Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-12-28
THE HICHMOND CALAMITY.
Burning Of the SpOtsw God Hotel

FfGlHiC NlUfN or one ~ The NurrgrGrS HIS ESHTDP
m a Short Shirt and rug Hat.
The following is An extract from private
letter received by gentleman in this CITY from
one Of the inmates Of the Spotswood Hotel.
which was burned in Richmond Va, on Christ
mas morning;
lyon have heard of the fire here. The Spots
wood burned Saturday night, or rather Christ
mas morning. was awakened at three o'clock
by the names breaking my Windows open and
flashing inJo my room. sprang to nv door
opened it, and the flames flashed in nv face I
was obliged TO slam il shut a gain. to keep nv
earth. Then thinking would die auv way. |
thought | would try TO get out | had some
money IN my trunk; took hold OF the strap
on the end, opened tie door. and dashed
through the flames, | ran through the fire for
about four rods, holding my breath. Thel /
came 10 the stairs, which were burning; I
leaF,d down aud struck safely on tie floor.
Then ran along the hall through heat aud
smoke, anu when came to the entrance | found
II 80 fun OF ire | could not go down. 1 then
ran along another long hall 10 the ladies' en-
trance, andTeachod it only to hud il III flames
That was nav last chance. | had drOpned my
trunk and had nothing to retgrd me. 50 leaned
through the flames again, landed safely ON the
uCor below, and ran into The street, dressC 4 in
a very short shirt and my Ping lat. ! had mt
ny hat on 10 save my hair from burning b 1t
ID not have time 10 put on my pants. Some
other fellow who was dressed caught up nv
trunk when ldroppedit, and brought il through
safely. am al sound except my feet. which
were cut badly and bruised. | have 500. ono
,hlTt, two pair OF drawers, one summer vest and
my plug TO begin business with. I lost nv
watch ard everything, books, papers and All
~ takes the nerve out OF one in a very short
time. | cannot think of It without tremh,iny
! am thankful / am alive. My hair. whisker,
and eve brows were burned. F. NJ d.
The WORKING PEoPLE.-The Iaborers en-
plOyed IN building the Water works AZ Lancaster
CITY. Pa. have had their wages reduced from
>l.jO 10 Sl.jJ a day. The strike of the Crispins
I'D New York still continues, without any bros
peCt OF an agreement. The San Francisco
Bulletin states that there are two thousand par-
cons in San Francisco engaged in making cigars
of these one hundred are Americans aud Htnr.
teen hundred are Chinese. Irany OF the latter
being women and boys The men earn on An
average nine dollars a week. and some can make
as nigh as twelve dollars "A week. The women
and boys can earn about four dollars aweek
These wages are earned under American
employers, while the Chinese employers
only pay two-thrds OF the above rates
The number of cigars made in San Francisco
amounts every year To about sixty millions
worth $500 600. There are in San Francisco
seventy-twO cigar factories, of which thirtytwo
are owned by Americans. and twenty-eight by
Chinese. The Chinese when first arriving IN
san Francisco work for three months without
wages, until they have learned cigar making
anu then receive from four 10 six dollars week
from employers of their own nation. Ar the
first opportunity, however. they enter the fac
tories conducted by Americans aud are maid
from eight 10 ten dollars the thousand cigars AT
these rates earning nine dollars a week. The
board paid by the Chinese averages three dol
lars and half a week.