Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-07
THE LOSS is $6O,OOO.
1t Will Require This Much to Restore
the MOnOngahela House.
SOME QUEER FREAKS OF TIE FIRE.
Flames FILLED the Apsrtures Between the
Floors and Ceilings.
AHOLD BOlRDER WHO HAS LOST AHOME

The proprietors Of the MononRahela
House yesterday began to look about them.
They found about half dozen rooms In the
northwestern corner of the building hardly
injured at all by either FIRE or water. The
remainder Of the rooms are in q sorry con-
dition; on the upper floor utterly burned
out, and on the lower floors soaked with
black water.
A strange thing is Observable in making
tour of the house. The floors are all open.
That is, there is an open space, without any
filling or dsadening, between the flooring Of
one story and the 1ath and plastering Of the
ceiling below it. Through these great draft
areas the IRE crept to almost every portion
of the house. The western side of the quad
rangle, which forms the hotel, escaped, ex.
espt on the upper floor. But in the south.
east and north halls on every floor holes
were cut in the floor by the fremeu
to get at the fire between floors,
In each hole the eharred smbers Of
the timbers show that the fire was there.
In the center Of many q room in parts of
the house distant from the elevator shaft the
same sort Of hole appears. Through these
holes on every floor floods Of water were
poured by the 6remen until the ceiling be-
meath gave way and fell in huge wet
patches. When it is understood that fire
filled two-thirds Of the flooring on everV
story, it becomes matter Of some wonder
that the fremen saved the building from
total destruction. It was absolutely filled
with fire in its vitals.
QUEER FREAKS OF Frpr
Another surprising thing Is that the out.
side OF almost every room door in the hotel
Is burned or blistered. This is in mauv
places the case where no trace Of the fires
WORK Is visible on ceiling, wall or flooring
adjoining the door. The halls must have
been full OF darting flames, or the whole in
terlor OF the hotel must have been as hot as
an oven.
The regular boarders lived on the east and
south halls of the fourth and fifth floors and
therefore suffered the greatest damage. ].
b. Carson got into his room, No. 146. yes
ruined. He said he had at least
5000 worth of property in the
room. Mr.. Carson had lived At The
Monongahela House since 1866. For the
entire % years he occupied the same room
and sat at the same table He never ouar-
relied with servant and never had one dis
charged, and during the time that be was
not out Of the city be never missed a meal.
He felt yesterday, as he looked at his dilap-
ldated room, with its ruined furniture,
clothing, books, etc., that be was a home
less waif
Morris 81. Danziger's two rooms were on
the nth floor, right in the bad corner. Mrs.
Danziger climbed the gtairways yesterday
afternoon. took one look at her wrecked
apartments and went away without taking
even menento.
JUDGE BAILEY's LOSS.
Judge Bailey was on the same floor. a
little further west. His trunks were got out
yesterday, but many valuable books, pic
lures, etc., are ruined.
Other regular boarders and transient
guests were searching for their effects.
Nearly every trunk and valise was found.
Mr.. j. Blum, a travelling man from Ciucin.
natl, was unable to find his valise. He
said it contained his cash account for the
past six months, and he was wholly At sea
as to his financial standing.
The bar opened yesterday, and the cafe. on
the first floor, will open to-day. The proprie-
tors paid of many of their walters and
chsmbermaids, and dismissed them tempor-
arily. To-day workmen will begin earnest
ly to restore order. Yesterday morning
burning Goals were discovered on the upper
floor, and put out with hand extinguisher,
A few insurance men looked over the place
yesterday. The loss is now estimated at
about S60, 900, not including what the guests
suffered in their personal property,