The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-10
80 PERISH In
ST. LOUIS FIRE
Toll of Victims at Missouri
Athletic Club May
Reach Fifty.
EIGHT BODIES FOUND
Clubhouse Rent by ExplO-
sion After Bursting
Of Gas Main.
9 NEW WORKERS MISSING
Dozen Men Descend From Fifth
Floor to Safety on Ad-
joining Building.
9 NEW WORKERS MISSING


ST. LOUIS. March s.-Thirty-hve per-
sons perished in the fire which destroyed
the Missouri Athletic Club this morning.
according to careful estimates made by
the club OFFICIALS tonight. They made
this estimate after q day Of checking up
names OF club members known TO have
been IN the club and who are stlli miss
Ing.
Eight bodies are at the morgus The
death toll may run as high rs Nifty. as
the names OF several persons who are be-
iieved to have spent the night AT the club
are unknown to the club officials
The Known Dead.
ERD. WILLIAM z. real estate dealer OF
East St Louis.
HITCHCOCK ALLAN typewriter salesman
kESSLER EDWARD. cashier VI Lud low
sayor Wire Company OF ~. Louis.
RfCKEY. JOHN MARTIN. of 81 Paul. gen
eral auditor OF the Ford Motor Company.
RILEY. JAMES D.. OF Scott Construction
Company OF -. Louis.
THREE UNIDENTIFIED MEN. ona Of
whom is believed to be Thomas wright.
secretary OF the Apollo Club. s.. Louis.
The Missing.
ALBRIGHT FRANK W. travelling sales
BECKER. WILLIAM T.. pr..id.n, Of pain,
company.
BIER MARSHALL. fur dealer
BURGESS. -, guest Of member
cHAsNOFF. J. +. of 81. Louis. Mo. sdv.r-
Using manager for the 1T Louis Re
public"
CHESLEY W. 7. Chicago
CROUCH BERT sales manager FOR 'he
Western Electric Company
DOW. ALLEN. lace buyer for a. Susen, 4
Bro. New York.
FITZGERALD. u. L. Springfield. Mo
GoERNER, GEORGE, president commits
sion company.
GREEN. RoBY. Herrin. II.
HAIHLEN. J. l.. Chicago
HAMMER. MARK manager department
store.
HANCock ALLEN ,ype~riter salesrnan
HrNNIcKE. W A. Chicago
JENNINGS. - nonresident member OF
Missouri Athletic club
KiNZER WILLIAM J. president constrvc-
ton company.
M'GISNtS. W JAMES. buyer 'or p Nugen,
& Bro New York.
MKESNA. CUES, Of Jsnninsa
RETz. JOHN president of plumbing com
pany.
RUFF. l.. r.. Chicago
SHYNE THOMAS. Of Syracuse. n. Y man
ager typewriter exchange.
%HiELDS. WILLIAM. president I've com
pany.
SMITH. c. L. Chicago
TILt.EN. l.. A. Chicago
wEArHERLy. DANIEL salesman. whole
sale dry goods company
WRIGHT THOMAS secretary ., me
Apollo club
The Are started at 1850 A. NJ. when a
six inch gas main is believed to have
burst IN the kitchen on the third floor
The flames after the explosion burst
through the building to the roof Fire
chief Swlngiey accepted tho gas explo-
sion theory as most probable
After the streams Of water were turned
hremen with axes and picks made their
way TO the fourth Moor 20 hew an opening
between the wedge OF collapsed upper
floors in "a search for bodies
Upper Floors Collapse.
Assistant Fire Chief Rucker said that
the feature OF the rre which presents the
greatest difficulty in the work Of re-
covering the bodies is that when the
upper four floors collapsed they piled
upon one another. sianting In the centre
toward the basement so that the streams.
playing upon the DEBRIS poured Off the
top tier OF floors into the basement. ieav-
ing the fire still burning herceiy between
the closely packed floors.
The fire caused property loss OF
al,
"a financial blow to tho club that the
members declared II was doubtful IL
the organization would be able to rebuild
a clubhouse.
Chief Swingley massed his forces In the
ruins OF the Fourth street side, which
offers the best means OF reaching the
bodies supposed to be still buried In the
debris on tho Washington avenue side
the wall stands sheer almost the buildings
full length.
The upper floors have dropped down
inside to the third floor and the wall IL
kept standing only by the support given
1t by tho rounding arch which connects
1t with tho Fourth street wall All OF
the wes. wall except a small portion to
the north Is standing and so is the north
wall, which Is unsupported and shaky.
All OF these walls will have to be de-
molished TO the lower floors before IL will
be safe for the fremen to make q thorough
search OF the ruins
A portion OF the east wall Of the club
building fell at 10 =. NJ. A water tower.
which had been standing opposite the wall
on Fourth street was moved away when
fremen saw that the wall would fall.
Tho tower was broken. however, when
the wall fell and knocked Il against the
east wall OF the Shapellgh hardware
building.