The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-04-30


dows-servants Rescued With Difficult
ty-One Dead and Others Missing-Tele-
graph Operators Sat at Their Keys
While Walls swayed Over Them.
New Orleans, April 29.-The imposing front
of the St. Charles hotel on st. Charles
street, with the portico is all that is left
standing of the most famous hostelry in
the United States. The fire that ragged be-
hind the walls of the hotel from eleven last
night until three this morning was one OF
the fercest this city ever experienced.
Starting in the kitchens, not ten minutes
after the employees left them, the flames ate
their way along the wood work with
amazing rapidity. The hundred OF more
guests had about all retired Night Clerk
Mason sent messengers to every room oc-
cupied and thus there was no possibility. OF
any being cut off from escape as the fazies
did not reach the main portion OF the
structure for.fully half an hour after the.fre
was discovered. Panic seized upon them,
however, and men, women and children
rushed about frantically, most of them in
their night clothes. Although there was
ample time to get down the broad sta1rways
it took all the efforts of cooler heads to pre-
vent the most impetuous from throwing
themselves from the second, third and
fourth story windows. The only guest who
did jump from window was unknown. He
dropped from third story window on Com
mon street to shed and was not injured.
All this time the flames were spreading In
the interior of the hotel and climbing up
ward as the guests were being awakened.
Those who were out now began rushing In,
asking for keys in order to get their bag
gage. Trunk after trunk was rolled down
stairs, the limbs of escaping inmates
several times being endangered.
The employees were not SO fortunate as the
guests. An unavailing fight for life was
made by John Riley, a baker in the hotel,
and was witnessed by many spectators. He
occupied a room on the fourth story OF the
rear portion of the building. The crowd in
the court in the rear of the rotunda bar
room, saw great volume of flame burst
from the room next to the one occupied by
Riley. He was seen rushing out of the
room Riley made a rush for the head of
the spiral steirway which hessafely reacS Sed.
AS he stepped upon the stairway he
stumbled and fell and tumbled toward the
third story, but rolled partly off the stair
way. He remained holding to the broken
banister. He attempted in vain to regain
his lost foothold, but before ladder could
be procured, his strength gave way and he
fell upon the stone pavement fifty feet be-
meath. He died very soon afterward.
Riley was sixty years old and leaves a
widow and four children. A Mr.. McDermott
would have attempted to save Riley before
he fell had not Patrolman Fitzgerald pulled
him away to prevent double sacrifice. AS
it was McDermott was burned badly. few
minutes after this Fitzgerald climbed to the
second story of the hotel on the Gravier
street side and rescued fourteen women,
employees, who had their only avenue of
escape cut off by flames. These women slept
in the hotelsand.were notssawakened in time:to
get down by the stairway. Bridget Mulllgan,
a chamber maid, Mrs. Ross, domestic and
John Finlay, assistant bar keeper, are the
only ones missing. The hotel register was
saved and all the guests are accounted for.
Other hotel keepers opened their doors to
the unfortunates and all were accommo-
dated.
From the centre of the square the flames
ate their Way in all directions, touching the
rear of the row of office buildings on
Carondolet street, burning clear through to
the street on Common and Gravier streets,
and leaving nothing but the imposing front
on st. Charles street. The barber shop, l5O
Gravier street, the Eagle Cotton Gin, the
Pacific building and number of other
buildings were set on fire by the flying
sparks and more or less damaged. Chief
O'Connor took two women from the Gravier
street side and Hook and Ladder Company
No. l. saved number of laundry women.
While the fire was raging in the building at
l67 Gravier street, adjoining the hotel,
Charles Levins, manager of the New Orleans
Electric company, and John Whitman went
into the building to save their effects. In
few moments the roof fell and both men
were covered with wreckage, but were
quickly rescued. They were badly shocked
but not seriously injured.
In the Western Union office, corner of
Gravier and st. Charles streets, the en-
ployes stuck to their positions until ordered
out by the fremen The heat had become
intense and there was imminent danger of
the east wall of the hotel toppling over at
any moment. All the instruments were
taken to place of safety. At two the wall
fell with a terrible crash, prostrating all the
wires on the street. The postal office was
on St. Charles street, opposite the hotel,
and it's wires were soon rendered useless by
heat and being crossed by electric wires.
Under the St. Charles on the Gravier street
side, was located Alex Lewis tailor shop,
the ST. Charles Turf Exchange, the New
Orleans Electric company's office and other
establishments. The buildings were burned
for fifty or seventy-five feet back of the
hotel. The Electric company's building
was entirely destroyed, as were the rear of
the Union National bank building and the
office building facing Carondolet street
The five story brick buildings numbers 1876,
178 and 100 Common street, occupied by P.
B. Clark, coal merchant, Charles Hamilton,
saloon, and others, were completely
gutted The Texas Pacific general offices,
corner of Gravier street and the Louisville
and Nashville offices were destroyed with
their contents.
The total loss will reach half a million
dollars and may go over that amount. The
hotel property, exclusive Of the grounds, Is
worth 100000, and is insured for $212, 600
The St. Charles was owned mainly by Moore
and Hyams, John Morris and Frank T.
Howard, who held almost the entire issue
of the stock. The hotel could accommodate
between 800 and 700 guests. Within it's walls
the leading figures of the Confederacy
o.. ~