Gen. Pope
and Gen. Sibley had their headquarters in this building, and from here
emanated all the orders relating to the war against the rebellious
Sioux. In 1861 the property came into the possession of Samuel Mayall,
and he changed the name of it from Fuller house to International
hotel. Col. E.C. Belote, who had formerly been the landlord of the
Merchants, was the manager of the hotel. The fire broke out in the
basement, it was supposed from a lamp in the laundry. The night was
intensely cold, a strong gale blowing from the northwest. Not a soul
could be seen upon the street. Within this great structure more than
two hundred guests were wrapped in silent slumber. To rescue them from
their perilous position was the problem that required instant action
on the part of the firemen and the hotel authorities. The legislature
was then in session, and many of the members were among the guests who
crowded the hotel. A porter was the first to notice the blaze, and
he threw a pail water upon it, but with the result that it made no
impression upon the flames. The fire continued to extend, and the
smoke became very dense and spread into the halls, filling them
completely, rendering breathing almost an impossibility.
Pages:
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107