The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1890-01-14
THE ST. LOUIS FIRE.
Particulars OF the Destruction of
the Western Union Telegraph
Office.

The following additional particulars of
the burning of the Western Union tele-
crap office in st. Louis, as announced ex-
clusively In yesterdays BAzoo, are taken
from this mornings Globe-Democrat.
At 6;29yesterday morning an attempt was
made to turn in an alarm OF fire from box
20, az the corner of Third and Locust
streets. This is the box from which the
alarm came in on the morning of the dis
asterous Guernseo fire. The box would not
wSIk SP af rSsaspp6otbae &c 4hother box was
subsequently found in working
shape, and soon the Fire Depsr'-
ment we're upon the scene IN force
Upon arrival it was discovered mat the
entire interior portion OF the western
Union building was in blaze. Inc nre-
men went so work with will, but the are
seemed to be gaining Roadway, aud al
ass a second alarm was turned In: Inns
brought to the scene of action addltionsI
engines, and by prompt, energetic worK,
the spreading Of the flames TO aololnisg
buildings. which were of the ramb-shackle
sort. were in a measure prevented, although
considerable damage was done to stock on
adjoining premises BY smoke and water.
telegraph Operators on the top hoor had
lnarrov escapes, some of them making q
RIM for il down the stairways, and Others
descending by means of the fire escapes
THE few operators who were on duty at the
time the FIRE was discovered were taking
easily in the operating room on the toI
Aoor when they were suddenly awakened
J from their lethargy by the terrible cry
. fire In an instant there was scene
! excitement among the few who occupies
J the room, and a rush pell NELL down tn
Z stairway ensued. All escaped without II
jury.
J, CAUSE OF THE FIRE.
J, Tn the basement of the Western Unto
!, building is district messenger ONCE. In
: wires of the company are strung along !,
. ceiling, and are crossed by electric llgi
: wires. One of these wires came In conta
with the messenger wire, the current oelI
\ 40 intense that In short time the insui
ton was burned of. The result was
x blaze which gradually grew larger al
larger and crawled along the ceiling I'M
il reached the fue or ventilsting pipe
an adjoining toilet room. Tins created
:. great draugbt, and the flame was quick
IL famed into larger proportions and beg
20 ascend to the upper floors with gre
"a rapidity, filling the building WI
ne smoke in q remarkably short time. !
10 the ffue the FIRE mounted, wrappi
y each floor in flames and smoke
a IL assembled. In the operating room W.
se Dave s. Ryan, all night chief, ]. w. w
ne SON, J. ]. Lane, J. w. McGary, L.
US Butter6eld and Marcus Crane, the
ne night check boy. As soon as the nan
i" reached the room and the cry. OF tre
sounded through the morning AIR, the 10
, began their hasty leave-taking oil
building, which at that time seem
- doomed to certain and speedy destructi
.e Mr.. RYAN remained long enough to lnio
In connecting cities that the building was
FIRE and to attend to other duties. In
meantime those operators who had
rushed frantically down the narrow
winding stairway had fastened to the
of the operating room, and, raising
windows, descended by means OF 3
escape lutte the rooms Of the Assocls
Press in the building adjoining. Fl
this room to the street below the csc
was easy, as broad stairway was at q
disposai. and they soon foundl thense
on Olive street without scratch.
PROGRESS OF THE FIRE.
Soon after the FIRE was discovered it
! e, gone through the counting room, the q
sper,s Office and up to the fifth floor
y tightening rspidity. 1t spread along