The Washington herald., 1914-03-10
THIRTY CLUBMEN
die In FLAMES
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.


iremen with axes and picks made their
way to the floor to hew an opening be-
tween the wedge OF collapsed upper noors
In search for bodice q.
Assistant Fire Chief Rucke- said that
the feature of the fire. which presents
the greatest difficulty in the work OF re
covering the bodies, Is that when the
upper floors collapsed they piled up on
each other. slanting In the center toward
The basement. so that the streams played
upon the debris poured OF the tier Of
noors into the basement leaving the fire
still burning hercely between the closely
packed floors. He believes whatever
other bodies are still In the ruins will
be found In the basement or crushed be-
tween the timbers OF the collapsed floors.
Examination of one aiidentitied body
showed the man had shot himself when
trapped In the burning building. A bullet
hole showed behind the ear, although
the body was frightfully chnrred.
Caused by Gas Explosion.
The flames which caused the worst
holocaust | nthe history OF st. ouis be-
gan at Ito a. m. when a six-inch gas
main is believed to have burst in the
club kitchen on the third floor. and the
flames. following the explosion. burst
through the building to the roof
The electric wires became short-cir-
cuited Immediately. according to the sru-
vivors. and the guests and employees.
numbering 135. were forced to group to
safety or their death In darkness.
More than Sl.00o.ooO in coin and specie
was In the fireproof vaults In the Boat
mems Bank, bried three stories under
he a.
were re-enforced when the building was
taken over by the bank and these were
Intact. The bank property only suffered
through loss by water
The property loss will exceed 10000
The Missouri Athletic Clubs quarters
were valued at $4,000 and the damage
to the Boatmens Bank Is estimated by
Its officials at $4,000 Nearby buildings
occupied by business firms estimated their
losses at a total OF $50.o09 Mayor Kiel
spent the day at the smoking ruins as--
sistins In the direction OF the rescue
work.
Woman Spreads Alarm.
A woman standing in the club lobby
was the first to discover the fire and give
the alarm. Che war wS.ling while her
escort, Ludwig Eiscmann, OF New Or
leans. was In booth telephoning for 4
dow. she saw a reflection OF the flames
in the windows of the building acr 1ss the
street
Rushing over to the coarter, she nOti-
fed Jack Resinger. eiSn;cen years old.
the night clerk. aid Norman Eoc.
eighteen, the night telephone operator.
Both began awakening the guests Roe.
from his switchboard. rang the tele-
phones in the ninety-eisht sleeping rooms
while Resinger rushed TO the bath estab- |
lishment to arouse any guests who might |
be there.
Then he rushed into the elevator and |
ascended to the fifth floor. where he
awakened Manager McGill and Mrs. Nc |
Gill. Mrs. McGin refused to try to leave
the building until she had visited thirty |
eight rooms. She was clad only in herl
Saved nv Daring Leap.
Club members after escaping from the
building, stated a purse would be made |
Up to reward the heroism Of the night |
clerk and telephone operator, to whom. |
they said. scores OF them undoubtedly |
owed their lives.
Edward Kaub. thirty-siN years old a |
salesman for the Stollwerck Bros Choc-
plate Company. of Chicago, leaped ten |
feet from his window across a space ski
stories deep and landed safely. except |
for bruises. upon the roof of the ST /
Louis Seed Company's building. He is an /
athlete and has made a speciality Of the /
broad jump. L