The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-04-11
ST. LOUIS!
Terrible Disaster
~ -&~
The Southern Hotel Burned
This Morning.
LATEST --- Over One Hundred
Persons Probably Lost.
Exciting Scenes During and Since
the Conhagration.
Losses, Accidents and Incidents OF
the Great Calamity.
Losses, Accidents and Incidents OF
the Great Calamity.

Special to the star:
ST. LOUIS, April 11-3 p. M.-We
learn that about ninety bodies have
been taken from the ruins OF the hotel.
1t is said that the number will reach
one hundred or more. .....
ST.. LOUIS, April 1l.-At little after
O'Clock this morning the people in the
vicinity of the Southern Hotel were
startled by the cry that the hotel was
on fire. The flames, although inside,
seemed to be making most rapid prog
ress, and in few minutes dense COL
umn Of smoke was hanging over the
building, and all the upper portion
seemed to be on fire.
The scenes in the vicinity were too
wild and exciting to admit of descrip
tion. Every window Of the three stories
next the roof was crowded with human
beings shrieking for help, and the crowd
below, which in the few minutes had
become immense, was stupefed with
horror, and seemed unable to compre.
hend the terror of the moment.
Ladders were placed on the Fourth
street portico, and by means OF these
the frightened and half-suffocated guests
were rescued as rapidly as possible
On the Fifth, Walnut and Elm-street
sides the longest ladder would mo-
reach further than the fourth story, anC
those above. with horrible death
hanging over them, had to suffer the
disappointment of. seeing that they
could not be saved in that way.
The fire is supposed to have originated
In store room in the sixth story, on the
Elm-street side Of the building, and at
tempts to escape by the stairway in this
corner we're futile, but for minutes after
the excitement had reached its height
the other stairways were clear, anG
those who had the presence of mind tt
leave the windows and go down made
their escape without difficulty.
The excitement continued at its height
and the work of rescuing from the
Fourth street side went on till nearly
4 O'Clock, when the crash came and the
great hotel was mass of RUNS. Tt
the last moment the cries of the inmates
for help could be heard, and even as the
building was falling one was seen tt
jump from a window only to alight il
the wreck and fire.
SA. M.-The crowd about the scene o.
the fire has increased, till it is impossi
BILE to get within block OF the ropes
stretched to keep 1t back. Estimate
are unreliable, but the night clerk, ant
others who have the best opportunity o
knowing, put the number OF deaths a
not less than sixty.
ST. LOUIS, April I'LL A. M.-There
is no abatement of excitement, and thu
crowd about the scene OF the disaste
is larger than ever. All attempts to ge
list of names failed thus far, but hop'
to send partial list in a few minutes.
kilograms about persons supposed tt
be at the hotel are pouring in from al
directions, and there is general scram
BILE to learn names OF the lost ant
saved. Most OF the deaths are believed
to have occurred in the attempt to de
scend by means of the stairway in the
corner where the fire originated.
The number of lives lost is increasing
rapidly, but estimates are still wild an'
confused. Miss Kate Clnxton, the wei
known actress, jumped from third
story window and broke both legs.
Employees Of the hotel, who roomed il
the sixth story, are, nearly all missing
Dr.. Gerlacht, German Consul, had on
leg broken by jumping from window
Charles Zeenan, after making his escap
to the stairway, returned to help other
and was lost.
Philip Gerard was rescued among tn
last and has lost his reason. Tue doc
tors say he will recover.
Nine OF the female servants jumped
from the sixth story and were Instant.
killed.
j. E. Wilson, Mrs. Ensmen and Mrs
Scott, guests of the hotel, were killet
by jumping from the windows.
A woman jumped from the fifth-stor,
and landed squarely on her feet. She !
at the St. James Hotel, and not believe,
fatally injured.
L1ss on hotel and furniture is put a
$3.50. 900.
National A Aa,ociato1 praaa to tha ctar