Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-07

consists of three steamers and one hook and ladder truck.
 LAter-Twenty-six Lives Lost fin the FIames-TerribIe Scenes at the Hobo
 cRHst.
 ST. LOUIS, Jan. 6-The lives of twenty
 six women were lost at the burning of I'm. macalste Conception, BslIsvoe, which oc- cured at Ii o'clock last night. The lives are those of young ladies who were attending the convent. The fire had it's origin in 8 furnace in the southwest corner of the base- ment and when discovered the floor immedi- ateIp above the furnace was ablaze and vol umes of smoke were rapidly pouring through ths stairways, corridors and halls. By tho time the sleepers were thoroughly aroused the smeke had become sufocating and all avenues of escape were filled with binding smoke. Then panic ensusd. The extrem- ity of the cold necessarily retarded the work of the firernen and even if they could have reached the scene without delay they would havr been Of but little service in rescuing the victims. There are TO ladders in the de- partment and no provision for ths dsplorabls emergency had been made by the managers of the institution. Ths unfortunate inmates were therefore powerIess to relieve them selves and those who were witnesses of the horrible holocaust were powerless to assist them. The first relay of firemen to reach the scene broke in the doors and made for the third story of the building which is used as dormitory. The screaming of tho chil- dren and the sisters could be heard above the cracking of the fire, but the fremen could not open the doors of the dormitory on account of their being locked In the ex- citement no one knew who had the keys Bars of iron from nsighboring blacksmith shop were brought on by the firemen and used as battering rams, but even before
 Ehese the doors would not give way. The booming of the smoke through the lorg hall
 ways soon drove the frenasn out of the halls and the girls locked in the rooms were told to take to the windows. In a moment the
 windows of the third floor, the sills of which are fifty feet from the ground, presented Q
 strange spectacle. There in their night cll taes suddenly aroused from their slumbers stood in despair large number of the terrified inmates. There
 was no chance of rescue, and the only alter
 native was the dreadful leap. Soon after
 wards volumes of smoke were secn to spread
 throughout the building, followed by loud
 explosions. and a few took the desperate
 
 window. Mary Campbell was the first to try
 the almost hopeless ordeal, and as she fell to the pavement her body was removed
 to the Harrison machine works,
 where, after 8 few gssps, she ex- pired. Daisy Eberman managed to crawl through the windows of the third floor and find perilous position on the cornice over the main doorway. She there re- mained for quite long time shrieking for help. At last the confined flames and smoke burst from the window around her and she was hurled to the ground below, but her fall was broken by two men who stood with outstrtehsd arms to re- ousIy hurt. Emil J. Kohn was one of the first to render practical rid to the i'm perilled inmates Knowing where to procure 8 long ladder from the rear of the premises, he with the aid of others soon had it in DO sition at the front of the building, doing gallant service.
 The ladder reached to the second floor and two stout men ascended it with another small ladder by which they reached the third floor and provided an escape for num- ber of the sisters and bosrders. Sister Mod D:ato about this time was found lying upon the ground on the south side of the building quite dead. It is thought she fell frem a window on that side of the building. Two ladies were Esved from the the top of a veranda even with the second floor on the south side of the main building. They doubtless leaped from the story above and in their fali on the roof were stunned and when discovered were nearly frozen. A short ladder Was found, but it could not reach them until two gentlemen took l the ladder and resting it on the pro- l jections of the porch managed to secure it and the ladies were rescued. Amid all the excitsmert it was not known how many had psrished, but when the summing up was made this morning twenty-six were 1 missing. The bodies could only be ] identified by the clothing or rather portions of the clothing which having been saturated | with water had escaped the flames, thereby ! enabling those familiar with the garments to l identify the victims. Among those positively identified were Misses Susie Wieman, Martha Maunbel, Gertrude Strunck, Mary Manning, | Virginia Hunseiman, Lizzie Isch and Mamie Pues. Among the missing are Mary Barbels of Missouri, Josephine Plondre,
 CenterviIle station; Lotta Pisrson, St.
 Sealing, St. Louis; Agnes Scaling, St. Louis; Laura Thompson, Chester, Ill Minnie Bailey, Belle1ille; Helde Hammet. Trenton :; Emily Lenhardt, Trenton; Kitty Ur- bana, Vandalia Gsrtrude Strunck, l Germany; Mary Bien, Belleville Dolphia Schernitzauer, Believille; Sister Superior l wina. Of the missing pupils Miss Agnes Scaling had only been in the convent two days and she was only taking lessons | in painting. Miss Lizzie Jsch was 8 sister of Mrs Joseph Yochs. Miss Laura Thomp- l son was daughter of the chaplain or the Chester penitentiary. Miss Gertrude Strunck had been an inmate for two days only. Miss ! Vereinia HeinseIman was the daughter ef 8 well known carriage dealer of this city: Sister Mary Jerome was known in the world as Barbara Heil and was born in Pitts
 burg. Sister Moderate was known as
 Jennie Riley, born near Milwaukee; Sister Edwina as Bridget McCafsry, born in Iceland, and Sister Agatha as Margaret Shannabar, born in New Orleans. Miss
 Mauntel was daughter of the cashier Of the Merchants National bank of St. Louis. The l building destroyed was the property of the
 sisters of Notre Dame and cost $80, 900; in
 sured for $25, 900.
 \ Firemen Flghtfpg Fire and Cold.