Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-10
SIX DIE IN FIRE AT
ST. LOUIS CLUB
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roofs of adjoining buildings and escap.
ID with broken legs or less serious in
Duries. Those who did escape went
about the streets in bath robes or night
clothes apparently wild until they were
forcibly carried into neighboring
hotels. "-
Heroism bordering on the super
human was exhibited both by firemen
and guests at the club. The fire fight
ers lodged one falling wall only to find
themselves under another tottering
mass of granite and brick.
Theodore Levy of Louisville, KY,
chung to window sill until both his
hands were scorched almost black.
Just as he was about to let go a fire.
man grasped him about the waist and
carried him down a ladder. At the
city hospital Levy later declared two
of the men who had been killed jump
ed from the window to which he chung
until rescued.
Guests Are Aroused. :.
Robert G. Magill, manager of the
club, and his wife, were reused by the
smoke.
They discovered the fire in the din
ing room on the third floor and before
seeking their own safety, rushed up
and down the halls, knocking on doors
and waking guests. Both were badly
burned about the face, hands and feet.
All the municipal ambulances and
police patrol wagons and automobiles
were pressed into service to carry the
wounded to the hospitals.
those who were in the club
at the time of the fire but escaped, was
Walter Frisch, financial agent of the
st. Louis Federal league baseball club.
Mordecia Brown, manager of the
club, who arrived here from New York
last night, remained at the club until
few hours before the fire was dis
covered.
As the walls and floors caved in they
sent showers of burning embers as
big as. ones fist onto the roofs of
neighboring buildings and for a time
threatened to cause general confla-
grafton in the heart of the retail dis
trict. To prevent this, all the fire
lighting apparatus of the city was
brought to the scene.
Youth 10 Real Hero.
The telephone operator, a young
boy, remained at his post on the
ground floor, even after the firemen be-
gan pouring water into the building.
Many Of the guests credited their
escape to him.
At o'clock, four hours after the fire
began, the blaze was believed to be I'M
der control Half an hour later, how
ever, the boilers in the basement of the
building began to explode and for the
first time the sfiremen, under orders 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.
The glare Of the fire brought thou
sands of spectators to the scene and
the crowd greatly hampered the work
Of the fremen until driven back by the
police. ,.m ... .a....
Judge c. Orrick Bishop, assistant
circuit attorney, roomed on the sixth
floor. The roar of the flames crack
ling like giant firecrackers awoke me"
said Judge Bishop, after his escape
from the burning structure Thank
God, there was fire escape in front of
my window" he said. 81 ran down the
six flights. saw several men jump
and bounce off the sidewalk like rub
Der balls. l was slightly bruised COM
ing down the escape"
Investigation Planned.
The directors of the Missouri Ath-
letic club appointed committee of
four to get ? comn1e+a list Of +hn ''''~e
ing and Of those who escaped. This
committee established headquarters
at the Press club and requested all
those who were registered at the
Missouri Athletic club to notify them
at once The committee is headed by
Walter Fritsch stakeholder of the
local Federal league baseball club.
Stories of the fire were told at the !
city hospital by persons who were in
jured. L. L. Leonard said he was
asleep on the sixth floor of the build !
ing when he was awakened by smoke.
He ran into the corridor but found the !
fire escape cut off by flames. HeI
rushed back to his room and opened !
window overlooking store building !
on the west. Crawling out on the :
window sill, he hung by his fingers on !
tho ledge until the intense heat forced !
him to drop to the roof Of the store !
building, two stories below. There he
was picked up unconscious.
William Koener, head houseman of
the club was awakened by the shout
ing of the f1remen. He ran into the |
corridor of the sixth floor and there !
saw man directing guests to the fire ,
escape. When he reached the fire