, 1865-01-16
BURNING OF the GAIT HOUSE
THE BUILDING ENTIRELY DE-
STROYED.
Several Persons Perished
IN the Flames.

[From the Louisville Press, Jan. L.
The destruction Of the Gait House BY fire
yesterday morning Was complete Only the
black walls and ruins Of what vas one o. Inc
finest hotels in the West nc'f remain. Inc
frt originated IN the norraFe5t corner OF the
building, but Just wbcce or no" Is not known.
The fire had got anen ofat nel2fe u vas as
those in the building would have been entire
" useless. The flames spread with fearful
ratfdIty, sweeping furiously through the cor
ridors and rooms Of the building.
The efforts Of tho Fire Department did lit
tie 10 stay the devouring element. Tho whole
flames before the engines could get to work
rightly. And the firrmcn here experienced
dif1culty, as at all large fires In this city, Of
d lack Of an Abundant supply Of water.
The fire Was communicated to the building
adjoining on the north side, which was also
completely burned ont; L was occupied oy
hundt I'd barrels Of whisky In the building,
which was destroyed. o. ". Thomas & CO.
had lot Of lard, Eugar ard molasses stored
in the building, which was destroyed. An
drew Buchanan Is also q loser to considers
blc extent By the burning Of this building.
pany, called the Gait House Company. The
building WAS insured for 500 ,0o0- Thelessees
Of the House, Throckmorton & Anderson,
hid their furniture and stock insured tor S00,-
GOO. Their loss, 1t is thought, will be small.
The actual loss by the fire is yaliously esti-
mated at from $500, Geo to $7oo,o0o. Il Is I'M
possible now, howeye1 IT, to make any Cyt thing nke
GIL e. Mullin, who occupied the room In
the corner Of the Gait House, as Q clothing
store. estimate their loss ut 5000 to $1,000
principally by petty thieves, who were on
hand in strong force. 4 great many Of them
were arrested and taken to jail.
Most of the boarders und guests Of the
house lost their baggage.
It is thought by many that the fire origin
| O. cd in or near the elevator, which Is worloa
| Nv .tearn+ 1T 10 also boliovea oy very many
that the fire WIS the work Of an lncendlaEy:
There were many painful rumors current
yesterday morning OF persons navlng Pea'sheo sRe,
persons bad thus terribly perished, as the
house was full of strangers and the flames
suread 60 rapidly that but little time was
given to arouse the sleepcrs. These rumors
| were reduced to dreadful certainty about
O'Clock in the afternoon, BY the discovery OF
the charred remains ofa human being IN t9e 1u-
! ms Of the building. They were discovered ey
| black man who was working among the brick
and ds6ris Of The burnt building: Nothing
| but the head and upper part Of the tnora1,
or breast, and right shoulder remainea.
These were taken By Mr.. T. T. Taylor to the
J office Of Dr. Cumnln's On oecouu sLieeIl
1weep Market and Jefferson, who exam examineo dS =
them and pronounced them the remains o.
| human being. It is thousat that theyare the
remains Of man named Mills, who was seen en-
in. the water closet Of the house altcr u
o'clock, in stupid condition from drinking.
They can be seen at the Office Of Ut. Cum
minis.
There is another man missing, named ".
T. Hanna, Of selby county, Kentucky, who
WIS stopping at the house, and has not been
seen or heard OF since the fire, He WAS N N
company with Mr. Bird, and both retired n
room No. 155. The latter gent!eman maae
| his way out Of the room and down stairs,
| though almost sufIocated BY the smoke. The
bell Of 155 was rung after communicating by
the stairs Was wholly cut of By fire. There
| were five beds in the room. i e supposed
Hanna persisted In the flames. 1t Is not In
probable that Others suffered tnc same dread'
! ful fate.
| a number escaD.d through the windows ol