The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-03-21

from crossed electric light wires dam
aged the Grand Pacific Hotel today to
the extent of hundred thousand dol
lars, and for a time threatened entire
destruction of the building. No lives
were lost. although many guests were
compelled to make hasty exits by fire
escapes, and but three people were
injured. Two were in the crowd in
front of the hotel and were slightly
cut by falling glass, The third was
fireman, Walter English, who fell
fro mthe fire escape and fractured his
left arm.
Discovered BY Machanic.
The fire was discovered by James
Ryan, a mechanic, with gang of
men, who were at work upon the roof
OF the building. While he was placing
block under derrick, a small ton.
que of flames shot up into his face,
lie at once gave the alarm, and when
it was discovered flames had broken
through the roof at the northwest cor.
ner of the building. the guests were
warned to leave their rooms and come
to the office.
Down the Fire Escapes.
Clouds of smoke which poured out
of the building were more dense than
has been seen at any fire in this city
for a lcng time, and 1t filled the halls
so that many guests were forced out
and came down the fire escapes on the
outside of the building.
One man sleeping off drunk"
In his room on the fifth floor would
certainly have lost his life but for
several hotel attaches, who half led
and half dragged him down the fire es
cape.
Started in Closet.
Elevators In the hotel kept con.
stantly running until after the
fire was extinguished, and when
the guests were all out were used to
convey firemen to and from the upper
floors. The flames were confined by
desperate work to the north wing of
the hotel. The fire originated in
linen closet on the eighth floor, and
when the employees responded to the
alarm. they found this entirely ablaze
From this point the flames spread
along the entire north part of the
eighth floor. burned through and
cleaned out the same portion of the
seventh and also destroyed the rear
platform of the sixth.
Flames Shot High.
At this point they were checked af.
ter a severe struggle. The entire
hotel, however, was completely flood.
ed with water and damage from this
source constituted the larger part of
the loss.
The flames at times shot through
the roof thirty feet into the air
forming a fascinating sigt for Cccu-
pants of neighboring buildings who
crowded onto the roofs. and jammed
all available windows which command.
a view cf the hotel.
The flames. although several times
almost under control, were obstinate
and broke out repeatedly. On one oc-
casion, a score of firemen who were
carrying a load of hose up a fire es-
cape were compelled to flee in great
haste. Several were slightly scorch
ed about the hands and face.
Banquet Broken Up.
A Banquet in progress on the sec
ond floor of the hotel was broken up
with scant ceremony by water stream.
through the ceiling. The guests had
been~4old that there was little danger
of a serious fire, and remained in their
chairs until the water drove them out.
On one of the upper floors thirty of
the hotel servants were at lunch, and
were forced to fee for their lives.
Federal Building Suffered.
The federal building, Just east of
the hotel. suffered severely from
smoke which poured out of the hotel.
1t filed the postoffice and all depart
ment offices so densely that all work
Of handling mails and in the court
roons was suspended until after the
fire was practically under control.