Year: 1877




ed the Southern Hotel in st. Louis Is
yet unknown. The lives known to have
been lost number eleven, much less
than was 1T first reported. The Hotel
cost $l,25O, 900, and was only partially
| insured. We subjoin some interesting
details of both thrilling and narrowing
incidents which marked the great cal
! amity:


On the Fourth street side the dan
ger did not at first appear SO imminent.
There was a lurid halo above the COR
nice work, but tho whole attention OF
tho fire department seemed at first to
be directed to the Walnut street side of
the building. On the pOrtico, for five
or ten minutes before the hook and lad
der company lent any aid to them, was
a crowd of ut least seventy-five men
and women. The men were shrieking
constantly for help and the women
kept crying out constantly, adding con-
siderably to the terror Of the Others.
Ladders were asked for, but for several
minutes none were in sight. At length
one ladder was brought in and placed
up against the porticO, and there was Il
general rt,sl, for it. The ladies in their
dishabillc were first allowed to descend,
after which the gentlemen having rid
themselves of their valises and other
superfluities. The ladies were then ta-
ken to the saloons opposite and provid-
ed for as they best could. This, how
ever, was only II comparatively small
for help were heard from tho upper
stories, and whenever the smoke clear
ed away and the blaze threw II lurid
glare around the eastern wall, there
| were displayed from the upper stories
white sheets, las SO many flags Of distress.
The firemen rushed in ono direction
! and another. The citizens appeared to
consider themselves SO many fire war;
dens for tho time being, and everybody
was directing everybody else rs to the
best mode of rescuing the persons who
appeared at tho upper windows. A
number OF ladders were brought and
placed against tho lower portico. The
shrieks in the upper windows still con-
tinued, and sheets were fiuttered about
from two of the windows on the very
top floor, and one from the hall window
of the fifth floor. a long ladder was
taken up to the portico, and several
efforts made to raise it against the side
of the building and had it been raised
it would not have been Of the least
avail, as it was ten or fifteen feet short.
With every effort, (and there were
eight or ton made by the fremen and
| citizens to raise the ladder), as soon as
the least ray of hope was dawning for
| the short ladder to be raised up to their
aid, there would be shout from those
| in the windows beseeching them to hur-
ry up. But the ladder was of no avail.
The men ON the portico could not get
sufficient purchase to raise the ladder.
The police and firemen in the street
called to the citizens to go aloit and aid
as far as possible in putting up the
ladder. a number of citizens went up
efforts were made to raise the ladder.
| Meantime those in danger above cried
wildly for help. They asked, "For
Gods sakc'' that something be done for
them, and the people below kept shout
ing to them to have patience, and aid
would come in time. Some Of those
who made their escape stood upon the
street and cried out that something be
done for the friends whom they suppos-
ed to be still within the building. One
man went up and down in front of the
building, crying, "Oh, my God! Oh,
Jerry!" and upon being questioned by
Il Globe Democrat reporter as to wheth.
er there were any of his friends still in
! CnC OuTnINS DuuuluS, Hc IoIitSN UP ~
the fifth-stOry window.


! Street incidents were many and
varied. One man, who rooned on the
fifth floor, and who failed TO save any
of his personal property, besides shirt
came tearing down the ladies' stairway
and rushed along Fifth street in thi.
scanty costume, getting himself almost
covered with mud and slime.


From the sidewalk OIL Fifth street
south of Walnut the most conspicuou


feature was a number of servant girl


belonging to the hotel, collected at tn


extreme southern window on the ives


front of the east wing. Three stream
were playing on this wing, between tn


main building and the window wher


the girls were crowded, but the flame


steadily advanced southwark, and cas-


a steady growing brighter light on tn


terrified faces of the women. The W.


men were saved, but had to cross to til


east front of the wing, and descend b


the fire escape on Fourth street. On


woman descended with rcmarkabl


skill and deXterety, and drew repeatc


plaudits from the crowd.


s On Fifth street the chief escape rigge
p up was a rope attached to one of tn


fourth story windows. Several me