The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-03-18
HEAVY DEATH TOLL
ST. LOUIS CLUB HOUSE FIRE RE-
SUITS IN THIRTY DEAD
FLAMES FLARE in night

More Than Score Lose Lives When
Unexplained Fire Cuts Seven-Story
Club House-Nlanager and Wife
Badly Burned in Saving Fifth
Floor Guests.
That from thirty to thirty-fve
guests of the Missouri Athletic club,
located at St. Louis, perished in the
flames that destroyed the building
Monday morning is the present be-
lief of officers of the club. Seven
bodies have been recovered and from
twenty-three to tWenty-nine occu-
pants of the structure are still un-
accounted for. At sundown firemen
continued the search for bodies in the
smouldering ruins under the glare of
searchlights.
The cause of the fire was mys-
terry. Reports that the blaze was ac-
companied by terrific explosion, in
dicating that the fire was due to ef-
forts of bank robbers to dynamite the
Boatmen's Bank, were unconfrmed.
The fire was discovered by wo-
man, who was waiting in the club
lobby for her escort. She saw the
reflection Of the flames in the plate
glass windows across the street.
When fremen arrived flames were
shooting out of the roof and all the
windows above the second floor. Men
were jumping from windows or
climbing down ropes made Of bed
clothes. More than dozen jumped
several stories to roofs Of adjoining
buildings and suffered broken legs or
less serious injuries. Those who es-
capped unhurt ran about the streets in
night clothes apparently frenzied
until they were forcibly carried into
neighboring hotels.
Thirty-eight guests on the fifth
floor were awakened by Mr.. and Mrs
Robert Magill, who refused to leave
until they had given the alarm to al
within reach. Mr.. Magill was house
manager Of the club. Mrs. Magill
| was badly burned.
The fire fighters repeatedly lodged
| one falling wall only to find them
selves under another tottering mass
Of granite and brick. Theodore Levy
Of Louisville, KY, clung to windo"
sill unit, both his hands were scorch'
ed almost black. Just as he was
about to let go fireman grasped
grasped him about the waist and car
ried him down a ladder. Levy said
two of the men who had been killed
Jumped from the window to which he
had clung.
AS walls and floors collapsed they
sent showers Of huge embers on te
roofs Of neighboring buildings and
for a time threatened to cause gen
eral conflagration in the heart Of the
retail district. All fire fighting ap'
paratus of the city was brought tc
the scene.
The telephone operator, a boy, re-
NAMED at his post on the grouno
floor even after the firemen began
pouring water into the building
Many of the guests credited theil
escape to him.
At six o'clock Monday morning
four hours after the fire had beer
discovered, the blaze was believed tc
have been under control. Half ar
hour later, however, the boilers in
the basement began to explode and
for the first time the fremen under
order of their chief withdrew from
the street Immediately In front Of
the building. It was feared the last
two remaining walls would collapse
and bury them.
Judge C. Orrick Bishop, assistant
circuit attorney, roomed on the sixth
foor. "The sound Of flames crack
ling like giant firecrackers awakened
me-" said Judge Bishop. There was
fire escape in front of my window
ran down the six fights. saw sew
eral men jump and bounce off the
sidewalk like rubber balls. I was
only slightly bruised"