The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-02-26

a
minstrel company. DR.. White and his family. Mrs
Jones and her child, Mr. Lyons, his wife and child,
and Strader's family of six, knew to be in the
house.
The only means of Identification of these bodies
will be by the papers and other articles found upon
them. On one there letter addressed to Eph-
rain Doane, at Chicago. Also, patent right is
sued to Ephraim Doane and VIM. S. Farmer. Be-
low the shirt bosom of a second was written the
name of r. NJ. Gregg.
On a third was a lot of letters addressed to Evan
J. Watkins, eff which contained an Odd Eel
lows travelling pass.
The above, we believe, embraces all of the lost
which have yet been taken out and have not vet
been recognized.
Charles Davis, aged about twenty-five, emploved
as baggage master on the Terra Haute and Alton
Railroad, arrived in town Friday evening and put
up as usual, at the hotel, with lad aged fourteen
years, his wife's brother, named William Cunning
ham, who employed by the same company as a
train boy. They are both reported to be dead
The former leaves wife and child residing at Ter
IA Haute.
sharpe, night clerk at the hotel, was awfuv
burned in the face, head and extremites His hair
is all singed off and his face blackened and bstered
1t is expected that he viii recover, though conside-
rablv disfgured.
Elihu Hayes has broken thigh and is very
much injured on the head One of his ewes is burnt
and swollen exceedingly, and he is otherwise hurt
When we saw him he was in much pain, and labor
ing under conclusion of the brain. He was unable
to answer questions. As far as we can ascertain
from various sources, he is stranger in the CITY,
from Wisconsin. There is little or no hope of his
recovery.
Three were seen to Jump from the second
story of the back part of the building at the
time Two of them got off without much injury
The other was taken on plank to fruit store, on
Sixth street below Poplar where he died at about
o'clock. The latter we understand to be T. Hart
Strong, lawyer of this city.
At Kings Hotel, found the family of DR..
White, whose escape was indeed miraculous. The
Doctor himself leaped through the window of his
room, and jumped to the ground, whence encourag-
ing his wife, three children and nurse they too fol-
lowed his example, he breaking their fall, and all
reached terra trma in safety having only the record
OF danger perceptibe in few skn-deep wounds
The dead bodies recovered, as vet, from the ruins
charred, backened and burnt, that their nearest
relatives could not identify them by the ordinary
means, number six, which nave been taken CHARGE
of by the coroner and placed temporarily in Poucr's
stables on Franklin avenue, between Fourth and
Fifth. All these nearly all, had their clothes on
Five of them We're found on piece of floor in the
second story next the front of the hotel They APP
peared to have been all sleeping in the same room
and were literally roasted in their beds.
The wife and child of Joseph Jones, of Birch's
Mnstrels, are among the dead. They were let
down out of window of the third story by Mr..
JONES' who cnveloped them in a sheet having first
thrown a mattress on to the balcony to break their
fall. The sheet slipped, and mother and child the
latter only or months old striking the edge of the
mattress, dropped to the pavement and were fatally
injured. They conveyed to the Pacific Rail-
road Depot, where the babe died in short time,
and was followed a few hours after by its parent
Her right arm was lacerated from the elbow to the
shoulder and cut to the bone along the arm be-
low the elbow. young Irish girl nurse in the
employ OF Mrs. jones' is among the missing.
W. V. Smith, day policeman, who lived at the
hotel was reused by the cry of fire. He got up at
once and looking out at the rear saw it was on fire
cutting OIL egress that way. He then made to get
out at the main entrance, through the dining
room to the window, and jumped on to the porch.
At this time the boarders throwing themselves
into the street. To prevent this, in some part
Smith, who seems to have had his presence of mind
throughout the trying scene, tied a sheet or bed
quilt to the balcony; down this he slid, carving
under his arm little girl, child of perhaps three
years OF age. His conduct is spoken of highly by
all who were present, and had opportunity OF OBJ
serving him.
Mr. D. W. Strader, one of the lessees of the Ho-
tel, makes the following statement:
have dog that has been in the habit of acting
as watch for me during great number wears.
