The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-01-02

y 49,
RICHMOND, JANUARY 2, 1912.
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CONCLUSION.
There are some OF the unfortunate victims
of Thursday night, whose particular fates we
have in vain attempted to pcnetrate.---
we have taken uncommon pains to collect
an authentic narrative OF the events of this
disastrous night we have requested the aid
OF every person whom s,c hadhcarG was Ca
pable of furnishing any Information and to
whom the snhject was net too tender to be
ment' oned ; yet il is with some pain we ha e
failed in orr efforts. We should be sorry even
to wear the most distant appearance of neg
iccting the fate or the memory of any one
who persisted CT that dcplorable night--bu.
this appearance AZ least is inevitable. There
were few persons cool and collected as to
be able to illustrate the horrors of that night !;
several, who were able to point out particular
threads in the disastrous web of destiny are
no doubt unknown to us: And som. who
have promisedto reduce their sarl7,tivesto
papcr,have been prevented from doing SCI by
their engagements O. tlTeir feelings.-Thc
following are the only statements. which we
have received. They are enough, however,
to communicate faint idea of the collective
horrors OF the scene (; what a group would
have breathcd upon the canvass, if few
faint strokes of the pencil are so affecting
IF such were the feelings Of few individuals,
what must have been TIE situation Of SEQ
people s--How inpotent is the pencil of
Raphael in the Vatican, where he attempts to
paint the c,:niagratop of Rome
We should still proceed in our researches
but the reader has contemplated horrors
enough. 1t is time to leave the paths of
death.-Wc have dwelt long enough upon
this melancholy theme and we arc anxious
to relieve our columns from the scu,bre sable
of oe.-With this paper, therefore, let us
ceasctnc strains of grief ;lct us drop the sab
ject.-There is only another point of view
in which we yet propose to consider it but
this is not directly calculated to harrow ~
the feelings of such. as have lost their
friends Let US open the pages of history, &
see whether this is the only City, which has
been afflicted by SO severe visitation, whe-
ther this is the only people, whom " the
paths of fieosMre have led to the grave p'
We have learnt nothing very particularly
authentic of the fate OF Mrs. Thomas Wilson
we have merely heard that with the cool
and deliberate resolution Of strong mind,
she remained for a time in her first position,
fearing rather the consequences of precipita-
tion andtumult, than the rapidity CT the
flames. They indeed baffied all reasonable
calculation, too many have fallen victims to
this fatal mistake! Mrs. Wilson prished-
one Of the bsst Of wives, the best ofmothers,
the most exemplary stcp,mcther that ever
| lived Words cannot express the agony of
her distressed familY-the deep detection of
| all her friends.
The fate of Mrs. Heron is also wraps in
oblivion. Shehad been unfortunate enough
to lose her husband by a disastrous acct
dent-and her children have now lost their
mother by one still more rapid and resist
bs rites Of f 10 an 5nf DO
of affection, offriendsl,ip, nor respect could
snatch her from the tomb.
MRS. Cook, the lamented wife Of Mr.
William Cook, and her daughter Rebecca,
persisted together. Long shall the disconso-
late husband and father, weep over their
ashes. Three motherless children are left
behind her.
But why spread before the reader, all the
havock or the scene!-Theyoung have Sunk
as well as the me- Tied the interesting Mar
garet Copeland, the third daughter Of Mr.
Charles COPELAND; Patcy Griffin, the only
child of her aged mother; Miss Nelson,
Miss Page, Miss Craig, all of them dear
to their families and friends William South
gate the only prop of the family of Wright
Southgase dec.-Each has his merits each
has the public tear.
What scene was exhibited for several
hours dilcr TIC tragic event MANY were
ignorant ofthe fate Of their friends Almost
every one had his fears and suspicious. Du
ring the next day, two persons could scarce
ly meet without exchanging expressions
full of soicitude =" Have you lest any of
your family -" Is your family safe 20 81
am glad of it, I am glad of it."
Many escaped with extreme difficulty.
Several have broken limb. Mr.. John
Richards has broken leg; Mr.. Carter Page
has broken his. Miss Pendieton has also
broken a limb.-Mrs. Scott OF Fairfax, is
much burnt. Some were severely burnt,
whose cLoihes were whole.
We trust that the number of the dead is
now exhausted We give it entire in this
paper.-We had understood that some
strangers had arrived at particular taverns
whose names were unknowD--and these
were said t. be missing. We have enqui-
red, and are happy to find it mistake.
STATEMENTS.
occupied on Thursday evening seat in
the lower corner box OH the left Of the en-
trance into the Theatre. The first saw of
the fire piece of paper in full blaze was
descending from the top and was then
about fifteen feet above the level OK the stage,
ere it alghted, general cry of I" fire. per-
vaied the house and the persons immedi-
az p1 rtuitfaI tl.fir + 81