Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-09
Missouri Athletic Home
Discovered Burning at
2 in the Morning.
NO RECORD; 26 MISSED
Number UnaCCounted for Be-
Iieyed to Have Been In
cinerated.

g Louis. No. March 9.-Between
20 and 50 dead was the estimate OF
officers OF the Missouri Athletic club
after checking the names OF those who
we're registered at the club when its
ssven-story building was destroyed by
fire early this morning Twenty-six
unacoounted Tor are believed TO have
perished in the building. Twenty-nine
injured are in hospitals. Six are
known 10 be dead. Three of the dead
are unidentified. The property loss is
estimated at S35O.OOO. The fire. which
broke out at O'Clock. was still burn
fnz at noon Fire Chief Swingley said
would be unsafe tc search the ruins
before tonight or tomorrow. The list
Of known dead:
l. A RUFF. ST Louis, buyer for
hardware company.
A J. ODEGARD. St Louis. sales
agent-
EDWIN c. KESSLER, St. Louis.
cashier for wire company.
JOHN VI. RICKEY, Chicago. treas
rrsr Of Ford Motor company.
JAMES REILLY. st. Louis. con-
tractor
ONE UNIDENTIFIED
The building was owned by the
Boaiman's bank. which occupied part
o. the first floor. The bank opened
temporary quarters this morning four
blocks away In the vaults OF the
burned building are S1.OOO.O 900 in cur
rslcy and S27. 900 in coin. The money
g believed intact The building was
Sss fully insured. The loss to ad-
joining buildings is $4,000.
IS in the BuiIdinsI
Uncertainty OF the number OF men
IN the building when the fire broke
out made i. difficult TO determine the
exact number missing. Night Clerk
Re3singer said - members had rooms |
al the club and the registration guests |
brought the total for the night TO 75. |
Some OF the regular guests, however, |
nay not have been in their rooms.
Wien the fire started. The cause OF |
he fire is unknown. Assistant Chief /
Fucker said he found evidence indicat- |
Ing that the fire was due to an ex-
plosion- The fire is believed TO have /
started on the third floor occupied as
dining room On this floor one was
found dead. Two others of the known
dead Jumped from the sixth story.
Discovered by Woman.
The fire was discovered by a woman
Who was waiting with an escort for
ts1icab. The name of the woman is
not known. Looking out of the club
house window she saw a reflection of
names In plate glass window across
The street. She rushed to the clerk
OF the club and cried: "F'irei" The
clerk and telephone operator, Norman
Roe. began awakening guests Roe
rang the telephone in the sleeping
rooms and Clerk Reisinger rushed to
ne Turkish bath establishment to
arouse any guests there. He then
ran TO the first floor to save the regis
Ter. This was knocked from his hand
oy man running through the lobby.
me register IS believed lost Refs
niger then rushed into the elevator,
vent 70 the fifth 1oOor and awakened
Rouse Manager McGin and wife Mrs.
AcCin asked them not TO leave build
ing until they had aroused the guests
u the IS rooms. Meanwhile a fire
siarm was turned in, presumably by
ne night watchman OF the bank.
Some Of the Injured.
Among the injured are:
A ID. Harmed. Chicago. superintend- I
snt Of an electric supply company
Edward Kaub. Chicago salesman
X {. Little. Chicago.
Charles Schimmel. Chicago.
Among the missing is J. z Chas-
'on. advertising manager OF the St.
.oais Republic; Roby Green OF Herrfn,
W. and several travelling salesmen
-hose homes are in other states are
aiso missing.
Edward Kaub. a salesman OF Chi
ago. saved his life By jumping from
sixth story window. across a ten
Dot space six stories deep. He land
q on the rcoT of the story below, un-
armed.
Mrs. McGill was the heroine OF the
re With her body swathed In
nedlcsted cotton and an arm broken.
ae told OF aer escape and OF roueing
ne guests in 80 rooms.
Judge Bishop, assistant circuit at {