The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-12-26


books, many of which were Imported, and
some having no duplicate on this continent.
IL was his intention to send his aplendid
Fathers to Tufts College, New Ham pshire.
as Christmas present. 4E
Mr.. G. A. Schaffter, OF Lynchb,lrs. Sin
perintendent OF Public Printing. had a
narrow escape. He heard the roar OF the
advancing flames, and first thought IL the
noise OF Christmassrolic but presently,
smelling fire and hearing an alarm, opened
the door to see the passage full OF snokp.
Realizing that his retreat BY the ordinary
avenue was cut off, he slammed the door to
and opened the window. Some in the
crowd urged him to jump; others urged
him to wait for help. He determined to do
neither, hut took q chance equally as
hazardous. Climbing out the window OF
his room, he chung by the hands to the sill,
and jumped miraculous as it may seem) to
the window below. alighting on the sill of
that, and holding fast by the cornice.
He was now on the third floor, and
intended to try the same plan to get lower,
but ladder was now brought to his aid,
and he descended in safety. His beard was
singcd and his hands badly cut by glass.
He lost what baggage he had in the room
and about $40 worth Of Christmas presents,
which he designed taking to his wife and
children In Lynchburg yesterday morning.
j. Il. Batkins and Edward Sweetman are
Assistant Inspectors Of Gas. It is part of
their duty to attend all fires, cut off the gas,
and save the metres, which are Of value to
the city. In the performance of this duty,
they Were promptly ut the scene Of the fire
yesterday morning, and having saved the
| one-hundred light metre, worth about SIS,
they went to the rear, and having gained
access TO the cellar. went forward to the
vault under the pavement to save the ten
light metre. While they were there, the
| floors of the hotel suddenly fell in with a
| crash, and their retreat was entirely cut off.
There was an immense cloud Of smoke. and
| the flames seemed about to swallow them.
In ten minutes they would probably have
been sufocated or burnt to death, when one
| found the grating in the pavement above
| and poked his fingers through. Fortunately,
somebody's attention was thereby attracted,
| and the crate being lifted, both were drawn
out alive.
Captain Rives Hoffman, conductor. on
| the Petersburg railroad. and Mr.. Archer,
| express messen ger, occupied room TO-
gether. A shuck mattress was spread on
the pavement below, and they were told to
jump; but thinking the provision for their
reception too slight, they adopted the plan OF
making rope 10y tying the sheets together.
| BY this means they were enabled to reach
| the ground without sustaining any injury,
Mr.. Arthur Segar, member Of the House
| Of Delegates, had a room OF the fifth story,
and was awaked by the smell of fire. He
got down stairs somehow or other, but was
minus coat, hat. and shoes. He sustained
no personal injury.
MIR. VIM. Ira Smith, with his family, os-
cupied a suit of rooms on the third floor.
They escaped, but lost all else but the little
clothing they picked up in the hurry of
| their flight. Mr.. Smiths furniture and the
wearing apparel Of his family were lost.
| Among other valuable property he had q
piano. His loss is estimated at 81, 900.
| Captain c. c. McPhail escaped with his
wife and child. He was aroused by his wife
| when the fire had made considerable head
way, and getting out of the burning build
ing, they sought refuge at the house Of Col.
PeYton n. Wise, on Franklin street. All
their furniture, clothing, and jewelry were
lost, the whole amounting in value to not
less than 81, 500.
Dir. Eldridse, Of New York, "a friend OF
Governor Walkers,) was on one Of the
higher floors. He had in his room valise
| containing 500 in money and q check for
81 900. Taking this in his hand, he wrapped
a blanket about his face and tried 10 escape
| by the stairs. bat was driven back by the
| threatening flames. He then gave up all
hope OF saving bis money, and, dropping
| the valise and blanket, succeeded in getting
out of tue window by aid of a pJirtel's lad
der. He was not hurt, but of course lost
| the money.
Nj. Edward NJ. Alfriend was domiclcd
on the fourth floor. Waking soon after the
alarm was given, he seized his clothes
81, nI,..i,. !,
and ran through the passage and down
stairs, kicking open the doors aud giving
| the alarm at every one rs he went along. Mr..
Schatfter and others were probably walked
by this means. Mr.. Afriend having donned
his apparel, afterwards returned to the
building, and did good service in rescuifg
others. He lost nearly everything he hHd,
including valuable library, which cannot
be easily replaced.
On the fifth floor there were more chill
dren thun in any other part of the hotel,
and it seems almost miraculous that any of
these escaped, when strong men like Robin
| son, Hines, and hoss persisted. Here were
the families Of the proprietors, AesSrs.
Sublett, Luck, and Bishop. These gentle.
men, with their wives and little ones, with
oul exception, got out before single floor
fell, and escaped serious injury. Mr.. Luck
was afterwards badly scorched in attempt
| ing to get the papers out of the office. 1t
| is not known that any children were lost.
| If so, they were the children Of transient
| boarders.
F. NJ. Green, clerk in the office of Su.
perysor Presbrcy. is reported to have been
| Injured by falling upon broken gl!ss.
MIR. T. Roberts Baker, of the firm OF
Meade t. Baker, druggists, lost all o. his
| furniture and nearly. all the wearing ap
parel. Fortunately, neither he nor his
wife and daughter We're at home on this
eVentful night.
THE SOUTHERN EXPRESS COMPANY.
| The office of this company was under the
hotel. Great efforts were made to rave
! the safes and other property, but they were
! only partially successful. The goods re-
| ceiYed at this Office from other points were
! probably totally destroyed, and their value
! cannot be estimated. Those received here
/ for shipment to other points were nearly
all saved. Mr.. Gibson, the superintendent
| of this division, has already opened another
office. 1t is in the Virginia Hall building
| on 9th street, between Main and Franklin
LOSSES AND INSURANCE..
A full list Of the losses and insurance ha.
not vet been made out. We give the de-
F! tails as far as known:
The Spotswood Hotel, owned by the
CrenshaW estate, valued at $4,000; in
sured in New York companies by D. N
Walker & Co.. agents-on building, $780,.
600; on furniture, $1,000; with the North
British company, r. Nj. Alfriend & Son
agents, for $4,000. Ii any other insurance,
not ascertained.
The buildings occupied by E. Currant
and others, aud owned by Jas. 81. Grants
estate, were insured for 81, 200 in the Mu-
tuaI Assurance Society Of Virginia, for 3d..
panv, and for IS, 900 in the National, of Bal.
timore. The amount OF b. Currant's loss
is not ascerlained, but is total; insured for
s., 900 in the North British and Mercantile,
! 4 O. 10