The age-herald., 1897-10-28
Not z sing Been Warned Of the Flames
 :sSs Surrounding Them.
DEBRIS onusHEs OUT MANS LIFE
One of the Finest Buildings in St. Louis Now Mass of Ruins-Wabash Railway sustains Half a Million Loss
 Firemens Disadvantages.

St. Louis, Oct. 27.-A lighted cigarette dropped by thoughtless clerk is sup afternoon practically gutsod the white stone building at the corner of Seventh and Chestnut streets, occupied by the general offices of the sh railroad.
 At 1:25 o'clock, just after tn. clerks had returned from their noon recess and were beginning work policeman standing on the corner below noicsd a small tongue of flame shoot out from window in the fifth story of the building, which was usad as "a storage attic. In- stanly a puff of dense black smoke fo1- lowed and Ithe officer rushed into the building shouting the alarm. Immedi- ately there was confused rush for every means of exit.
 Fortunately, the stairways wire wide, the building in former years having been used for the Public School library ard the Polytechnic irstjtute.
 Seven Women Entrapped.
 The attic was stored with old papers and documents, and within five minutes was roaing furnace. The whole floor seemed to suddenly burt into flame in every part. During all this excitement seven young women employed in ome of 4 fh1 oil li,,o ba floor had not been notified and were still working unconscious of their peril Wh n they did discover their situation they found, to their horror, tflst il was inn possible to reach the stairs, as the stair way was burning fiercely. They ap- peared at the windows and cry of hor- TOT went up from the street.
 Fire Escape Godsend.
 ''1he fire escape shouted the crowd, ard the young women, comprehending, disa ppeared, and moment later climbed : oua on the iron platform of the escape. They hesitated, but the advancing flames gave them determination and they started on their descer., reaching the street in safety as laundering cheer went up.
 Bremen Hampercd.
 With the first alarm t1le real estate agents who occupied the lower floor be- gan moving their books and papers. Everything that could be gotton ou- was taken across The street to the massive Wainwright building. general alarm was sent in, but owing to the narrow streets and net work of wire the fire men were prevented from working 70 advantage By this time the three up- per f1oows were doomed and it was ap- parent the fire had gained such head- way that .ale whole building must go.
 An order was given to cut the electric wires. Dense throngs blocked every tllorough6are. Without warning the wires were clipped and in an ims ant the throngs were madly falling back as flashes of blue and yellow lightning sputtered from the ends of tine deadly wires that came falling to the ground. Nobody was injured, but wire struck a fire horse, killing it in it's tracks.
 At l.0U 0 clOck tuC iOOi iSii Win s1 crash, sending burning embers into the air which fell on adjoining buildings and started fires. but prompt measures prevented further confiagrations.
 A Clerks Fearful Death.
 A. R. Field, clerk, was carrying some books from the first floor when the crash came. Flying debris struck him on the head, tearing it open down to the eyes and nose. At 2S0 o'clock the fire though still burning fiercely, was practically under control and at o'clock with the excep- ton of patches of burning embers had b en extinguished.
 One Of the Losses.
 An officer of the Wabash company es- inmates their loss at $500,000. State- nsents place valuation of the building at s4o0. 900. The Wabash company had oc- cupied new quarters before the fire waa under control