The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-12-26
DISASTROUS FIRE IN THE
HEART OF THE CITY. !
lHE sPoTsWooD HOTEL
IN ASHES.
AT LEAST SEVEN LIVES LOST,
$500 ooo Worth Of Property
D Destroyed
TESaIBLE sCENEs AVN x.,,o
ESCAPES.
L'srs OF THE LOST AND GAVE,
CSC, &c.

The Fire Fisnd has again SVEN, over o,,r
y|""'NuA city. leaving in its trail half
't'IN q buildings il the very heart of the
say neSp OF Snaouldering ruins, while
seven or more lives have been forfeited 70
satisfy lis burning rage. BY this calamity
~. great Christian festival has, TO the ewes
d. me people OF Richmond, been stripped
81. A"A G It's accustomed joys. and sadness
us 'll> morning where 80 much Of mirth
....t safety was TO be anticipated, IN view of
-. recurrence Of the favorlte holiday Of
liz >oU;h.
-IE SfoTSwooD HorsL on FEE.
L" The morning OF Christmas day, at
:. O'Clock, Patrick Byrd, the night
"".-aman at the SpotSwood Hotel, was
=. - MIR. Knowles, the night clerk, to
..... liz women, whose duty ii is to scour
g.. ..'oE>' Going up stairs, he thought he
..s.,cd the smell Of smoke. and looking
E. carefully. presently he saw it curling
II ti'Sure in the Notwithstanding OF
II Wlne-room. Of late used as . pantry.
g.. arm was Immediately given, and Mir.
~. E2aS, and Dr.. Latham Of Lynchburg,
mig 10 the spot, tried to get in the
e. - eXtincuiSh the fire, but found it
. >>.5le 10 get in without q key. Pre-
lilly, however, the door was broken
j, and the flames We're seen crawling
ne walls and licking the ceiling with
'.., i:ery tongues. II was too late for
DIX : OF water. and messenger was
-.". - sound the fire-alarm. Meantime the
y 9, Ire was raised in the house, and the
-....> Of the second floor were in few
lies filed with frightened, stupefed,
lad people, throwing open the doors,
. ;herwise clearing the path Of the fiery
mt.
THB BUILDING IN FLAMES.
Sc who escaped say that in space Of
Almost incredibly short the smoke
.... Id the whole house, and the flames
.... heir way through the thin wood
partitions with fearful rapidity. The
g.. apartment, Notwithstanding the ex-
e. - cold, was on the ground with re.
....-.ale p.oInptnesS, but the water could
': made so speedily available. In less
. -. IN hour fire was observed on
g.. &C." IL Of the five floors, and the passages
liking with hot air and almost i'm
a".e ashes.
-ceue was now one Of indescribahle
r. Men, women, and children were in
ming building. and all who were
g.. we're striving to get out. With fire
= side and smoke binding, sufto-
. MISUNDERSTANDING everywhere, this
..- &. easy task TO those not thoroughly
.l'4,ed with the landmarks. The
Ms and prayers Of the panic-struck
t.-...li the self possessed; the weak were
....". 'rampled under foot on the narrow
"-., Or sank where they stood paralyzed
..aT. waiting for relief. Fortunately,
".,.r, there were those within who re-
,.a~! heir presence OF mind, and those
~..t.t bold enough to risk the
.": TO save q human life
'ar - Is known. al who left their rooms
.,. means 10 escape, though with life
..'; and there was no woman,s cry for
LIZ Cd. jal4nt's wall OF terror that did not
'.... s. man to the relief. Most Of those who
-'...-.r lives were awaked by finding the
G.- in their rooms, or remained in the
s- .1sc of saving also their property.
IL. rs began to fall, and all in the build
81. .lrA could not but perish.
PROGRESS OF THE FIRE.
/ strong wind swept the flames west
&al, md the sparks and ashes flew all
... lie city, Causing serious apprehen-
st there should be fire in remote
...>. while the services Of the fremen
.~. aocded where they were. After the
:, ..wood. the adjoining building, occu-
I..I " the Grover & Baker sewing ma
....- 4.pot, f. Currant'S house-furnishing
.,..r, &a2 ilr. Hunoerford's banking estab-
.,-.a.1,, caught and was speedily de-
>...y"4. Wolfdecke's cigar store and An
...,6a. tin and stove depot were then
Ed. 4ud only the constant play of the en-
- ANON the building on the corner of
Mn and 9Th streets, known as Boshers
N-... md under which was the grocery and
...ar sore Of W. D. Blair & Co., saved it
:..u ...iowing suit. On Sth street the old
!:aI..l building in the rear OF the Spots
" 4. n. belonging to the concern, was
.a..-liy dcsrro. ed. At O'Clock the lire
&Jyed,
BELIEVED TO BIZ KILLED.
I j.. Z pleasure 10 say that the number or
..:.A. vas greatly exaggerated in the re-
...'- "!rich flew about the city yesterday
l.. :l.Hg. The reality, however, is distress
!: r, .uGa.d. Those who are beiieved on
H." >.v- 10 have been Killed are Samuel Z.
!I'-., Era-mus W. Ross, Samuel II. ko-
..a.oM, and Mrs. Emily Kennedy. W.
H. FACE and J. 3. FarriS are missing, and
4. !. n..rcd that they are lost. These are
i..>a... all known TO the people of Rich
:.saI. 1t remains TO be discovered What
s.ra1.u., or other transient boarders were
t...gI. the names Of none have TRANSFERRED.
SAMUEL C. HIEBs.
Cgf,atu Samuel T.. Hines was most estl-
Na,;e and popular young gentleman, VINO
cane 10 Richmond several years ago from
,ls"e,. county, n. c. He was salesman
7! III" Wholesale dry goods house OF Moses
AI"Ai,cr, 81 Main street. He had been
'jehG!n- Christmas Eve with party OF
I'I'ie!N2u friends, and returned to the ho-
- Il a5Out l o'clock. His room was on the
ii@ Il Or, in the corner next to Cary street
M,I inaccessible part of the building;
h&. i !, known that he came down stairs
- bc2 some one to help him get Ross and
41"p!u>on out, they occupying rooms ad-
joining MS own. The undertaking was 80
peF!,9Qs that he could not procure any as.
sL'lauce, and ,noble fellow that he was) he
returned through the binding smoke and
!ia!Ac 10 the attic, Determined to make a
Una! effort to rouse his friend. He reached
Tie room IN safety, and was presently, it is
stated, seen at the window crying and
beckonirg for help. In response bedding
was placed below the window, and he was
t"lo 10 jump and he would be caught. But
suddenly The flames burst forth from the