Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-04-21
THE ST. LOUIS FIRE.
Thrilling scenes--The Search for the Bodi,


When the fire at the Southern Hotel,
st. Louis, which led to the loss of SO
many lives, broke out, Mr.. Ernest Argo,
of No. 1,006 Washington avenue, was
playing billiards in the Laclede Hotel.
A second and general alarm being
sounded, he went out into the street to
see where the fire was. Looking down
Fifth street he at once saw that the
flames were devouring the Southern
Without stopping moment he rushed
to the scene, and assisted in raising the
first ladder to the third story of the Wal
nut street front. At this time Mr. Ems
man and his family were at the windows
of their room on the fourth floor of the
hotel, crying for help. Although the
ladder referred to only reached to the
third floor Mr.. Argo assembled to the top
and crawledin at the third story window.
and, leaning out, he directed Mr.. Einsman
what to do. 1t was by MI Argos direc-
ton that Mr.. Einsman split the sheets
of the bed and tied them together, by
which Mr.. Einsman swung down, while
Mr.. Argo attempted to catch him in his
arms while sliding down the sheet. The
improvised rope parted, and Mr.. Ems
man shot by Mr.. Argo in his descent and
was dashed to pieces on the pavement.
Mrs. Scott was the next to descend by
the part of the sheet rope yet remaining,
and when getting to the end she dropped
through the arms of Mr.. Argo, tearing
his left arm badly, it is supposed by her
nails, and fell to the pavement. For
tunately she was not killed, but sus-
tanned a severe cut on the left side of
her head and was badly bruised. The
next and last person to take such ter
rible risk was Mrs. Einsman. She had
seen both her mother and husband fall
through the arms of Mr.. Argo to the
pavement, fifty feet below, but yet she
never hesitated. Selling the treacherous
sheets she climbed carefully out of the
window and, with great fortitude, slid
down until she reached the end. Mr.
Argo then cried out:
"Let go, and will catch you"
Mrs. Einsman dropped when the word
was given, and Argo, by heroic effort,
succeeded in catching her in his arms and
drew her into the room, which was at this
time breaking out with flames. He then
carried her down the ladder, both reach
ing the ground uninjured.
One OF the naTrowest escapes from death
was that of Professor j. II. Rees, of New
York, his wife and two chambermaids.
They occupied apartments on the Fourth
street side of the sixth floor At about
two A. NJ. Mrs. Rees was awakened by
heartrending shrieks, and, rousing her
husband, the couple endeavored to make
their way through the hall. Driven back
by suffocating smoke and intense heat,
they re-entered their room, closed the
| door and ventilator, and rushed to the
window. No help was in sight, and as
they made second attempt to escape by
the door the two chambermaids rushed
frantically in with their heads covered,
saying that egress by that route was cut
off, it being impossible to reach the
stairs. All four again rushed to the win
dow for air, the room by this time being
/ filled with smoke. Mrs. Rees and one Of
the girls tainted, but recovered. When
all hope had been abandoned the Skinner
fire escape hove in sight It was raised
very slowly, but the fremen succeeded
III ascending and rescuing several persons
from the fifth floor, including one man,
who had let himself down from the story
above by means of sheets tied together.
After these were saved the ladder was
moved very slowly into position for
the people on. the sixth floor, but it
only reached as high as the windows
below, and it was several feet from the
wall. A rope was finally thrown to the
Rees window, and fireman, very
brave fellow, was hauled up Mr.. Rees
was then let down to the window ledge
below. His wife followed, and she was
supported on the narrow ledge until
another fireman, Ed. Thorn, arrived and
assisted in swinging her to the ladder.
This brave man carried the woman who
was sick and weak down part of the way.
His strength abandoning him she chung
to his back until additional assistance
arrived. Professor Rees remained on
the fifth story window ledge until both
maids were lowered to the sidewalk by
means of ropes tied around their waists.
The women behaved admirably, keeping
perfectly quiet and betraying no alarm
Had it not been for their presence Of
mind it would not have been possible fol-
the fremen Thorn and Kirk to save
them. While the second chambermait
was being lowered the rope slipped ant
caught Mr.. Rees around the neck Hat
not the woman reached the ground al
that instant the professor would
have been dragged down to q horrible
death. He succeeded in freeing himself
however. and iumped in safety to tn,