Evening journal., 1897-10-28
BLAZE IN ST. LOUIS.
Wabash Railway Has a Halt
Million Dollar Loss.
ONE MAN PERHAPS FATALLY HURT.
Seven Girls at Work ON the Fourth
Floor OF the Doomed building
Forced 20 Take to the
Firc Escape.

ST. LOUIS. Oct. 2S-A lighted cigar
cite dropped by thoughless clerk is
supposed TO have caused the fire which
yesterday afternoon practically gutted
the white stone building at the corner
OF Seventh and Chestnut streets occu-
pied by the general offices of the Wa
bash railroad Just after the clerks had
returned from their noon recess and
We're rebeginnlng work a policeman
standing on the corner below noticed
a small tongue OF flame shoot out from
a window In the fifth story Of the build
Ing which was used as a storage attic.
A puff OF black smoke followed. and the
officer rushed into the building shout
ing an alarm Instantly there was a
confused rush for every means OF exit.
Fortunately the stairways were wide.
the building In former years having
been used for the public school library
and the Polytechnic Institute.
The attic was stored with old papers
and documents and within five min
utes was a roaring furnace. During
the excitement seven young women
employed In one OF the inner mailing
rooms on the fourth floor had not been
notified and were still working uncon-
scious of their peril When they did
discover their situation they found to
their horror that II was impossible to
reach the stairs, as the stairway was
burning fiercely. They appeared at the
windows and a cry Of horror went up
from the streets.
"The fire escaped" shouted the crowd
and the young women, comprehending,
disappeared and a moment later climb
ed out on the iron platform Of the es-
cape. They hesitated but the advance
ing flames gave them determination
and they started on their descent,
reaching the street In safety.
with the first alarm the real estate
agents who occupied the first floor
began removing their books and papers.
Fire Chief Swingley sent In a general
alarm but, owing to the narrow street
and the network of wires IL required 10
minutes to hoist and train the stand
pipes. BY this time the two top floors
OF the building We're doomed. and It was
apparent that the fire had gained such
headway that the entire building must
go. An order was given to cut the cleo
trio wire. Dense throngs blocked every
thoroughfare. Without warning. the
wires were clipped, and In an instant
the crowds We're madly falling back as
flashes OF fire sputtered from the ends
of the deadly wires that came falling to
the ground Nobody was injured but
a wire struck a fire horse. killing II in
its tracks. The roof then fell with a
crash, sending burning embers into the
air. which fell on adjoining buildings
and started fires, but prompt measures
prevented further connagrations.
A. r. Field a 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 His injuries may
/ prove fatal.
The fire was not under control until
late In the afternoon. Nothing was left
OF the two top floors but the broken
walls. while the three lower floors suf-
fered damage from water and falling
| debris
The fire came so suddenly that the
Wabash company was prevented from
saving anything. Every record in the
office of the chief engineer. rights OF
way. real estate deeds and surveys OF
every description We're destroyed. Ar
officer OF the company estimates theii
loss at S5OO.O00 Statements place valu.
alton Of the building at 100000 The
Wabash company had occupied new
quarters before the fire was under con
troll
The insurance on the burned building
amounted to $125,00O.