The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-08-05


tined purposes.
Our duty is performed yours commences.
Most respectfully,
Your fellow citizens,
WM. BIGLER, of Pa. President
GHAs; F. ADAMS, e Of G Mass Vice Presidents
Il. s. Foster, of Conn,
A. g. Waternadn of Pa. 'oe'ie'afie9'
Destructive Fire at Albany, and loss OF
Life.
We take the following particulars of fire
and melancholy casualty from the Albany Eve
ming Journal of Saturday
ga few minutes after o'clock, last evening,
William Bamber, Esq, the well known and high
ly respected clerk in the office of the Attorney
General, went into the drug store of Archibald
Mcclure & Co., to purchase half gallon of al
cohol. John Rice, brother of one of the firm.
waited upon him, Mr.. Bamber holding the lamp
while Rice poured the alcohol into the can bro
for that purpose. While thus engaged the light
communicated to the alcohol-although both
parties, aware of the infammable character of
the liquid, endeavored to avert any catastrophe
by bringing the light into too close proximity
with it. In a moment persons in the neighbor-
hood were startled by an explosion, which SCUM
ded like the shooting of large rocket, and by a
volume of bright flame pouring out of the west
door of the building, facing State-street, near
which the alcohol was being drawn.
In an instant afterward, young Rice came out
on the side walk, with bright fame encirclng
his legs from his knees down. He seemed be-
wildered, and ran down the street. endeavoring
to extinguish the flames by brushing them with
his hands He was soon seized, and the flames
extinguished by proper woolen appliances. He
was at once conveyed to Apothecary Hall, where
Drs. Cogswell, Hun, aud Springsteed dressed
his limbs, and the gratifying intelligence was
communicated that his burns were not danger
Gus, though very painful and severe. His legs,
from his knees down, were quite badly burned
and his hands and arms up to his elbows. His
face was also scorched but not seriously He
is in no serious danger, and was comparatively
comfortable this morning.
1t was some seconds after Mr.. Rice made his
escape before Mr.. Bamber succeeded in reach
ing the door, and when he did so, he presented
a most awful spectacle. He was a perfect sheet
Of flame from has teettO the top ofhis head. When
and then turned up. crying for aid in harrow
ing tones. A number of persons ran to him in
stantly, taking off their coats to smother the
flames. But they could not be smothered until
large piece of carpet was obtained, in which
he was enveloped; and even then-the carpet
not encircling his head-the flames continued
to burn on his face and head, until a pail of wa
ter was obtained and dashed upon them 1t
must have been full minute from the time of
the explosion, before the unfortunate man was
released from the scorching flames that encir-
cled him.
He was Immediately borne towards his home:
out when he reached Howard street, he insisted
upon walking, and he did walk from the inter-
section of Howard with Pearl street to his resi-
dence, No. "A Eagle street. This gave his
friends, who supposed that he could not survive,
hope. But, alasl their worst fears in a few
hours to be realized.
On removing his Clothes he was found to be
blistered from his eyes to his hips. His breast
and shoulders were also badly burned; as were
also his neck, face and head His whiskers.
however, were hardly scorched, and his lips
seemed not to have been touched by the flame
He was, of course, in intense agony. His body
was Immediately enveloped in soothing applan-
ces, and by midnight he seemed easier At
o'clock he was so quiet, and appeared to rest so
well, that hopes were entertained for his life
but he soon sank, and few minutes past O.
clock he died.
Mr.. Bamber leaves a young widow, who feels
deeply the fearful loss she has been thus sud
denly called upon to sustain.
In less than a minute the entire store seemed
to be filled with perfect sheet of flame. VIM.
Rice, however, one of the firm, succeeded in
reaching the counting roum, from whence here
moved some of the books, finding his exit from
the back part of the store. But nothing else
was saved, except some heavy goods in the eel
lar
The fire ragged with the most intense fury,
it necessary for Mr.. Tillinghast, who
was in the third story, to escape from the back
of the building by ladder. One of his hands
was burned in making the descent.
The hose-carts and engines were promptly on
the ground, and in less than ten minutes the
hoo of i