Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1855-01-25
The Fire in New York - The Lost Young
Ladies.

Ladies.
The New York Herald has an account oil
the burning Of the country mansion OF MI. Ha-
ven, one OF the first merchants of that city on
Saturday morning, ard the loss of his three
daughters in the burning ruing.
The fire broke out late at night, and had
made much progress before discovered. The
family were all saved, but the poor girls were
afterwards lost. The Herald says:
CATER the first apprehension with regard to
the safety Of the family, and the other men,
bers Of the household, were over, some of the
Misses Ravens asked Kate Lean, one of the
servants, 10 90 into the dining-room and carry
out the plate before the fire reached it, but
the girl refused, fearing that she would be
suffocated by the smoke, or burned to death
in the attempt. Miss Sarah Langdon Haven,
who was in her night dress, then ran into the
building, as it is supposed, for her clothes, and
that was the last that was seen Of her till her
charIed and blackened remains were taken
from the ruins. She was followed by her
three sisters, Mary, Grace, and Anna, the two
first of whom were suffocated. 1t was
thought at first, when they went into The
building, that they would return Immediately;
but when three OF four minutes elapsed
without any Of them making their appearance,
and every room in the house appeared to be
dlled with smoke, the greatest spprehensions
were felt for their safety. Mrs. Haven had
been at the house OF her son-in-law, Mr.. Hop
kins, bare-headed and bare footed, and had
returned but a few minutes before the disap-
pearance of her daughters. A considerable
number Of their neighbors had also collected,
and every ~exertion was made to rescue them.
Mr.. Hopkins placed a ladder against the bal
cony and assembled to one OF the second story
W indows, which looked out from the drawing
room, and from which he heard a sound as of
some one g~roaning inside. The smoke was so
dense that he could not see into the room, and
10 enter it would be at the extreme peril of
his life. Throwing himself on the floor, near
the window, TO avoid the smoke, and in the
direction from which he heard the groans, he
stretched out his hands, and fortunately sue
ceeded in catching hold of the dress Of Miss
Anna Haven. Drawing her toward him, he
succeeded in getting her out Of the balcony,
bat was forced to remain with her here ten
or fifteen minutes, the ladder being too weak
to bear the weight of both. Another ladder
was obtained, and, as Mr.. Hopkins was nearly
exhausted, he was relieved by Mr.. James
Jones, one of the men in charge Of the tele-
graph at Fort Washington. Mr.. Jones sue
ceeded in carrying the insensible girl safely
down The ladder, and giving her to the arms
of her distracted parents.
Clones and Joseph Maloney, the keeper of
the railroad station, entered the house again
- ooo,ak nffha oyba. c;efa,e ,uhnpa thau fnupJ
lying near the closet containing the plate, ap-
parently dead. One ofthem was on her knees
with her hands against the door OF the closet
as if in the act OF opening it, when she was
suffocated; and the other was found q few
feet from her, lying on the floor. They were
both carried out Immediately, and every kind
of means was taken to restore them, but with
out effect, as life was doubtless extinct before
theyewere found.
"The house was built in the gothic style,
and with the furniture is estimated at twenty
thousand dollars, about one third Of which is
insured. 1t was constructed principally Of
wood, and was one of the finest. looking
buildings along the North river"
The Times also says:
yesterday the bodies were at the house OF
Mr.. Hopkins. That of S arab was not shown.
That OF Grace was said to be but little chang
ed, while the features of Mary were almost
life like in their expression, with not even
the hue Of death. She seemed rather to be
feigning asleep in tableau, and still retained
the remarkable beauty Of her life.
"There were seven sisters in The family
Anna, who was rescued; Augusta, the wife OF
Mr.. Hopkins, Sarah, Mary and Grace, who
were lost;Helen and %Fanny--the last of whom
was at school at the time, in the city.
The inscription on the collins were these
'fSARAH LANGDoN HAvES,
Born Oct. 16, 1925"
GAMMA MARY HAVEN,
Born Aug. Q, $780,"
'1G RACE DUBoIs HAVEN,
Born Oct. 10, 1885,"