Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-02-10
ELEVEN DIE IN HOTEL FIRE.
Many Others Injured in a Blaze in
St Louis

A dispatch from st. Louis yesterday says:
An early morning fire, which destroyed the
Empire Hotel, large three-story lodging
house at 200 and 1902 Olive street, occu-
pied by men exclusively, caused the death
of eleven persons, ten men and one woman,
and dangerously injured eight others. Ten
or more, who had narrow escapes from
death in the fire, We're more or less injured,
and many were frost bitten.
1t is estimated that there were between
thirty-five and forty persons in the build
ing last night and it is believed all have
been accounted for. The financial loss was
not heavy, $4,000, 1t is thought, will
cover damage to buildings and contents,
which were totally destroyed.
The dead: Morris Vail, senior member of
the firm Of Yall. Clark & Cowen, manufac-
turers OF fine cut glass, formerly of Chi
cago. burned to a crisp; lobe Davis, man
about town. suffocated: John c. Lueders,
father Of Deputy City Marshal Leo Lueders,
skull fractured in jumping from third-story
window; George Thompson, switchman ter
minal yards, burned to death; Sarah Harris,
eolored chambermaid. burned; b. F. Wood
ley, employe Hamilton Brown Shoe Com
pany. burned; j. A. McMullen. carpenter,
Merchants Terminal Association; Vance
Marlin, civil engineer. Indianapolis, burned (;
A. ]. Allen, Sedalia. Mo-, stonemason.
burned; unknown man, who died at City
The injured Harry Cline, medical student
of Marion, ILL.,, hands badly burned and
ankle sprained: Walter Johnson, employe
Hamilton Brown Shoe Company, hands
burned, both legs broken and injured in
ternally; Henry Robinson, negro. night
porter, badly burned; George Lane. medical
student of Rich Hill, Mo, ankle sprained in
jumping from Second-Story window; -
Sturgeon, dental student, back sprained in
jumping from second-Story window: Harry
Thompson. medical student Nashville, ILL.,,
ankle sprained in jumping from second
Hotel, back badly sprained while escaping
from building; Con Ryan.
About ten others are suffering more or
less from burns or exposure.
The fire started a $3.50 O'Clock m, when
but few persons were abroad, and gained
covered and the alarm given. There was
considerable delay in turning in an alarm.
and when the engines finally reached the
scene the whole front of the building was
in flames and the interior was a seething
furnace By that time all who escaped death
had got out of the building by jumping
from the windows or climbing down ropes
made of bedclothes A few escaped from
the ground floor through the front door.
Some of the escapes were very narrow.
Almost everybody who got out suffered
some injury or was frostbitten. The guests
barely had time to get out when aroused,
the flames had spread so rapidly. Some
saved their clothing, which they carried in
their hands. but others were not SO fortu-
nate. losing everything. After some delay
nearby houses were opened to the unfortu-
mates and they were given shelter from the
biting cold without. 1t was one of the cold
est nights of the winter. the ground being
covered with ice and snow, and every one
suffered from exposure. The sufferers were
put in the care of physicians.