Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-01-15
HOTEL HORROR.
A Sequel to the Burning OF the
NeWhaII House.
The Planters Hotel at St. Louis lakes
Fire and Burns With Great Rapid
ity-Four Lives Supposed to
Be Lost.
FEARFUL FIRE RECORD FOR THE DAY.

ST. LOUIS, January 1.-THE Planters
Hotel, one of the largest in the city, took
fire this morning shortly before D O'CLOCK
and burned so rapidly that four persons
lost their lives. The greatest confusion
prevailed when the alarm was given, ana
nearly all the guests escaped in their night
clothes, The weather was intensely cold,
and firemen were thereby greatly hindered
in their work. 1t is thought that
there were not more than four victims.
Three dead bodies have been taken out.
The fire is now under control. The loss TO
the hotel will not exceed $4,000.
1t was ten minutes past o'clock TINS
morning when the fireman in the engine
room in the Planters House discovered
live Goals dropping on, the paved
alley, just outside the window. Golng 70
work he gave an alarm, and in three min
utes the hotel was a Bedlam. Nearly 300
people, filled with the horrible recollec'
tions OF the Milwaukee horror, were dash
ing hither and thither through the main
corridors and down the several stairways
into the Office and into the street. The
hotel employees acted with
Good Sense and Promptness.
rapping long and loud on every door IN
the house, and FIVE minutes later, making
a second trip to insure that everybody was
up and advised of the danger. Very
few waited to dress. The smoke came from
the rear Of the building where the fire was
located. 1t had already invaded the corri-
dors and was making its way slowly into
the rooms. Stopping only TO grap lew
articles of clothing, men women and chli,
dren fled in dismay, and would not matt
-. ,,,Ntr min Uhprp
there was light, comfort and little smoke.
AS the engines, the first of which arrived
within fifty seconds of the sounding OF the
alarm, dashed up to the hotel, the stream
of fugitives began to pour from It's
doors. There were men i'll nsught
but their underclOthes women with but
night dress and possibly shawl or cloak
over the shoulders and little children has
tily bundled in blankets or other wrap
pings. Few wore shoes and great many
were in their bare feet. The lights OF the
Republican and Globe Democrat offices and
of gambling house, all OF which were
within distance of block, led the half
crazed people to a
Temporary Refuge
of warmth. Thence carriages in a few mo-
ments removed them to other hotels.
The two upper floors were occupied by
the help of the house, some seventy-tive
in number. Alongside of the boiler room
a narrow stairway rises and winds to the
roof. The fire, which started close to this
stairway, was carried up to the roof by the
draft in the stairway, and this not
only cut off escape by that means by also
formed barrier which prevevented the
men sleeping in the south half OF the
building from reaching another stairway
at the north end. Hence these
unfOrtunates, almost smothered by
smoke, were compelled to climb out OF their
rooms on the frame structure which abut-
ted over the alley and thence either to
Jump or Lever Themselves
by means of a pully rigged there for hoist
ing supplies.
This evening wOrkmen engaged in clear
ing away the debris found the charred body
of a man amid the broken timbers Mt the
stairway OH the basement floor. The name
of the deed men are Earlo Rebole, 4.
SChuller and Dennis Repoate.
The building is forty years old. The
proprietor, who two years ago remOdeled
the structure at great expense, announces
that a new kitchen Will be in working or
der by Tuesday morning, and that the
National furniture mems convention and
banquet to take place on Wednesday will
not be disconnected. The Planters is the
best hotel in the West. 1t was mentioned
by Charles Dickens in American Notes.