The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-12
ANOTHER HOLOCAUST
A Hotel Filled with Guests
Burned Down.
SIX STORIES and NO Fire ESCAPE
A Dazed and Inefficient Fire
Department.
ELEVEN KNOWN To HAVE Persisted.
Frantic Men and Women Leaping
from Dizzy Heights.
CARRIED CFF WITH THEIR FACES COVERED.
A Brides Horrible Death and Suicide Of
.rast the Bridegroom.
LISTS OF THE KILLED AND THE SAVED
Thrilling Descriptions OF Dam
gers Escaped.
Frantic Men and Women Leaping
from Dizzy Heights.
CARRIED oFP WITH THEIR FACES COVERED.
4 Brides Horrible Death and Suicide Of
- 't the Bridegroom.
LISTS OF THE KILLED AND THE SAVED
Thrilling Descriptions OF Dam
gers Escaped.
iBx. 7zIEcRApH TO THE nEnALD.]

.st iBx TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
ST. LOUIS April II. 1877.
About halfpast O'Clock this morning people In
the neehborhood Of the Southern Hotel were startled
BY cry Of "rire" and almost Immediately thereafter
smoke was seen issuing from the lower windows OF
that building. The alarm rapidly spread, and thrce
Ore companies and tao hook and ladder companies
with the salvage corps were quickly the ground by
which time q second alarm IRON tho fire boxes had
spreading the entire extent Of vast building
RAPID PROGRESS FLAMES.
Within ten minutes Of the fret arrival OF the Fire
Department red flames began 10 shoot through the
windows Of the FIRST and second stories and i'm
msnss volumes Of smoke crept from every
door and outlet The hotel was six stories
high and almost block in dimensions, bounded
BY Fourth, Fifth, Walnut and Elm streets AT
two A. N. the sceno viewed BY your correspond
emit Of the thrilling character Al thu. time
Ore IN several places The confined was roar
ing and cracking inside black smoke was rolling from
sho main and ladies' entrances, and away up upon the
lat root tho glare OF general connagration re-
evsd only by the lightning streaks Of damo bursting
through here and there from the rooms below.
THE STARTLED iSxArEs
Now and then frantic guest en- dsaaatius, with
Sothss and valiso hand rushed out Into the Streets
but At became apparent that ihs great bulk OF
Me inmates still inside. First one window and
raised heads OF men, women and children were seen
Everywhere and wild cry for help nled the air.
sN COMING TO THE RESCUE
By this time alarm after alarm had been sounded
and tho entire Fro Department was woeelIng into
line. Almost the entire police force had boon sum-
moned from their boats and were arriving, and tho
nreets filling with terrified ctizens Many peo-
,e were evidently preparing to jump from the win
lows, and those In the streets below continually
called out, "Don't jump; the ladders will soon b.
readyl"
THE LADDERS TOO SHORT.
The hook and ladder companies were splicing their
ladders rapidly possible; but tho work to
be slow and the sixth story with flame before
they began to elevate them shout Of triumph wen.
up from tho crowd below and faint echo came from
those above; but when the ladders were tried IL was
found that they would scarcely roach TO tho fourth
door, and this discovery met with most agonizng
cries Of ''Heip, helpl" The heartrendng shrieks
which fell upon the OF the Hremen seemed to oil.
most paralyze Thorn. and the usual efficiency which
has always characterized tho st. Louis Fire Depart
ment was evidently lost for the time boing
INSIDE THE BUILDING.
Tho tremendous draught by tho smoke and hot
illumination that which came from lurd flames
that licked tho walls all Sides On the Walnut
street side there was verandan even with tho first
ioor, and, In obedience to the suggestion OF COOL
headed spectator the ladders 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
windows on tho various sides of tho building many OF
hem tied together but Of them making rope OF
men and ono woman in the sixth story descended
those perious strands and succeeded in swinging
themselves into fifth story windows, thus increasing
their chances Of rescue.
THE FIRST VICTIM
One OF tho first to reach tho ladder tho
Walnut street side was George Frank Gouley, Grand
Secretary Of the Masonic Fraternity in Missouri Hc
had to descend knotted rope OF blankets from the
sixth to the nitn story Ho had passed moro than
. hall dozen rounds when he rceed and fell, his
skull being crushed by striking a cornicc, and both
legs being broken, producing instant death.
INSANE Erroar
One man, whose name Is unknown, appeared at
. window Throwing tho ond OF sheet on
the outside he began to mako preparations TO
descend, aud though the crowd called out to
him to remain still he persisted IN swinging
loose Sliding down to the tho sheet he found
himself just above tho nth story and nothing but the
stone pavement 100 feet below him. Realizing his ter.
ribIe position he cndcavorcd 10 climb back, but tho
effort himself was vain, after a desperate
struggle OF three minutes he shricked "Ie. go., and
fell, with every bono crushed
A FATAL LEAP
Another man appeared at IN adjoining window In
hls night attire and frantically called out .what
shall -"
The flames we're leaping all about him and seemed
ready TO envelope and consume him.
= .yuuspi~ "Jampl" answered baek dossn shreass.