Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-30
CHARLES DESTROYED
The Famous New Orleans Hotel in
Ruins
One Life Lost SO Far as Known Last
Night-Half q Million Loss
Stirring Scenes.

Only the front of the st. Charles Hotel at
New Orleans is left standing. Fire broke
out at IL o'clock Saturday night and ragged
until 3 o'clock yesterday morning. Starting
In the kitchens, which front on a small
court in the very heart of the square, not
ten minutes after the employees had left
them, the flames ate their way along the
woodwork with amazing rapidity, and owing
to the inability of the fremen to get at
them it soon became manifest that their
efforts would prove futile. The hundred or
more guests had about all retired, and
though many had been awakened by the
lusty shouts of fire" Night Clerk Mason
sent messengers to every room occupied,
and thus there was no possibility of any of
them having been cut off from escape as
the flames did not reach the main portion
of the structure for full half an hour after
the fire was discovered. Panic seized upon
them, however, and they rushed about
frantically, most of them in their night
clothes--men, women and children-and al
though there was ample opportunity to get
down the broad stairways, 1t took all the
efforts of the cooler heads to prevent the
most impetuous from throwing themselves
from second, third and fourth-story win
dows. The only man who did jump from a
window was an unknown, who dropped from
a third-Story window on Common street to
the shed, but was not injured, as he got up
and walked off.
A. p Lomgleis, father-in-law of Col Riv-
ers. the proprietor of the hotel, was asleep
in the third story, just above the flames
on the Gravier street side of the kitchen.
When he walked into the hall the smoke
had cut off his view of escape, but he held
his hands over his face and rushed through
1t. He began at once to search for Mrs
Rivers and the ladies of the house, who
were rooming on the same floor. Maj. G. L.
Hall and his wife occupied the rooms on the
third floor near the apartments of Mrs
Rivers. When awakened he aroused the
ladies and they hurriedly dressed and rushed
down the steps. Maj. Hall sent them in a
cab to the Hotel Royal, and remained upon
the scene of the confagration.
All the time the flames were spreading In
the interior of the hotel and climbing up
ward the guests were being awakened.
Those who were out began rushing in and
asking for their keys in order to get their
baggage. Trunk after trunk was rolled
down the steps and the limbs of the es-
Gaping inmates were several times en-
dangered. No one was hurt.
Baker Rfley's Fight for Life.
The unavailing fight for life that was
made by John Riley, employed as a baker
In the hotel, was witnessed by many help
less spectators. He occupied a room in
the fourth story of the rear portion of the
building
open courtyard in the rear of the rotunda
bar room and were watching the progress
of the flames, that were cracking and fast
eating away the upper stories and the ban
listers of the small gallery that connected
the rooms.
A great tongue of fire suddenly burst from
one of tn, rooms. when a scream was heard
and from the door next to the one from
Whicn the lame was seen to escape, a man
was discerned through the glare
simultaneously
from those witnessing, for they realized that
the man was In a very dangerous position
with fire on both sides OF him. For an in
stant the names quieted and the man made
rush for the head of the spiral stairway
AS he passed the flames again flashed from
the door like the tongue of fiery serpent
Fortunately, however, the full force of it did
not strike the man and he made his way
IN safety to the spiral stairway. breath
or satisfaction escaped the witnesses, but
as ne stepped upon the spiral stairway he
stumbled and fell. Rolling several times
over as he came tumbling toward the third
story, he finally rolled partly of the stair
way and remained holding to the broken
banisters. He attempted to regain his lost
foothold, but II seemed that he was blinded
by the heat and vas unable to pull himself
up. AS he hung there several of the gentle
men watching the sad scene rushed for
ladders.
But while they were gone the poor, un-
fortunate man fell so that he was holding
only with his hands to the banisters sus-
pended fully fifty feet in the air. At last,
after making several efforts to throw HIM
self upon the stairway, his strength gave
way. and releasing his hold, he fell with a
crash upon the stone pavement beneath
His body scarcely moved after Ii hit the
pavement. The gentlemen who had Wit
messed the sad scene FASTENED to the pros
trate figure and hastily carried 1t across
the street He lived scarcely a minute.
At the morgue the dead man was recor-
nized as John Riley. He was sixty years
old and leaves wife and four children.
All Guest. Were Saved.
Bridget Mulligan. chambermaid; Mrs.
Ross, domestic, and John Finlay an as
sistant barkeeper, are the only ones now
missing. The hotel register was saved.
and all the guests are accounted for The
other hotel keepers Immediately opened
their doors to the unfortunate, and all were
accommodated.
A Mr.. McDermott would have saved Ri
ley's life had Patrolman Fitzgerald not
pulled him away in order to prevent a dou-
BILE sacrifice. AS it was, McDermott was
burned badly. But a few moments after
this Fitzgerald climbed to the second story
of the hotel on Gravier street and rescued
fourteen women. who were employees in the
building, and who had their only avenue
of escape cut off by the flames. These wo
men slept in the hotel and were not. II
seems, awakened in time to get down NV
TIC stairway Cnle1 oCOnnor took two wo-
men OH the Gravier street SIDE and NOM
bers of hook and ladder company No. 1
succeeded In saving a number of laundry
women.
While the fire was raging in the building
l0' Grayier street, adjoining the hotel,
CharleS LeVinS, manager of the New Or
leans Electric Motor Company and John
whitman, residing at % Chippewa street.
mad narrow escape from being killed
Inc men had been cautioned about going
into the building, but they nevertheless
Ventured in, Levins being DESTROYS of saw
ing some of his effects and Whitman agreed
to accompany him. They had been in the
building few moments when a report re-
and instantly after the roof caved in end
fell with a crash. The men were in the
act of leaving the building at the time
and both were covered with wreckage hut
assistance quickly reached them and con-
Quoted them to a place of safety The men
were found to have been badly shocked.
but were not seriously injured and were
taken away by friends.
photographers Driven Away,
The Western Union office is situated on
the corner of Gravier and ST. Charles
streets and the employees stuck to their
positions until ordered out by the firemen.
The heat had become intense and there was
imminent danger Of the west wall of the
hotel topping over at any moment All the
instruments were taken to place of safe
ty and at o'clock the wall fell with n fer
rible crash, prostrating all the wires on that
street.
The Postal office is on st. Charles street.
opposite the hotel but it's wires run along