The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-30
THEST. CHARLES FIRE
How the Finest Hotel in New
Orleans Was Destroyed.
Only FOUR LIVES WE'RE LOST.
4 historic Structure, Once the Most
Magnificent Public Hoass
In the World.

- NV tkLEtNSs Atffs CA lew minutes
tesofs II O'Clock last night ire broke out
d the kitchen Of the 81. Charles hotel. A
Isfee audience was leaving the ST. Charles
thes:er 81 the time, and 10 few minutes
de widest excitement prevailed in the
esyet. At FIRST the IRE was raging In
IL Interior Of the court, the flames
aakiag q comparatively small showing
from the street, and a. the ire brigade
responded promptly hopes were enter
s;sed for some time that anything like a
serious disaster would be prevented. bu,
thoss within the walls realized that Tn.
whole building Vas doomed. Guests and
emuoyss Of the hotel were soon hurrylny
eut of the building half-ciad. with ouch
Ievpersonai effects as could be snatched
10 in their hurried exit from their sleep
ing rooms.
As nearly as can be ascertained four lives
& we're sacrificed. One man Ieaped from the
tossth story and was almost instantly
hed. xhi.e four men and one woman were
even 20 leap from the iron staircase Ie ad in =
from the rear of the building and were Loaf
70 vies into the court. which looked 10 be
almost . solid mass o! flames. One of
these men succeeded in reaching the street.
bat nothing has been seen OF the Others.
Its reported that a child 10 missing. bu,
this lacks continuation
The scene inside the hotel was one OF
terror and confusion. The terror-str;cken,
hifciad guests were flying from the
flames, which were roaring behind them.
Some we're dragging their trunks with
hem and Offering extravsgant prices for
Lsip 10 convey their vaiuabes TO place
ofsafsty. Meanwhile the fire continued
70 advance toward the front OF the build
ms. which was still intact. ST.
Charles street looked dark and SOM
Der. though the upper stories of
the buildings opposite the hotel
we're liz up with the reflection of the
flames. The hopelessness of the situation.
. far a. saving the hotel was concerned
becsme evident almost as soon IS the fire
broke out. At the center of the vast pile
Of masonry which forms the hote. and oc-
eupies over hall of the square in which it
b situated. was kind of cylindrical am
pnitheaier built for the purpose of giving
hight 10 the rooms which did not face on
the street. Having got q fair start over
the engines, the tire spread with lightning
Sapidity. The flames made their way into
the rooms and then. finding such iniiam-
nable.hlaterial as bedding and light iurni-
ture, increased the wild riot Of its advance.
Room after room fell a prey To the fire and
sdded to the magnificent pyrotechnic dis
q pay, which thousands from all parts of
The city had gathered in vast crowd to
witness.
About "a. m. q portion of the wall on
Gravier street, as we'll as q section on
Common street, fell in. A small portion
Of The Gravicr street wall fell outward,
wreeking about fifty telegraph wires. BY
ia. NJ. the last Of the interior Of the build
Ing had tumbied in, leaving only the st.
Charles street walls intact. On Grayier
street the flames were eating their way
into three buildings which intervened be-
tsren the wall Of the hotel aud the old
uaion bank. at the corner. These build
Ggs on Grayier street were occupied by .
number Of firms engaged in the insurance
snd machinery agency business.
The loss is estimated at from $500. 600 to
{ No,0o0. Besides the St. Charles hotel
there are other losses. The first outside
building to be ignlted was No. loo Gravicr
street. the ground floor of which Vas occu-
pied by the New. Orleans Electric Com
rany, and the upper floors AS q boarding
house. The building was Quilted in short
time. Several ladies were rescued from
& the third story by the police. No.
I'LL Gravier street was also badly
damaged, Nos. i5s and leo Common street
we're almost destroyed, and Nos. To- and
ia considerably damaged. Nearly all
TIE buildings In the rear of the hotel in
lie SAME square and fronting on Caronde-
lei street were more or less damaged by
IRE and water. The ground hoor Of the
hotel building was occupied As follows.
Almost the entire con tents were destroyed.
Is little OF consequence was re moved:
Alexander Levy. tailor: turf exchange;
sieket and freight office OF the Texas Pacific,
loss sl5.oo: barrier shop; Rosenfeider Il
Hesrlek, shoes: }. c. Smith. shirts. Tepe-
ils, tailor; A. Bonee. shoes; ticket office of
TIE Louisville & Nashville: Piedmont rail-
read ticket office; W IL. Brown. coal.
Beneath the staircase Was handsome bar
Kfoom owned by the widow OF Leon La
noai
Today gang of workmeu were set to
work removing the debris in search al the
todies OF the missing employees. The man
sho Vas Killed by leapine from the build
'hg was John Reilly. a baker.
The 81 Charles hotel was built in iS3s,
tae work oi construction having been com
n'eneed IN lS3S. The cost oI the building
vas s6sl,oo. and the ground COS, 500 90.
lie dining room was one of the Finest
hnlshed apartments in America, the CELL
lag Being composed of beautiful elliptic
ZONES for chandeliers. The ceiling and
walls we're handsomely fFeseoed by Cauo-
Va, nephew OF the great Italian sculptor.
aud The building contained some hand
some ssatuasy. This building was de-
sfoyed by fire III 1851. Recon
Wucton Was az once commenced.
aud the building then completed was
assin destroyed last night 1t attracted
1'eation throughout she world for the
net 1t was then the finest hotel in the
World and the first great hotel of the
thl'@t States. The building WAS OF the
same style and architecture IS the old one.
With tie exception of the cupo!a- Then
i@'oRed long era Of prosperity for the
sAie. the C,tV and he hotel. From 1851
10 sae Ire last night the historic building
vas closely associated With the history OF
VAS state and city. In parior L Jefferson
isfis and The leading Southern politicians
aet and as.oed upon the course 10
~tGrsaei a. the Charleston convention
% -. anI since that time the fate Of
s+aafea~ 81 ssp,rants Tor public honors
sas been sealed IN the historic walls.
s'aee the ~ ,he hotel had been she cen
va pom; OF ne very stormy politics OF
AoatsSna. In It's roiuaos leaders and
essaeers ot every political party have met
~sseaauee views Aud discuss the affairs
TIE state and nssion. PaTlos = also
sa'e Tor ttse.f = national reputation II
ssd been eccap,esl bv II o less than sax con-