The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-11
PANIC IN A HOTEL
EXPLOSION FOLLOWED Ey FIRE IN
A CHATTANOOGA HOUSE.
Unfortunate Newly Married Couples
Daring Deed Of a Louisville Boy i'm
Rescuing Imperiled People.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Dec. N.-While
the guests, Of the Southern Hotel were at
dinner to-day a heavy explosion shook the
building from basement to roof, followed by
silence and then the cry of fire rang
through the corridors like a trumpet call.
Instantly a panic reigned. Men and women
rushed through the halls bereft of presence
of mind. for the smoke and flames came up
the elevator with such incredible rapidity
that every one recognized not only their
personal effects but their lives to be in
peril. Aside from a large number of
transient guests there were permanently in
the hotel between forty and fifty people,
including among them several newly mar
ried couples who had recently taken suites
for the winter. Among the latter was Mr..
and Mrs. John Pitner. who had only
this morning returned from their bridal
trip. Mrs. Pitner. nee Carter, Of Athens.
had just finished spreading her wedding
presents about the room, valued at severa!
when the fire started. The presents and
her handsome rousseau were destroyed.
The other newly-married couples. who had
at their own expense furnished apartments
in the house, lost all their furniture and
many wedding gifts. Elegant gowns were
In the hotel, and the value of such articles
destroyed is placed away up in the thou
sands. c. s. Todd. ticket agent of the
DOulncIn railway OPCICd Ills tOO ~ NC
frantic fright he ieaped through the
glass window, being badly cut by the
glass and injured IN the tall. Many ladies
were rescued at the last moment by fire
men. Among these was Miss Mary Robin
son, Of Chickamauga. She was rescued by
n. b. Childress, manager or the Postal
Telegraph. Business men who had valuable
papers and personal effects ir their rooms
offered large sums to anyone who would
make an effort to get their things, but
only two men dared volunteer. Within an
hour the building was Quilted and a wreck.
1t was erected in 1887 and was formerly
by Voight Bros, of Cincinnati The ground
was leased for ninety-nine years from the
n. & c. railroad by the Peoples estate.
and furniture at $4,000. Insurance $4,000.
Daring Deed of a BOY.
LOUISVILLE, Dec. N.-Ffre broke out at
4:i5 o'clock this afternoon in the large
clothing store of Levy Brothers. on the
corner of Third and Market streets, and,
for a time, promised to be a disastrous
one. The building is "a large fve-story
brick and was we'll stocked. The flames.
which started in one of the large front
windows that was being dressed for the
holidays. spread rapidly and soon COM
municated to the elevator shaft in the
front of the store. Three alarms were
turned in and n a short time the entire
fire department was on the ground. The
store was crowded with customers and a
panic ensued. The place filled rapidly with
smoke and it was with great difficulty that
1t was cleared. A number of women tainted
and had to be carried out of the building.
On the fifth floor were eight employees, in
Guiding one woman, Miss Kate Fogarty.
Seeing that every avenue of escape had
been cut off from below. they made their
way to the roof. A shout went up from the
crowd below when they were discovered
and a ladder was quickly run up by the
firemen, but II was found to be too short.
The little group on the roof was beginning
to despair when James Lee, a boy, secured
a ladder near the Flagstaff and fastened it
to the roof, but 1T also was too short to
reach the roof of the Turf Exchange adj
the risk OF his own life. he ran to a wire
and cut Ii in two. Then he pulled enough
of Ii in to suit his purpose. Attaching one
end of the wire to the ladder, he caught
hold of it and slid in safety to the roof of
the Turf Exchange. Encouraged by this
daring decd, the others, with the exception
of Miss Fogarty, who was too weak TO
move, followed the boy and reached the
roof in safety. Miss Fogarty was later res
about the face and her hands were cut by
falling glass. Her condition is not regarded
as serious. Louis Brown, the window dress
er, was injured internally.
| The loss by fire and water to stock and
building cannot be Appropriated tonight
but will probably reach $4,000, fully COW
| cred by insurance.