Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-04-30

CnarleS dOLel. n luTge duuiopSo "~S
leaving the ST. Charles Theatre
at the time. and in few
minutes the widest excitement pre-
vailed in the street, as the blaze
was in the court formed by the hotel,
and near the rear Of the building, the
impression prevailed that the fire was
in one of ths buildings on or near Car
ondelet street, as the reflection was
thrown brightly upon the facade OF the
Cotton Exchange, but in few minutes
the true state OF affairs became known.
As the fire was raging in tAe interior
OF the court the flames made compare
lively small showing from the street,
and as the fire brigade responded
promptly hopes were entertained for
some time that anything like serious
disaster would be prevented, but those
within the walls realized that the whole
building was doomed.
Guests and employees OF the hotel
were seen dashipg out OF the burning
building half clad, with such personal
effects as could be snatched up In their
hurried exit from their sleeping rooms,
and it soon became ascertained that the
WHOLE INTERIOR WAS ABLAzE.
The streets were thronged with people
for two or three squares from the hotel,
while the squares where q view OF the
flames could be OBJ taiRed were packed
with humanity. Hundreds mounted
tho roofs of the buildings in ad-
jacent streets, and these looking over at
the burning building saw what looked
like an immense cauldron within whose
dark, smoking sides ragged sheets OF
flames, leaping up high above the burn
ing building.
The block OF the ST. Charles hotel
was the important portion and was one
of the most valuable in the city, con-
tanning, besides the costly hotel, banks.
stores, railway Offices, enc OF the largest
turf exchanges In the country and finely
furnished off ces. AS nearly as could be
ascertained four lives had been sacri-
feed. One man leaped from the fourth
story and was almost instantly killed,
while four men and one woman were
S66u W lOdD 1IOu VIC llOh ohoiA NoSO IL OaA
the rear Of the building and were
lost to view in the court, which looked
TO be almost solid mass OF flames.
One man made his escape into the street,
but nothing was seen Of the other. 1t
was also reported that q child is missing
but this lacks confirmation. The scene
inside the hotel az this time was one OF
terror and confusion that wellnigh de-
fes description.
TERKoR- STRICKEN, HALF-CLAD GUESTS
were flying from the flames which were
roaring behind them. Some were drag
ginR their trunks with them and Of
fered extravagant prices for help to
convey their valuables to places OF
safety.
Meanwhile the fire continued to ad-
vance toward the front of the building,
the facade Of which was still intact.
By3a. ~. the last Of the interior Of
( the building had tumbled in, leaving
only the ST. Charles street walls intact.
On Gravier street, the flames were eat
ing their way into three buildings which
interveped between the great wall Of
the hotel and the old Union Bank at the
corner.
THE LOSSES HEAVY.
The losses are estimated ~ from
$500, 900 to S400, 900. Besides the ST.
Charles hotel, there are other losses. The
first outside building to be ignited was
No. 169 Gravier street, the ground 1oor
occupied by the New Orleans Electric
Company, and the upper floors as a
boarding house. The building was gutted
in a short time. Several ladies were res
cued from the third story by the
| police. No. III Gravier street was
| badly damaged. Nos. 15S and 160 Com
mon street were almost destroyed, and
Nos. l62 and 164 considerably damaged.
Nearly all the buildings in the rear OF
the hotel In the same square, and 'front.'
| ing on Carondolet, were more or less
| damaged by fire and water. The
ground floor of the hotel building
was occupied by Alexander Levy,
Taylor Turf Exchange; the ticket and
freight office Of the Texas and Pacific
Railroad. loss s15,5oO; barber shop,
Rosentield & Herrick, shoes; Joseph
Smith, shirts; Tapoline, tailor; L, T..
Ponne, shoes; ticket Office OF L. d n.
Railroad, Piedmont railroad ticket
Office and w. Fl. Brown, coal. The
man who was killed by leaping from
the building was John Riley, baker.
AN HISTORIC BUILDING.
The FIRST St. Charles hotel was built
in 1888, the work of construction having
| been commenced in 1885. The
cost of the building was $780,
600 and the grounds 100000.
This building was destroyed by FIRE in
1851. The building of the new hotel
was at once commenced, and the build
ing when completed was the one de-
stroyed last night: At the time 1t at
tracted attention throughout the world
through the fact that it was the finest
hotel In the world, aud the first great
hotel in the United States
In parlor "H" Jefferson Davis and the
southern politicians met and agreed
upon the course to be pursued at the
Charleston convention OF 1850 and since
then hundreds of aspirants for public
honors have been seated In these his
teric precincts
| Since the war the st. Charles has
been the central point Of the very stormy
politics OF Louisiana. Mr. HildratL'