The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-02-06

Thirty Persons Supposed 10 have Perlshed
In the Flames.
The telegraph announced, on Saturday, the
occurrence of q disastrous fire in double six.
story tenement house. Ia2 Elm street, New
York, on Thursday night. The following
particulars we copy from the New York
Times:
The fire originated in bakery. and the
flames shot up the stairway with great rapid.
ty and extended to the upper foors which
were occupied by twenty four families. The
moment the alarm was given the scene of con.
fusion that emsued was Of the most exciting
character. The stairway was burned away,
and of course all chance Of escape in that di-
recfion was cut of. Men, women and children
could be seen. by the spectators on the side
walk, clustered at the windows. screaming
for assistance, and wringing their hands in
the agony of their despair. Some Of them
mustered courage enough to Jump from the
windows. aud escaped with slight injuries
Fifth District. and the firemen repaired to the
spot. Ladders were Immediately elevated to
the windows, but the longest Of them could
not reach above the fourth floor. The 6remen
rescued some of the occupants, but were
| obliged to abandon all hope OF saving the poor
creatures IN the two upper stories, and 1t is
supposed that they all perished As the fire.
men stood on the ladders, they could see many
women and children lying prostrated on the
ioor, surrounded by the flames, which rem
dered all attempts To approach them ineffec-
tuaI. The burning building extended four
stories above any of the surrounding struc-
lures, and il must have been instant death for
any OF the poor creatures on the upper floors
to have jumped from the roof where great
many of them had clustered.
IL is said that the bake. in the basement kept
on hand large quantity of hay and shavings,
ana when the fire came in contact with this
combustibie material, it created a dense smoke
which penetrated to the upper portion OF the
building and, it Is supposed suffOca ted num-
Der OF the hpforQ q flames reached
them. When the fire had gained the upper
stories, the scene was appalling in the ex-
treme. Myriads of sparks shot up into the air,
ecNpslng any artificial exhibition OF fire
works. The shouts Of the firemen, the sroans
and shrieks Of the doomed creatures in the
| building. and the cracking flames, constituted
| scene tragic enough to make the stoutes t
neart shrink with horror. The firemen worked
nobiy. bat it was found impossible to save the
building, and at II O'Clock The walls fell.
| The Mrst floor was occupied the south
SIDE by John Defries, As grocery and liquor
| store. Loss ABOUT utS6l0-Insured On the north
| side II was tenant ted by baker, whose u&me it
vas impossible to learn. lie also occupied the
| basement. His loss is unknown.
The upper part was occupied by about
| twenty families of whom the following are ali
| the facts that conld be learned:
| Mr Wise, with his family, consisting of his
| wife and three children, occupied a portion OF
| the front OF The second floor. Mr.. Wise escaped,
| and one child three years old was rescued, with
| a leg broken. No particulars could be Obtained
| AS to what became of the rest Of the family,
| and it is feared they persisted.
| Isaac w hite, with bis wife and five children,
| occupied portion of the second floor. Mr.
and Mrs. White escaped. and also two Of their
chldren-EliZa, aged 20 years, and Louis aged
u years. Gustaye, aged Il years. was absent
Ester, aged IS years, and Pauline, aged years
were nearly suiiocated. The two last Were
taken 10 the hospital, but their injuries are moi
very serious.
A man named Francis Serro, whose family
| * q h-an in a iSAn ytio1 nrti IN
| the second floor lie was rescued, badly burned
about the body and hands, and was taken tt
| the hospital.
| George Bordner occupied portion of tn,
second floor, with his wife, Frederick. and two
children-Caroiine aged years, and Henry
aged l6 years. Mr.. Bordner and the two chill
dren escaped uninjured, but Mrs. Bordner wa
badly burned. She was found nearly dead
| MIR. McCarrck occupied portion Of IN,
third noor fonD with his family, consisting
of a wife and two children; they were all .avet
uninJured. A Jewish family, consisting q
eight persons, occupied portion of the thirt
| floor. The name could not be aseertained aDt
The only member "f the family that could b.
found was child ~ years OF age-that was con
| eyed to No. ID Howard street. II is feared
portion of the family were burned. Mr.. Dgicks
with his wife and five children, pied por
| ton of the third floor. AS none of the family
was seen after the fire broke out, it is feared
they all perlshed Mr. Walks, with his wifi
ana two children, occupied portion of tn
third floor (back) No particulars could b
learned of them, although diligcnt search wa
| made among the crowd to find if any of then
were rescued. Mr. Armstrong, with his wifi
and child, were tenants of a part of the fourtl
| floor. Nothing could be learned of them atle
the fire broke out. Mr. Stark, with his wit
and Two children, inhabited part of the fourt
floor; nothing could be learned of them
: Mr.. Rebecco, with his wife, two children, an
, four persons whose names could not be ascer
tanned, occupied portion Of the fourth floor
,, Nothing could be learned Of them. Mrs
. North, Il widow, occupied a room on the fit
floor and she w2s not seen after the alarm.-
, VIM. Vopel and his wife Francene occupied
!, portion OF the fiji floor. Mr. VOpel, on tn
, discovery of the fire, finding that he could nc
8 | escape by the stairway, threw n clothes lin
: | out of the window and fastened one end I
a | the window sill; he let his wife partially dow
when she slipped and fell on a shed, injurin
her severely. He followed and escaped wit
a few slight injuries. Mrs. Vopel was take
to the Hospital, but her life is despaired Of
! FraEcis TySmeyer, with his wife and thrt
Il children, occupied part of the fifth floor. H
escaped by jumping out of the window, n
- ceivlng severe injuries. His wife and childre
. are supposed TO have perished Owing to II
;. intense excitement that prevailed, the nam'
. Of the occupants of the sixth floor could III
= be ascertained, and as the fire commenced ne,
= the staircase cutting off all hope of escape
- - that quarter it is generally supposed that II
occupants of this floor, about a dozen III al
\ | were burned to death.
= | The building, worth about $4,000, W;
- owned by Edward Waring, and was damage
to the extent of s., ,0oU; fully insured. The 10
: of furniture amounts 10 about S3,Ooo.