The Washington times., 1914-03-09
MANYM|SS|NG,
THREE DEAD IN
BURNING RUINS
OF CLUBHOUSE.
Vaults of Boatmen's Bank at
St. Louis Are Buried Under
Falling Walls and 81, ,349,-
499 May Be Lost.

ST. LOUIS. March 9.-Three are
known to be dead. nineteen or more
persons are missing, and score In
jured as a result of fire which de-
stroyed the Missouri Athletic Club and
BoatInen's Bank Building at Fourth
street and Washington avenue. early
today The building is a wreck. with
a loss of $4,000 to the bank and 500. coo
to the club.
Firemen who were working on the
Lucas avenue side of the club building
were called when the north wall gave
evidence of falling. Fire Chief Swing
ley refused to allow the men to en-
danger their lives for the sake of work
they might do in saving property.
For long time after the fire was
out the ruins were too hot to permit
a search for bodies.
The Known Dead.
The known dead are:
JOHN NJ. RICkEY. forty. St. Paul.
Mimi, general auditor of the Ford
Motor Car Company.
c. F.. KESSLER, forty-nine, manager
Of the Ludlow-Saylor Wire Company,
hilled in a jump to the pavement.
JAMES RILEY, fifty-hve, killed in
Jump to the pavement.
$1,34e,44e Buried in Ruins.
The east wall of the building, which
incluoed the bank on the lower floor,
fell in, burying the vaults of the Boat
mems Bank, which, according to a
statement OF the bankn officials today.
contained s1,349.449 in currency and
N, ,A64 in specie.
The fire is believed to have started
IN the mainin dining room or the kitch-
en- of the club, which is on the third
hoor Early reports were to the ef-
iect that there We're two explosions
preceding the fire. The police and fire.
men say this is incorrect What were
taken for explosions are believed to
nave been fal-inng walls or elevator
cages dropping to the basebent.
Many Leap From Windows.
Prominent business men and profess
sional men. trapped in their beds by
a sudden burst OF flame, groped their
way TO windows and hurled themselves
20 lnt pavement.
Two mangled bodies were picked I'D. a
third man was known TO have perished
IN his room, but with thirty streams
OF nose playing on the huins, firemen,
ie-enforced by scores OF policemen We're
unable to get within forty yards of the
great pile II white not debris that mark
ed the spot where the athletic club and
bank once stood
The flames shot through the seven
story building with amazing rapidity,
and only guests living on the lower
floors escaped. Those on the upper
iioors rushed panic-stricken to the WIN
lows. shot appealing glances at the |
Little knots of Mortified watchers far
below, and leaped.
some OF the Jumpers crawled badly |
injured, 10 the street and were hurried |
away in ambuiances
AS the guests hurried down the fire /
escapes or jumped to the roofs, they |
were taken to nearby hoteds in their |
night clothing. Rapid spread of the |
flames cut off escape by the . ourth |
street escapes. and of those unaccounted |
for several are believed to have per- |
ished.
Operator a Hero.
Scores owe their lives to the heroic |
work of n. Roe, a telephone operator,
who stuck to his board, arousing guests !
until his circuit failed.
Fire chief SwingIey said forty-fiye !
OF the ninety persons supposed to have
been in the club at the time of the lire
had been accounted for Twenty-one OF |
these were at the ST. Regis Hotel sew
eral at the Planters. four at the Annex,
one at Belchers, and eight at the City
Hospital
Firemen and police believe the death !
list will be increased when the ruins |
Of the building have cooled sufficiently
admit a bo6iRS