The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-04-18
& Eool Observer.
EXPERIENCES OF 4 CINCINNATI STAGE-MANA
GER.


From the Cincinnati Enquirer. friday
Manager II. Z. j. Miles, Of the Grand
Opcra-Hou>e, who was in St. Louis with
Harry Gilbert. managing Il baby-show, ar
rived home Yesterday morning. "Bob"
was one OF the guests Of the iI-Starred
Southern Hotel. and his description OF its
burning aud Of scenes connected Herewith
are thrilling and graphic in the extreme.
He occupied Room 2Il on the third floor,
and was just two doors from the elevator.
lie retired after midnight, and was in doze
when he WAS surprised to hear roaring
sound coming from the region OF the
elevator At first he thought 1t was
caused BY the use OF that convenience,
but after Il moments thought he recollect-
ed that it was too late for it to be running,
so he turned over. on his side, and taking
his watch from under his pillow, aSccr-
tanned that it was fully half-past l O'Clock.
Instinctlrcly feeling that something was
wrong. he sprang from his bed and opened
the door of his room. 4 glance showed
him the hall rapidly filing with smoke, and
then he knew that the house was on fire.
Closing his door he shut the tranSom-wln-
dow over it, and then turned up his gas to
its full height and raised the window, so as
10 get all the fresh air he could. lie then
commenced TO dress himself, and though
lie was we'll aware hc was in considerable
danger, his confidence in the tlre-proof
qualities OF the house and in the efficiency
OF the fire department was such that he did
not hurry himself more than usual. III
fact, be took the studs and Sleeye-buttonS
ont OF the shirt he had worn during the
day, and fastened them in clean shirt, which
he put OF. He even took the prccaution to tie
his cravat before the glass, and in putting on
nrln M
inside out. Discovering the error, be pulled
it of and turned it properly. After he had
made his toilet, he gathered all his traps to-
gcther and put them in his va'iSe, and then,
taking all tho matches out OF his safe, he
opened the door and went out into the hall.
The smoke at this time was pretty dense,
still objects could be diScerned dimly, and
he found in the hall Mr.. Kyle, OF Balti-
more, who in his fright and hurry to turn
up the gaslieht in the hall had turned it
out. Bob lit the gas and then knocked on
the door OF Harry Gilbert's room to arouse
him. Receiving no response he thought
that Gilbert had not yet retired and that he
was out OF the house. Just ut this moment
q lady clad only in chemise rushed by
them, screaming for her husband, ana
dashed into the thick black smoke that was
rolling up from the rotunda. Bob made
fall down, overcome with the smoke.
He himself was so affected by it that
he was unable to raise her to her feet.
but fortunately just then Mr.. Kyle came to
his assistance, and they brought her back.
into the hall, where the smoke was not so
thick. She there revived, and, screaming for
her husband. she dashed down to the
other end Of the hall, where she tumblcd
down flight Of stairs. Messrs. Miles and
Kyle followed her, but she broke away from
them and was rescued by fireman after
ward. Mr.. Darling, the landlord OF the
house, met Mr.. Miles on this floor, and even
then both thought that the fire could be put
out without serious damage. Bob helped
TO 20 through the rooms on the parlor f1oor
and get raiment for the ladies who had fed
to the parlors in their ni@ht-drcsseS. In
few moments he saw that the fire was more
serious than he had hitherto believed, and
as he stepped to the staircase leading to the
upper floor he was surprised to see Harry
Gilbert come rolling down it with nothing
on but his undershirt, pants, and shoes.
Harry had been asleep SO Soundly that 1t
was i wonder the smoke that entered his
room did not sutiocate instead OF awaken
ing him; and he was the last man who
came down the stairs alive. When Bob
reached the street the first man be saw, i'll
an upper window, surrounded by flames,
and shouting to the firemen for God sake
to throw water on him, was Frank Goulay,
the husband OF the woman whom he had
helped to save. In few minutes the
smoke and heat overcame Goulay; he threw
up his arms, bent his head over his breast,
and then tumhled to the ground beneath,
distance OF about seventy feet. Those who
reached him first said he was alive even
after he struck the sidewalk, but when Mr..
Miles reached his side, two minutes after
ward, he was quite dead. Mr.. Miles says
that the sight OF men clinging to windows,
surrounded almost by flame. and In full sight
Of the immense crowd that lined the streets,
was one OF the most heartrending he ever
witnessed. The crowd would watch these
unfortunates aud speculate upon the length
OF time they would be able to maintain their
position. At length they would be over
come and topple To the street and certain
death. There seemed to be no scaling-lad-
ders in the st. Louis department, or il there
were any they were not taken from the
ladder-trucks. Had there been any at the
fire, Mr. Miles is convinced that every per-
son in the windows could have been res
cued in safety. II tell you, - said Bob,
.'that don't think it possible that the
Southern could have burned down In Gin
cinnati. Why, in st. Louis the firemen