The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-05-03
NUMBER l8.
THE sT. LOUIS HOLOCAUST.
The Disaster ia -. Louis--Incidenis Of the
uarninK Of abe SoHthern Ifotsi.

! The scene which presented itself dur
ing i4e burning Of the Southern Hotel
a. st. Louis. fairly beggars description,
and cannot be presented with all ITS
+ horrors The great number Of rooms
7 on the two upper floors we're occupied
F by permanent boarlers These, awaken
"a from their sleep 10y the terrible cry
7 Of fire and almost snfTocated by the dense
smoke as it forced iis way through the
+ halls and rendered exit by them ex-
T tTemeiy hazardous, If not impossible
rushed 10 the windows, and throwing
them open, cried ia ag0nized tones for
help. Those ia the streets could see,
but could render no assistance further
than b. cry Hold un hold on. Don't
jump. Wen try and get you out. F"
The hook aud ladder wagons came,
/ but there was seemingly an interninable
delay in getting 30 work, aud, without
4 e1aggeration, 81 the spectators who par
I took Of the prevailing excitement i
\ seemed as though the department was
without its usual efficiency, and that AS
I sistance would never be rendered. The
poor creatures hanging from the upper
( windows continued their cries, which
.
hearers below with such force as can
T better be imagined than described.
At last, when il seemed ~ though the
flames had gained almost full possession
( Of the sixth story. the ladders were
7 brought into requisition but they were
I far too short, the longest scarcely reach
ing beyond the fourth hoor
Tie cries of Help Help r as they
rang forth from all sides, seemed b.
T paralyze tie firemen as well ms the others
f who were lookers-on. Some one with q
cool head suggested that the longest
ladders be raised 10 the top Of the Wal
nut street yerinda, which would have
/ the effect 81 lcngthening them by two
f stories. This was done, and by il many
were saved.
4 Miss Kate ClA1ton's experiences with
( the fiery element have been the means
Of making her most notable person.
/ She was a prominent figure in the record
Of the terrible Brooklyn fire, where sew
eral hundred lives were lost. and her
visit % ST. Louis has added 30 her repu-
tation for good fortune IN time of peril.
Thus far during her present engagement
Of " The Two Orphans al the Olympic,
she has been qunrtercd ~ the Southern
and occupied room on the third door.
She was awakened from a sound sleep
by loud cry 81 "fire r. from the hall.
Jumping out Of bed, she groped her way
30 the door and opened il 20 find the
place was dense with smoke and that i'm
mediate action was necessary. Slipping
into the scautiest Of garments, she threw
up one Of the windows 20 ascertain the
chance Of escaping by that route, and,
finding il was decidedly slender, she
concluded her only hope Of escape lay by
the hallway. People were screaming
and hurrying past her door, and she de-
termincd in an instant 10 cast her lot
with them. There were no lights, and
what was done had 20 be done in dark
ness. Entering the hall, she hurrici IN
the direction of the stairway, and, before
proceeding far, was materially assisted
hy gentleman. who seized hold Of her
arm and pushed her along. With q
proper appreciation OF the need for
haste. when she came 30 the stairway
she fell down and rolled for some dis
lance after getting 30 the bottom, but,
not being badly hurt, WAS able 10 pick
herself MP e1peditiously and make her
escape. She lost every article Of clothing
she had in the hotel save what she had on.
4 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 a background Of lurid fame, might
be seen the proiles Of a man and woman,
shaking hands and taking a last farewell
Of each other. They had stood At the
window and appealed for aid until hope
4 gave ont, and-just when they felt the
volumes of smoke overcoming them and
saw the flames apparently stretching to-
ward them with rapid strides-they fell
into each others arms, and were evi-
dently prepared for the worst.
The scenes in the saloons where the
rescued persons were placed temporarily
were most heartrending. Many swooned
when they realized the danger they
had passel.s Many were injured in
the crush: most Of them were in a
wretchedly forlorn condition as 70 cloth
ing, and in some Of the saloons the dead
and diving were stretched ont waiting the
coming 81 friends. A thrilling scene
was witnessed AZ the east front nj about
half-past two o'clock. A number of peo-
pie had been taken out Of that portion
of the building hv means Of the Skinner
truck, which had then been removed, il
being supposed that that side had been
emptiei 81 It's inmates. Suddenly az
ore uf .nr windows on the fourth floor a
lH..A appeared in a night dress. CHANGING
around he seemed % realize his sltua-
tion perfectly. The ladder had been
taken away. and below him was a sheer
descent Of sixty feet. To jump Was Ger
tain death.
What shall l do?" he asked Stay
where you are. answered the or owd
aroused to a clear appreciation of the
imminence Of the danger, and of the
possibility Of securing help. God de-
liver me - he exclaimed, looking up at
the lurid sky, and down az the floors below
now all ablaze He looked up at the sky
and clasped his hands in prayer "Lorl,
for Jesus sake, " could be easily heard by
the throng below, calmed into perfect
silence. IL seemed hours before the
truck was brought IL must have seem
ed centuries 10 the lonely man, standing
at the dsrkened window, lighted by an
occasional fash from the flames around
him, and startled by the crash, that
came here and there, Of falling walls.
Lord. for Jesus sake, he cried.
"Stand where you are, said fifty voices.
The truck finally came and was slowly
and clumsily raised 10 the window. Two
firemen went up and put the man on the
ladder, He came down slowly, his
limbs trembling beneath him.
At the bottom he raised himself up to
his fun height "Hurrah for st. Louis, "
he cried; 'New York amt dead vet. "
Then raising his hand up 10 the sky, he
said in a lower tone Lord, forgive me
for every sin that have committed. To
think Of having your door opened with
CRY, and find the whole building ON fire,
and then to get out Lord, thank theel
| have been in fires before, and in battles
and fights, but this beats all. He was
too much excited 10 give any rational ac-
count Of himself, and was hurried away
in an overcoat which had TO be forced ON
his shoulders and held there by the two
strong firemen who escorted him to a
place of safety.