Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1914-03-10
TWENTY ONE IN THE ASHES
WORK OF IDENTIFICATION is
HAMPERED BECAUSE FACES
ARE fDlsFIcuRED
HAD PLENTY OF WARNING
INSPECTORS SAY THEY TOLD THE
OWNERS OF BUILDING OF
GREAT FIRE HAZARD

st. Louis, March 1O.-Firemen late
this morning entered the ruins Of the
Missouri Athletic club, which was
destroyed by fire early Monday and
recovered two bodies. This brings
the total number Of bodies recovered
to ten OF these eight have been
identified.
Twenty-Five bodies are still believed
to be in the ruins. One Of the bodies
was identified as that of b. P. VIII
liams, a banker Of New York. The
body was fully dressed and unmarried.
Apparently he had been suffocated.
The other body was burned beyond
recognition. It was found in the
same room on the sixth floor in which
Williams body was found
The tenth body was found under a
pile of debris in fifth floor room.
One Of the bodies was identified
by two employees of the club as that
Of Marshall Bier, xead Of Marshall
Bier & Company, fur dealers Of st.
Louis.
A. third body was identified as that
Of William J. Kinser treasurer Of the
Kinser Construction company Of St
Louis.
The vaults Of the Boatmen's bank,
which occupied part Of the first
floor Of the club building, were uncoy-
cred this afternoon and found intact.
The doors were opened by officials of
the bank and the removal of the
money then began. The first load
taken out consisted Of 100000 in
gold, silver and currency. The vaults
contained more than S1,S00.0OO.
Another Reported Missing
a message was received at police
headquarters inquiring as to the
safety of John Day This message
was sent by D. b. Robinson Of Brook
lyn, N. Y. Mr.. Day was not listed in
previous reports of the missing.
Club Was Warned
Fire Chief swingly said today that
six or seven months ago he warned
the management Of the Missouri Ath-
letic club that the club building was
not safe for sleeping quarters.
Il found conditions particularly bad
on the upper floors. said the chief,
"The building was not constructed for
hotel purposes, but for a business
house. It had no sprinkler system.
That was taken out when the building
was converted into club house."
James A. Smith, former building
commissioner, said today that he re-
fused to approve the southwest fire
escape because it ran directly across
the windows.
Il held" he said, that in case of
fire, flames bursting from the win
dows would cut off escape. and that's
exactly what happened.
Former Building Commissioner
Smith said he had ordered the board
Of governors to put in two fire stair
ways in the club house.
The governors objected said
Smith, land cited them into court
After interminabIe wrangIing sue
ceeded in getting the club to put in
proper fire stairway enclosed IN
concrete. with fire doors on each
floor / fought this case for three
years. was harassed at every step
with change Of venue, continuance and
compromised
Fire Menace Discussed
Ed Borhmueller, secretary Of the
club, said the members often had dis
cussed the danger Of fire
still we could not jump into the
street., he said. I'VE anticipated 70
such tragedy The building was pro
viaed with enough fire escapes, we
thought as wen as hose reels, fire
buckets and extinguishers on every
floor
The name Of William b I3ordess,
president Of the Bank ST Sparta Ct