The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-11-19
CALAMITY IN ALEXANDRIA.
SEVEN MEN KILLEDI

SEvEN MEN KILLED
| most terrible calamity occurred at Alcxandsi
ON Saturday morning. by which seven Of the mos
esteemed citizens in Alexandra were hurried to a
| unexpected death On Friday night, about ii
| o'clock, Aessrs. Dephey & Thompson two Of tn
city watchmen, discovered the china store of job,
I. Dowell, on King street, a few doors west o
Water street, to be ON fire. The following accoun
Of the are and the calamity attending il, we TAX
from An extra issued from the Office of the Alexan
dria Sentinel Office, Saturday afternoon:
The rear door of the building was forced open
and entrance being thus effected tho front doc
was opened from within. ,5... : .....s .s---.
A gentleman 0he owner of the buildng) whit
was early on tho ground informs us that the fir
was at first confined to the third story; that oil
reaching the second story, he observed there seve
| raj trains Of powder connecting between crates
also cotton wicks saturated with camphenc. A
candle WAS burning here in such a position a.
Would soon have communicated to this powder, &c
He examined the cellar, but saw no trace of fire
there. In about three foErths of an hour after
wards, be WAS called upon to show the way dowT
into the cellar, as smoke was then issuing there
from. He found the trap-door leading TO the cellar
which he had closed after him on his examination
now open. Going down, he saw a crate on fire
and the last remains of a candle, which had beer
lashed to pine stick and stuck in the straw Of the
crate. Putting this out, dim light in another part
OF tho cellar became visible and going to it he found
candle lashed TO the side of q lightwood stick
stuck in another crate. 1t had apparently been re
Gently lighted. the fire had run up the stick but
short distance above the flame of the candle.
While the fire was progressing in the main build
ing it was discovered that the warehouse in the
rear was also on fire; but the doors being forced
open, the flames were speedily suppressed The
preparations made there by the incendiary We're
similar to those in the main building.
The firemen had great disadvantages to contend
with, the building being very deep; but they
fought with heroic resolution until at four o'clock
a most awful and heartrending catastrophe occur
red, which has plunged our city in mourning
The pipe of the Star Fire Company had been
introduced into the building and was PLAYING upon
the fire, when the west wall of the building fell
with terrible crash, upon tho pipemen and their
assistants, and others who were below, burying
them in the ruins; and causing frightful loss of
life
Of all who were supporting and handling the
pipe, John Dogan, colored man, is perhaps the
sole survivor, and he is severely wounded He
seems to be very intelligent and made to us the
following statement:
He was in the third story, with Messrs Plain
Appich, Evans, Keone, Taylor, and several youths;
the roof had fallen n and they were standing upon
the broken fragments of slate. with the open sky
above them, playing upon the burning tmbers Mr.
Plain held the pipe, while the others supported the
hose, or held lamps. The youths were looking on
and boasting of the superiority of their engine
collects nothing until he found himself closely
confined by the rubbish which overwhelmed his
party. Fortunately a small space remained around
his head, which allowed him breath. Tho steam
produced by throwing water on the hot bricks
nearly suffocated him. He called loudly for helm
He heard below him, for short time, the means
and cries for help, of the gentlemen who few mo-
ments before were standing at his side but soon
their cries ceased!
But the terrible calamity was not confined to the
party we have described. 80
The descanding wall broke through the various
floors, and carried everything beneath it into the
cellar. A number of persons made almost miracu-
lous escapes. Some had Just left the scene of the
coming disaster. Others were wounded. And 9TH
ers, alas were killed.
On proceeding to extricate the sufferers Mr. Jno
A. Roach, highly esteemed citizen of this city,
and a member of the mercantile firm of Roach &
Washington, was taken out shockingly wounded.
he was borne to his residence on King street. where
he expired this morning. We understand that he
was very imposed and conscious to the last. John
Dogan, the colored man already spoken Of was
also soon got out and borne to his home Fairfax
street. He is cut snartly about the head, and his
right arm and left leg much bruised. His wounds,
though severe, are probably not serious. Several
others who were mere less wounded and made
very narrow escapes, are mentioned below.
LIST OF KILLED.
Lying in one heap, about the centre of the build
ing, were successfully found the bodies Of
David -Appich, young man, only son of Gotlieb
Appich, Star Fire Company.
William Evans, plumber, Pitt street. near the
Marshall House.
Robert l. Taylor, street pavior, Star Fire Com
pany.
George Plain painter, member of the City Coun-
Gil, Star Company.
James Keenc, bricklayer, Friendship Company
A little distance from the above was found the
body of J. Carson Green, son of Edward Green,
Es :. and partner of Chas j. Wise in Plaster
Mill
Some of the bodies were horribly burnt and
crushed that it difficult to recognise i'll them
the forms so lately full of life and vgor
THE INJURED.
The following are the names of those whom We
have heard of receiving injuries from the falling
wall:
DR. Richard f. Stone, burnt and bruised. He
had to be cut ont by his friends.
Robert i. Henry left hand badly cut
Chas j. Wise, face cut, (Reef)
J. A. Shinn, stunned by falling beam, and bruised
VIM. H. Lambert, bruised on the leg.
Francis A. Marbury, caught in tho rubbish, but
extricated himself-fesh wounds.
David Williams, cut in the face
Tho ravages of the fire We're pretty much con
fined to tho third story and it had been nearly sub
ducd when the calamity we have described occur
red. The injury to the stock below was chiefly
from the falling walls
The building belonged to James p. Smith, ESQ.
and was partially insured in the Mutual Assurance
Company of Richmond, in the sum of s., 600. His
loss will not be heavy. The stock belonging to
John T. Dowell, the proprietor of the store, was
fully insured as learn, in the sum of $40 900 in
the Fire Insurance, and 5000 in the Potomac
Companies Of this city, and S. Oc0 in the Albemarle
Insurance Company-in all 100000
at would he vain for to describe the excite
ment which tragedy so unparalleled in our city,
has created. To have ssren valuable and esteemed
citizens, some of them heads of families and others
in the bloom Of youth, cut down in a moment,
victims of vile incendiary TO see their charred
and mutilated remains borne through our streets to
their agonized familes,--is a horror that almost
silences grief"
King street. in the vicinity of the disaster, was
crowded all day Saturday, and the minds of the
people seemed to be perfectly absorbed in the
awful calamity.
An investigation of the affair commenced before
the Mayor, Saturday afternoon, and was adjourned
until this morning.
meeting of the citizens of Alexandria took
place at Liberty Hall. on Saturday night for the
purpose of consulting together about the sad trag
edy which had thrown the city into morning.
DEATH OF A MISSIoNARY.--Rev. Harvey r
Hitchcock, for twenty-five years missionary at Ka
luaha, Molokai Sandwich Islands died there on
the 29th of August He was originally from Great
Darlington Mass.