the Southern
Hotel NJ ~. Louis.

from the reports oi the burning " Wv
Southern Hotel, at st, Louis ; The peo
pie in danger on the upper floors OF TIT
hotel kept calling wildly for help, They
asked "for Gods sake" that something
be done for them and people below kept
sb.uting to them to have patience and
aid wopII come in time. Some OF those
VIII, mad made their escape stood upon
the street and cried out that something
be done for their friends, whom they
supposed to DO still within the building.
One man wont up and down in front Of
the building, crying: "Oh, my God
Oh, Jerry !" and upon being questioned
ns to whether there were any OF his
friends still in tho burning building he
pointed up TO the fifth story window, at
which two or three forms were discerni-
BILE through the smoke and mist, anu
sail: "There he is, there is jerry and
before any further information could be
had he was lost in the crowd.
A most pathetic scene was witnessed
by many OF the spectators on the Fourth
street side just rs the danger appeared
most imminent. In the fifth story win
dow, upon background of luril flame,
might be seen the proliles Of man and
woman shaking hands and taking last
farewell OF each other They had stood
ut the window and appealed for hid until
hope gave out, and just when they felt
tbs. yalpWas !a& ase@sqhpaYehsiyaAs, ding
toward them with rapid strides they fell
into each others arms, prepared for the
worst.
AT three o'clock the scene was horrible
; and thrilling in the extreme The hotel
was wrapped in flames, and, though
visible had been saved by means of ropes
aud ladders, yet here and there oh ago
nized face leaned from firelit window
to give last appeal for help. Men and
women rushed about wild with excite
ment, calling frantically for missing
friends aud kinsmen, and the tiremen
stood appalled, and unnerved before the
terrific holocaust in progress. The
heavens were aglow with rolling waves
of fire, darkened here and there with
black columns of smoke. Myriad sparks
rose up into glittering canopy, and
particles of burning debris were hurled
by the hot air upon adjacent buildings
and pavements. Inside only guess
could be made of what was going on.
Escape by means OF doorways was no
longer possible, the upper floors being
in absolute possession of the flames and
hle lower halls and stairways being en-
veloped i'll black smoke that would
have made sutfocation instant. Not one
"f the 5000 spectators dared 60 into that
seethlng mass of smoke and gas.
At four O'Clock all had either escaped
or persisted, for every floor had given
away, and the south and east walls had
fallen, demolishing the small adjacent
buildings and burying everything ami
mate and inanimate in their ruins. The
tiremen continued their work until six
O'Clock, the flames burning fiercely at
that hour, but shortly afterward they
began to subside, and by seven the
debris was heap of smouldcring, smok-
ing timbers and steaming mortar and
brick
Some men were putting up n ladder
endeavoring to reach the fifth story win
dows, where there were an elderly and
young lady, mother and daughter. The
former shouted to the men:
Save my daughter
The woman then tied two blankets
together and fastened one end to some
thing in the room. The ladder reached
only to the fourth story; but by means
of the blanket the young woman reached
the ladder, not, however, until she had
almost fallen, having slipped her hold.
She got down in safety and her mother
endeavored to follow. She clambered
down almost to the end of the blanket,
but evidently lost control of herself, let
go, struck the ladder and fell to the roof
below. A couple of men carried her off.
She had apparently been killed instantly.
Kate Claxton, who made such
memorable escape from the BROOKLYN
holocaust, was among the rescued guests.
She occupied room on the third floor.
She was awakened from sound sleep
by loud cry OF Fire !" from the hall.
Jumping out of bed she CROPPED to the
door, and opened it to find that the
place was dense with smoke and that
immediate action was necessary. Slip.
ping into the scantiest OF garments she
threw up one of the windows, to ascer-
tain the chance Of escaping by that route,
and, finding that it was decidedly slim,
she concluded that her only hope of
escape lay by the hallway. People were
screaming nnd hnrrying past her door,
and she determined GA the instant to
cls. her lot with them. There was 10
light, and what was done had to be done
In the darkness. Entering the hall, she
hurried in the direction OF the stairway,
and before proceeding far was materially
assisted by a gentleman, who seized hold
OF her arm and pu,hel her along with
proper appreciation OF the need of haste.
When she came to the stairway she fell
down aud rolled for some distance after
getting. to the bottom, but ; not being badly
hurt. was able to pick herself up expedi-
tiously and make her escape She lost
every article of clothing she had in the
hotel save what she lad on.
One OF the most melancholy events of
the great fire TRANSFERRED about seven
o'clock in the morning. Our readers
will remember the particulars published
i'll all the daily papers of the aristocratic
wedding, the parties being Mr.. Munster,
of England, and the daughter of DIR.
Henry G. Lynch, which took place about
three months ago. The happy couple
Travelled until within the past twoweeks,
Il Il.