The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-04-30
FOUR WERE BURNED
Details of the Destruction Of the
Historic st. Charles Hotel.
All the Guests and Employees, Except
Four, Thought to Have Escaped =
A New Orleans Landmark.

NEW ORLEANS, April 2e-Four lives
were lost by the fire which broke out in
the kitchen of the st. Charles Hotel a
few minutes before IL o'clock last night. A
large audience was leaving the St. Charles
Theater at the time, and in few minutes
the widest excitement prevailed 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 the buildings on
or near Carondolet street, as the reflection
was thrown brightly upon the facade of
the Cotton Exchange but in a few min
utes the true state of affairs became
known. AS the fire was raging in the
interior of the court the flames made a
comparatively 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 dashing out of the burning
building half clad, with such few personal
effects as could be snatched in their hur-
ried exit from their sleeping rooms, and 1t
soon became evident that the whole in
terror of the court was ablaze. The streets
were thronged with people for two or three
squares from the hotel while the corners
where view of the flames could be OBJ
tanned were packed with humanity.
The block of the St. Charles Hotel was
the most important portion, and was one
of the most valuable in the city, contain
ing, besides the costly hotel banks. stores,
railway offices. one of the largest turf
exchanges in the country and finely fur
nshed offices. AS nearly as can be ascer-
tanned four lives were sacrificed. One man
leaped from the fourth story and was al,
most instantly killed, while three men ana
one woman were seen to leap from the
iron staircase leading from the rear or
the building and were lost to view in the
court. which looked to be almost a solid
mass of flames. One man made his escape
into the street. but nothing was seen or
the others. 1t was also reported that
child was missing, but this lacks connrma-
ton.
The hopelessness of the situation as far
as saving the hotel was concerned became
evident as soon as the hre broke OUT. AT
the center of the vast pile OF masonry
which forms the hotel, and occupies over
half of the square in which II Is situated,
was a kind of cylinder amphitheater, pulit
for the purpose of giving air TO the rooms
which did not face upon the street. Hav-
ing got a fair start over the engines
the fire spread rapidly. Biting at he tde
windows of the hotel, the fiames mace
their way into the rooms. and there nnu-
ing such inflamabe material as beddlng
and light. furniture increased tne & WHO a;nS Eioy
deserted by its terror-Strlcken ana SHRINK
ing occupants, fell a prey TO the flre ana
added TO the magnificent pyrotechnlc dis-
play which thousands from all par. sof-the
city had gathered in a vast crown 70 WI, vii
ness. About a. m. a portion OF ato,' Ine wan an
on Gravier street. as well as a section lon on
Common street, fell in, and a small por-
ton on the Gravier-street SIDE Ieil out
ward, wrecking about nifty telegraph W %ires, rs
Rv n m the last OF the interior OF the
building had tumbled in, leaving only the
ST. Charles-street walls intact
on Gravier street the hames We're eat
ing their way into three bulldings WhiSn
interyened between the great wall or tne
hotel and the old Union Bank at the cor
ner Three buildings ON Gravler street were
accounted by a number of firms engaged
in the insurance and machinery agency
business. Fortunately for the interest," OF
these firms most of their represen.asraes IA 0d
their clerks appeared upon the scene ahu
saved the valuable books and papers. Inc
total loss Is estimated at from SSU0,Vo 10
100000; insurance on the motel s-l2'0s' ~, -
work removing the debris in search or the
bodies of the missing employees. Inc man
who was killed by leaping FROM the pulio-
ing was John Riley, baker
The first St. Charles Hotel was built in
1885, the work of construction having peen
commenced in 1885. The cost OF the b1hd-
ing was 5000 900 and the ground SlO0,nO
The dining room was one OF the hlSnest
finished apartments in America, the ceiilhg
domes for chandeliers. The ceilings and
walls were handsomely frescoed by Canova,
nephew OF the great Italian sculptor ana
the building contained some handsome
statuary This building was destroyed by
fire in 1851. The building OF the new hotel
was Mt once commenced, and me bu:iding
then completed was the oac destroyed last
night. At the time 1t. attracted attention
because of the fact that IL was the nneSt
hotel in the world and the first grea- hotel
of the United States The new building was
of the same style and architecture as the
old one with the exception OF the cupoia.
The new hotel was leased by Messrs. Hid
reth and Hall and opened Tor % BUSINESS ISL ,dil n
lowed a long term or prosperity Ior the
hotel.
the fire last night the historic building
was closely associated with the history OF
this State and city. In parlor + JeHerson
Davis and the leading Southern politicians
met and agreed upon the course 10 be pur-
sued at the Charleston convention OF 1870,
and since then the fate of hundreds of as
prants for public honors have been sealed
in the historic precincts. Since the war
the St Charles has been the central point
of very stormy politics of Louisiana. In
its rotunda Democrats, Republicans and
members of every political party have met
fairs of the State and Nation. Parlor Z
also has made for itself a national reputa-
ton II has been occupied by no less than
six congressional investigation committees
trying 10 understand that choatc condition
of affairs which at that time became
known over the country as ''the Louisiana
question.
Mr.. Hildreth, one OF the proprietors at
the commencement of the war, a rel
ative of Gen. Ben Buffers wife, whore
maiden name was Hildreth. When Butler
took charge of the city in 1852 Mr.. Hildreth
refused 70 receive Butler In the hotel and
a riot was narrowly prevented in conse-
turning ex-confederates at the close Of the
war, and they were welcomed without