He has, when passengers have arrived at night OF
when any neise has been made in or about the
house, always given the alarm This morning
he parked very loud; a little after he came to
the door and continued his noise, whereupon got
up and went to see what the matter. The
flames were then coming from the back entrance OF
the house, up from the drug store / think | tried
to get to the frepug but seeing that the fire had
made too great Roadway for that to serve any useful
purpose, ran to the third floor and halloed through
there as loud as could. Mr.. Davis, who had been
sleeping with me, also came up stairs snd assisted
me to waken the people. | then. surprising that
must have awakened everyb body, went through the
dlmng-room and got my children out through the
window, which broke through on to the balcony
suppose there must be between twenty and thr-
| ty lives lost. Miss Hunter was sleeping in No
ii, room adjoining the corner; she Jumped out
and was killed. William Torrance a Young man,
was badly burned. George Crane, a brother OF
N1ClI pupn nftl ln,t, 1 -
death and Charles Davis and boy, who was with
him, were burned up.
Mary F. Morris, had, when about to escape $500
IN money. Her aunt called to her to save child
OF Mr.. Lyons, whereupon she dropped the MONEY!
My family consisted of myself, wife, sster-in-law
and three children; all were saved, but with the
loss of everything. The house was rented by Dan
lei ", Strader and Jacob Lyons, who took posses
sion of it early last year. and opened it as hotel
on the 25th June last.
Other than those above mentioned, the following
missing:
1. Hart Strong, of St. Louis.
Bruce McNutt, of St. Louis.
Bukhart Wurst.
George Crane.
Negro boy, belonging to Mr.. Wheaton.
Mr. johnson, of Chicago.
Henry +. ROssiter, of Rochester, n. Y.
Paul Stirrell, of st. Louis
VIM. S. TAYLOR
The above contains the majority of the incidents
winch among so many anxious persons could be col
the Ire are envelOped in mystery.
The hotel was comparatively new one. 1t was
erected to meet the necessities of persons travelling
on the line of the Pacific Railroad completed in
January, 1857, being owned by George B. Field,
who estimated its value at S200 900. 1t was origin
ally leased to Daniel W. Strader; he subsequently,
opened the place in the month of June, when Jacob
Lyons uI entered into partnership with him.
Inc building was three stories high, having a
front on Seventh street of over eighty feet. The
Easements were used as liquor saloons; the ground
floor was divided off into stores
The second story contained the Office ladies' par
lor, dining room, and some sleeping apartments
The third story was divided off into small rooms
separated by lath and plaster partitions The capa-
city of the house was such as to accommodate
from 100 to Us guests.
The house most unfortunately constructed as
to safety and in the event of circumstances such rs
last night caused such waiing around the neighbor
hood. There was but narrow entrance on Seventh
street, appropriated to ladies' use, and public en-
trance. 10 attempt egress by the former visitors
OF necessity, had to cross many rooms and to open
many doors. The main entrance so construct
ed that it burned early, and off the only availa
bic chance of safety. In other respect this
house was particularly unsafe. The back premises
were, it we are correctly informed merely planked
ln while columns, steps, flooring and everything
excepting the walls of wood.
1t was horrible sight to see the wounded-a wo-
full sound to listen to the wailing cries of the saved
to hear the shrieks of the dying. From every part
vi the oidLlg quitting tnere came means and pray
ers, while those who were outside appalled, BY the
horror of the scene, hurrying hther and
thlther IN vain attempts to their suffering fell
lows.
At the time we write, it is impossible to arrive at
the extent OF the destruction of life Ten bodies
are now awaiting burial after the investigation to
be had by the Coroner to-day, to facilitate which
that official desires such of the boarders as have es
capped, to leave their at his office. All the
books and papers of the house were lost and no
oh lo41
missing. To-day, the rubbish will be removed
from the ruins, when if there be any other bodies
covered up, they will be exposed
The loss OF property is variousy estimated. The
account winch comes nearest to accuracy seems to
be as follows:
Pacific Hotel, owned by George B. Field loss es-
hmated at $4,000, insurance $4,000
Ellis Glanvie, grocers, loss estimated at s., 500
insurance for $4,000.
Dumont G. Jones, drug store, loss set at 50 900.
insurance 81 500, in the Globe Mutual