Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-05-17
From the Lynchburg Republican.
THE FINCASTLE FIRE.
The Beautiful Mountain Town IN
Ashes.
The Less $40O, 1905 Suffering Among
the Citizens.

The Less $4OO, zoos Suffering Among
the Citizens.
AN APPEAL FOR RELIEF AND ASSISTANCE.
The full particulars Of the disastrous confia-
Grafton which laid in ashes one-haH the town
of Fincastle on Friday night, May the 9th, OF
which brief Geographic report was published
on Sunday morning-where received yesterday
and they confirm the worst statements before
made of the extent of the devastation. Since
| the dreadful visitation of fire which reduced.
one-third of Richmond to ashes at the close OF
| the war, DO such destruction has been wrought
| in Virginia by the same consuming element
and so far as we remember, these two disasters
for the amount of the loss occasloned, ana the
want, embarrassment ana exposure resulsin =
are without their parallels in the history OF the
| State.
THE ORIGIN III,
of the fire was in the stable attached to the
| Western Hotel of Mr. John Luster, on MAN
street. 1t was first seen at 81 o'clock, when
the flames had just been gnited. The alarm la:
was promptly sounded, and the citizens rallied
to the scene. punctually, prepared to extn-
| guish the incipient blaze. The new engine was
also brought forward, and put into active play:
But the fire had caught in loft OF hay, and
| as q high wind was prevailing, 1t spread with
terrible rapdity, despite the utmost efforts that
were made to arrest its course The trst house
| that caught was the hotel itself, and number
of wooden outbuildings adj dining, all OF which
were speedily consumed. By this time, the
I danger and terror of the confagratlon began to
be fully developed for the flaming hay and
| heavy sparks aud fragments OF burning TIM
bers were flying in every direction through the
air. lighting on roofs two hundred yards dis
tant. and multiplying the seeds of the destroy
! ing fire. Ladders were employed to scale the
roofs of the houses, where water, wet blankets,
and every appliance were used to quench the
| flames; but as fast as they were suppressed 10
one place, they burst out in another.
THE TRACK OF FIRE.
From the Western Hotel, the fire passed
next to the Jail almost at the same time, the
residence of COL VIM. E. NJ. Word, hand
some frame building on the opposite side Of
the street, was caught and consumed. other
houses on the same side followed, and Wig
orous stand was there made BY the citizens to
fight the fire, but without avail. The engine
proved of but little service, owing to the pun
Der of houses simultaneously burning, and the
scarcity of water. which had to be supplied
from buckets. From Col Words s, the fire
moved up the street to the store of DIR. Swift
ger, at the corner; also, across to DR.: Carper S.
involving that dwelling, and that OF Mir. Car
Der. adjoining, in destruction. The fire then at
tackled the Herald Office And then, bursting
from all restraint, it swept down Main Street
on both sides, leaving between Back Street and
Roanoke Street, as far down as Water Street,
distance, perhaps, of 500 yards, not more
than three or four tenements
Between Back and Main Streets, was left the
Court House whose escape was almost mlrac
ulous; and between Main and Roanoke Streets
were left the house of Mr.. Mcdowell, and the
small tenement occupied by widow lady al
the corner of Water and Main Streets
THE LOSS.
Between fifty and sixty stores and dwelling
houses were burned, and great many out
houses. There is not left In the town one store.
or office, or business house of any kind; ex-
cept that mill, tannery, and blacksmith
shop on the suburbs remain and In these il
invested at present the business capital OF Fin
castle
The loss in money is variously estimated
The lowest calculation places 1t at $500, O0O
and one very competent authority believes 1t
will approximate 100000. On this the lnsu-
rance was extremely small not more thar
$4,000 Mr.. Switzer had on his stock-very
full and just insured-an insurance of $4,000
his loss will amount to $4,000. Mr.. Greer
James had an insurance of about 81 800. Mr.
Lewis Houseman insured, In amount not ascer
tanned.
THE PREY OF THE FLAMES.
The fire spared almost literally nothing
Supplies Of goods, provisions, household ar
tic!eS Of use and ornament, clothing, money
everything, were consumed. So sudden was
the alarm, and SO distressing the panic, thai
but little could be rescued from the flaming
houses And much of what were saved, We
learned, was stolen and scattered through the
country. after it was removed beyond the reach
OF the flames.
THE NIGHT OF TERROR.
The fire lasted from 81 at night till O'Clock
next morning. Then the path of the red Spoil
yon was arrested bat the whole day was spent
ia putting out fires yet burning, and prevent
ing their spreading.
The ladies', We learn, many of whom had re-
tired to rest. when the fire became general, og
hiblted the most distressing terror when sum
T moned from the shelter of their homes, ane
turned out ia their night robes On the streets
But after they realized the situation. many Of
them, the falrest and gentest, worked to the
full measure of their strength; passing along
buckets of water In the line with hardy mer
and stalWart negroes
VAIN EFFORTS.
Several efforts were made to blow up and
but these efforts were unavaiing, owing to the
high wind which swept the great sparks and
burning fragments far and wide, through the
air.
| THE CASUALTIES.
Fortunately, though the loss of property was
heavy, no serious bodily injury was sustained
by any person. Judge T. d. Houston fell
down pair of steps, and was badly hurt
Mr. Thomas Lakeland was struck by falling
window, and knocked senseless. He subse-
quently rallied No other accidents are re-
ported.
All THE SITUATION.
When our Informants left, the available pro-
visions in the place, amounting to Is barrels Of
-four and small amount of meat, were being
| issued by the pound to the destitute citizens.
Every house remaining was crowded to its ut
most capacity by the homeless victims Of the
confagration. Fortunately none of the
Churches were destroyed, and these are now
occupied by the refugees as also, the Acad-
envy. The people of the neighborhood were
doing all that they could to relieve the sufferers.
PARLIAMENT OF PETTIooAT-Wo MEN' S
RIGHTS Underwood gave the United States
courtroom for meeting on Friday night to
| organize ''Women's Suffrage Association. -
He said Governor Wise approved of giving wo~
men all her rights, except the ballot. Wise
speeks for Underwood, and he speaks for Wise y
| Underwood presided A constitution was adopt
ed officers elected, and Miss Sue L. L. Smith,
of Richmond, daughter of the late DIR. w. A.
Smith. was appointed delegate to the National
Association to meet in New York on the 18TH
Resolutions were passed that woman is a hu-
man being I'VE always considered her an angel