The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-04-19
Terrible Disaster. The ST. Louis Southern
Hotel Burned.

$50 a.
the country, was totally destroyed by fire,
with a large, but AT yet unaseertamedlo loss
of life.
iChicago Despatch April III 10 the n Y Herald
George Strout, Director of the Chicago
and Alton Railroad, arrived here tonight
from st. Louis. He gave the following
account OF his experiences. He stopped
at the Southern Hotel last night and oe-
cuplcd room l3O, on the third floor. He
was aroused between | and , o'clock by
the cry OF Fire, and was uncertain
whether the cry was in the hall OF on the
street. He arose, however, dressed and
took his valise, which he always kept
packed, and started to go to the office.
He saw few persons on the parlor floor
the one below his in their night
clothes. He passed on, intending to 90
down to the office. When he reached the
head of the broad stairway leading down
to the rOtunda the smoke was so dense
that he gave up the attempt and went
back By this time there was a large
crowd OF guests assembled in the parlorS,
and some of the hotel officials We're say
me. Keep still, there is no danger" No
one appeared to be doing anything Many
men and women were budding together,
half dressed. seemingly paralyZed with
dread, more asleep than awake. He pass
ed on quietly, there being no rush and no
one evidently dreaming of the catastrophe
which followed in five minutes. He went
10 the west end of the hall and escaped
10y stairway leading down to, the Fifth
street door, on the west side OF the house.
vt this time there was no sign of fire any
where except the smoke in the office,
which he thought was so dense it would
have smothcrcd him had he attempted to
penetrate it. No one was using any water
in the house He crossed Fifth street and
stood looking at the house about FIVE
minutes, when at once the flames shot up
The great dome in the centre of the build
ing. The smoke poured out like great
black column from a volcano, and the
upper part of the edifice was wrapped in
flames The Transformation was SO sud-
den he was thundersuuck, as an idea of
the possible calamity flashed across his
mind. only one engine had arrived. and
stood at the corner of Fifth and Walnut
streets. The inmates of the upper part
OF the house now seemed to be aroused
for the first time, when it was too late.
They must have been smothered by the
smoke, the house filled with smoke and
flames 50 quickly. \ woman's pale face
appeared at Il fourth story window, APP
pealing for help. and he started for the
Lindell street end at the sight. He
thought that there was culpable negli-
gence in giving the alarm. All might have
been saved, but the employees endeavorcd
to keep the crowd on the lower floor still,
and prevented the warning being given
to those in the upper three stories till it
was too late. The fire department seemed
daZed and ignorant of what to do in the
emergency. and nothing was done until
all was lost
LSt. Louis Despatch april ~ TO y. Y. Tribune
Miss Kate ClaNtOn's experiences with
the fiery clement have been the means OF
making her d most notable person. She
was Il prominent figure in the record OF
the terrible Brooklyn fire. when several
hundred lives were lost, and her visit to
81. Louis has added to her reputation for
good fortune in time of peril. Thus far
during her present engagement of The
Two Orphans" at the Olympic, she has
been quarterCd at the Southern and oc-
cupied a room on the third floor. She
was awakened from a sound sleep by a
loud cry Of Fire :" from the hall Jump
ing out of bed, she CROPPED her way to the
door and opened it to find the place was
dense with smoke and that immediate
action was necessary. Slipping into the
scantiest of garments, she threw up one
of the windows to ascertain the chance OF
escape 10y that route, and, finding it was
decidedly slender, she concluded her only
hope OF escape lay by the hall way. PEG
pie We're screaming and hurrying past her
door. and she determined in an instant to
east her lot with them. There was no
lights. and what was done had to be done
in darkness. Entering the hall, she hur-
RED IN the direction OF the stairway, and,
before proceeding far, was materially as
sisted by a gentleman, who seized hold OF
her arm and pushed her along With 4
proper appreciation Of the need for haste,
when she came to the stairway she fell
down and rolled for some distance after
getting to the bottom, but, not being hurt
was able to pick herself up eXpeditiously
and make her escape. She lost every ar
tcle OF clothing she had in the hotel save
what she had on
+'lit' 'c''i-I IL ! Ii iLEIs
occupied rooms Nos. 3Ol and }O5. He
escaped almost naked. His statement to
the reporter Was rather brief and interest
ING. He returned to the hotel at about
ll.3O o'clock from Il congenial tea party
ut Mrs, Moll'sOn's house, where in com
pany with Senator Bogy, the Hon. Eras-
tHs Wells, Mr.. Caulfield of Chicago, Gen
Clark, the member Of Congress, and
others, he had spent Il very pleasant
evening. After Il chat with Mr. Herman
Lindc, {; famous German reader who had
Just returned from one of his Rotations
Mr.. Pulitzer ut about midnight, retired.
Precisely an hour attcrWard he aWOkc.
hearing loud cries Of Fire on the street
below. Hearing no alarm from the hotel
office, he SAYS he remained perfectly quiet
until he heard the shricks of women on
the floor below. He went out without
dressing, and found the staircase and cor
rldor thoroughly filled with smoke. He
never returned to his room and was near
" ch0ked to death when he reached the
exit on Fifth street. Mr. Pulitzer thinks
that the alarm bell never was sounded in
side OF the hotel, and people on the street
told him the fire was observed from the
fire alarm was given.
MOST PATHETIC SCENE
was witnessed by many of the spectators
on the Fourth street side. just as the
danger appeared most imminent. in the
fifth story window, upon background OF
lulld flames, might be seen the protiles OF
Il man and woman shaking hands and
taking a last farewell of each other. They
had stood at the window and appealed for
ald until hope gave out, and Just when
they felt the volumes of smoke oVercom-
ING 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.
The scenes in the saloons, where the res
cued persons were placed temporarily,
were most heartrending. Many swooned
when they realized the danger they had
passed. Many were injured in the crush