The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-12-29
THE spOrsw0oD HOTEL rIRE.

Thrilling Description oft. Incident,
The New York Hsralfi Richmond COY.
respondent, who had narrow escape him.
seIf from being destroyed in the Spots.
wood Hotel, gives 8 graphic description n
that great disaster, from which We Gull
some incidents not IN the ,clcgraphic ac-
count, Ofthe building itsclf, he says that.
built without any brick partitions above
the first door, the flames having gotten
Roadway, any attempt % check them was
worse than futile In lev moments
after the fire was discovered by the watch
man, who happened 70 pass the pantry
where Il stove had been ncgligcnuy allow.
ed to burn. and which, becoming red hot.
communicated TO the floor, II bad rushed
with lightning speed from cellar 70 garnet,
and by the time the Fire Department had
become thoroughly organized for work,
the whole interior Of the immense struC-
turc was one sheet Of living flame Of
his own escape, lac writes that "a he rush.
ID into the hall from his room in the third
story, terrible scene nett the eye through
the smoky atmosphere. The forms Of
halidrcssel males and females could be
seen rushing they knew not whittier, and
shriching with despair Proceeding fur.
Their to the head OF staircase all cgrebs
was blocked up with IN indlscriminatc
mass Of luggage and people trying 10
escape. Rushing then 10 the right wing
/ Of the building, another staircase was
reached, which brought one 10 the second
floor, and here The long corridors but
served as iluc3 10 conduct the flames
through the building.
Here Is mother barciOotcd On hGiruzCn
streets, and just as the cry OF fire had
startled her from her slumbers, raises that
agOnizing Of cries, save my children r.
here a brother looking iuntiCally for o
sister, or wife pleading for some tidings OF
her husband, who, when last seen was
Drawing fire and smoke 10 save some rCla.
lion; there o man supplied by horror and
fear: beside him another, whose gallant
spirit knows not the latter word, and who,
having saved one friend is preparing 10
rush again into the Jaws Of death to rescue
another. Here is young Sam Hines, who
has Just brought two friend from the fourth
story but again ruslIcs back Tor third,
who Is seen at the window below; hut
now the stairway il in flames. Only one
chance remains; it is to jump He pre-.
parcs for the fearful leap. Brave hearts
will catch him. If he brushes
them. Too late; the fire iicnd has
claimed him. A volume Of black, sitting
smoke envelopes him;angry, !orkCd flames
leap like sGrpcnts' tongues from without
the mass, and his gallant soul is in enter
nifty Again there was another cry, "A
man ut fifth story window +" looked
IN, and there was c. a. SChaillcr, the
State Superintendent Of Public Printing,
clinging to the sill OF n filth story window.
His feet reached the upper row Of glass
in the fourth story window, and he kicks
out the pancs. lie places his feet On the
sash, moves his hands cautiously 10 the
cap Of the window, and then dcSccnds 10
the sill ofthnt window In this way the
gallant SchairCr came from story 10 story
amid the paudilS ofthc crowd, by whom
| he was seized and carried out Of danger
when he reached the ground.
The night was the sUvcrcst Of this win
tor, the spray from the streams falling in
hail upon the hall.drCSScd inmates Of the
hotel, as they stood watching the means
Of cgrcss from the building, 10 sec il the
next that rushed out was brother, sister,
husband, wife, son or daughter or to give
word ui encouragement to some one
poised between two horrible forms OF
death aud pOwcrlcss, except TO cry ont
above the din below, "Savc me, am
burning y This hCartrCnding, appeal cry