Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-12-30
TERRIBLE CALAMITY.


kS1CnmO0O, V0sssN00TAy AWOACJ VIC.
cupants burned to Death.
RICHMOND, Va, Dee. 25.-At a
quarter past 2 o'clock this morning,
just as the porter had commenced
waking the passengers for the south
ern train the Spottswood hotel was
discovered to be on fire on the low
er floor. An effort was Immediately
made to wake the guests, and the
scene became indescribable. Men
were rushing about trying to save
their baggage, and women nearly
naked and barefoot were fleeing in
to the snow-covered streets. The
steam engines were promptly on
hand, but, the water being fnozcn,
it was some time before it could be
thrown on the building. The flames
spread to such an extent that escape
by the staircase was cut off.
FATAL LEAP.
The guests then commenced leap
ing from the windows. J. J. Clark,
of Philadelphia, steward of the ho-
tel, lcaped from the third story, re-
cciving fatal injuries.
A FEARFUL SCENE.
The most fearful scene of the dis
astcr was the appearance OF Mrs.
Emily Kemearly, of Baltimore, the
housckceper, at the window in the
fifth story, with one. or two other
ladies, screaming for help. The fire
companies ladders were put up, but
failed by two stores to reach the
window. While the iiremcn were
endeavoring q lengthen the ladders
the crying women disappeared in
the thick smoke and were lost; the
room frightened up moment after
with the flames.
TIE BURNED TO DEATH.
Up to noon to-day, the only burn
ed, whose names are known are
Erasmus Ross, clerk Of Libby pris-
on during the war; Mrs. Emily
Kcnnearly, housekeeper; Samuel
w. Robson, clerk with Elker 4
Bro, and Samuel Hines, clerk with
Mclhesser & Co. The register OF
the hotel was consumed, and it is
impossible to give the names Of the
strangers who may be lost. Several
are believed to have persisted, as
there are about Il dozen unclaimed
trunks belonging to persons in New
York and other northern cities.
TIE INTENSE COLD.
The weather was so intensely cold
that the telegraph wires i'll front OF
the burning building were covered
with ice an inch thick.
REMARKABLE ESCAPE.
Among the remarkable escapes
was that of c. Chefter, attached to
the Office of the State Printer, who
was in the fourth story, and escaped
by dropping from window cornice
to window cornice, until he reached
the ground. He was badly burned
however.
The correspondent of the New
York Herald had a narrow escape.
The guests lost all their clothing,
and the ladies had to walk barefoot
ed over the snow to places Of shell
ter.
LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
The total loss is $500, 900. The
insurance is mostly by northern
companies.
Business houses were destroyed
as follows: Messrs. Branch Il Cur
rants crockery store; the United
States express Offices, and other
small stores.
The following are additional
names Of persons who are known to
have been burned to death in the
Spottswood Hotel: II. a. Thomas,
agent for the panorama of the Pill
grim's Progress; w. II. Price, Dan
Vile, Va, United States mail agent,
and J. 3. Farress, messenger of the
Southern Express Company.
AN INCIDENT
of the fire was the appearance of a
man at one of the upper windows.
paralyzed by fear, who sat tearing
paper into small pieces and throw,
ing them out of the window till he
fell back into the flames.
MORE NARROW ESCAPES.
Among those who had very mar.
rev escapes were NJ. NJ. Mallifert
of New York, engineer ofthe James
river Instructions; J. A. Pearce, Of
Columbus, S. c., private secretary
of Senator Sprague, and Mrs. q
Magill, proprietress of the theatre
The De Lave troupe lost all theil
baggage.
THE HOTEL REGISTER
was forn,1 tonight, and there arg
only six STANG not accounted for
It IS probable int some citizens
have taken some Of thGm to s'el'
houses. The name Of the mcuse-
keeper burned was Mrs. Emily Ken
nearly.
THE MISSING STRANGERS
The following are the names of
the missing strangers: J. S. Wilcox
Of Lynchburg; n. Bernstein, of
Washington; A. Lcil, of Tampa,
Texas; Geo. and E. II. Andrews, OF
Syracuse, n. Y; III. G. Kralle, of
New York, and John G. Holman,
J.r, of Jackson, Tenn.
A Dog that knew his Business.
From the New York Sun.