The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-01-16
TIE GREAT FIRE IN LOUISVILLE.
Full Particulars OF the Burning If Tn
Gait Eouse.-koss OF s.iGe.-IID iise ID.
sGructiot, az Property. &c.

VI
[F-m the Louisville Democrat. Jan. IL
The great ccnGa.raton which occurred yesterday Is
0. he most destructive that has visited city for
number of years with the exception OF tho great lire
Main tho LIST Of July last The fire orig mated
in Che OF tho Gait House, in dummy used for the
purpose of raising coal from the cellar u each Of the
oors above, and strong draught caused the flames
ascend and increase in fury they did On each of
the floors Passages extending from the front to the
OF tho building and as the flames reached each floor
they ran through the passages, 80 that when Inc fire
discovered it was on three floors al the same time The
fire occurred between twelve and O'clock so
hat the largo nHmbcr OF guests were all asleep
The alarm at given by persons rushing througn
the hotel, Knocking at the oeors and shouting "rcl"
"hre!' al the top Of their voices The guests, thus
aroused out Of sound srmbcr jumped from their beds
and Il which babies description ensuod. Men,
and children could be running IN all directions
mothers anxously inquirng for their Children who had
been lost from them in the confusion children running
TO and fro in search Of their parents and friends
the fire he'd gained such headway that those who escaped
had barely time to do with their lives losing all their
clothing vaiuables and other articles The night
very cold one TIE and streets being covered
with irc, and wc noticed many tripping along in search
OF other quarters in their bare feet The sight
rowfri one, and one that will long DO remembered by
those WHO gazed on II.
How the ire coald have gained such Roadway before
it was discovered is more than we can conceive; but
thing is certain, that at tho time the alarm given
which sounded by the mail boat at the landing, the
entire of the building wrapped in sheet of
flame. After the alarm was given the Fire Department
with the steam machines, were promptly On hand and
though the een worked with I'll zeal TO check the de-
vourng element in its march of destruction, the Games
as they CURED higher and higher in the air. seemed to
mock them in their efforts and bid defiance to the con.
slant streams of water which poured against
them. strong north wind blowing at the
time, which famed tho flames, and as IL
short time the flames burst from tho windows
fronting Main street. and became evident that tho
entire building one Of the most magnificent in the
country, would soon be mass Of ruins The irncs
spread through the entire building, destroying every
thing in their march, and there remains nothing to
mark whore this magnificent structure stood except enc
pile OF black and m0Glderng ruins
The fire s0cn communicated to tho fine four story
stone front building adjoining the hotel and in short
tmo 1t fell prey TO the dcvourlng element Tho build
ing the property Of the Ballard heirs, and was
valued at $4,000, with an insurance of $4,000
The building was occupied by Andrew Buchanan, u
wholesale grocer and commission merchant, and
by Q. ". Thomas Il Co, pork packers. Tho loss
Insurance Tho loss Of Thomas & Co. was about SIS 6oO
which fully covered by Brandes Craw-
ford had stored in this building large amount of wheat
which had been removed but a few days previous.
The Gait House Building was the property Of Joint
stock company and was valued at $500 ooo with in
Of only 500 The furniture, fixtures, &C. Of
the house. which were the property Of the new lessccs
Messrs. Throckmorton, Anderson Il Milton, were valued
at $50 600 with an insurance OF $o2 500 Among the
clothing merchants ard w. A. Warner dealer in cigars
but their losses were fully covered by insurance.
Fessr5. Martin Co. had stored In tho cellar Of the
house occupied by buchanan -four hundred barrels of fine
wniskcy, all OF which destroyed Their loss is
$40 900, with SIC, 003 insurance.
During the time that the Gait House burning
bers OF the guests made very escapes Several
who slept in the upper stories OF the building were badly
burned Captain Aler had his hand badly in making
his escape Adjutnt T. Wing, of The Thiry-lf, Ken
tuCky lr Bird and several others whose
unable TO learn, were more or less injured Major Frank
B-isow, Of the Thirty third Kentucky inado almost
miraculous escape from death. He occupied room
In the rear OF the building tho fourth floor and
was not awakened from his sumbers until all means
Of exit were cot of by the fire The flames enter
the roo and the window in which he is sitting Is no
FIRE and the flames begin to scorch his acsh He calls
for help and hundreds gazc upon him, but unable to
render any assistance. Every Is looking for him 70
Jump from tho window, which would be certain death
when The iromon with ladder Az the ladder ID
being up he flames around the major increase he
still calls for help; the i gains him and no In
sill by his hands The entire crowd are appalled, ut the
sight When the ladder reaches the window he
Ceess In gaining fast hod-he In saved ard one shout
goes up from the hundreds who had witnessed the al
most miraculous escape Of tho major
Tho most fearful part Of the story remains TO be told
missing. w. T. Hanna, Of shelbyve, KY W. M Mills
AMr Wells, refugee lady from Tennessee and her
children, are all missing and have not been since
the fire. and u s feared that they oil persisted In the
flames. II Is certain that the first two named were
burned to DEATH and Is TO BIO hoped that the lady and
No l65 with friend Mr. Bird, and the started from
the together After they had gone short distance
Hanna thought that they were going the wrong way
and started back, since which time nothing has
been heard OF him. Yesterday after
the remains Of a body, supposed TO be
building and taken to the Office OF Or Cummins The
head and upper part Of the body In such charrcd
condition that IL will DO impossible to recognize Il Tho
body be nj DR. Cummins' Office ON Second
street. between Market and jefferson.
The following table gives the names Of the losers, tho