Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-12-27
The Old SpOttswOod Hotel De-
ora stroyed by Fire. afY
LOSS OF LIFE.
Men and Women Burned Aliye--Others
Driven Barefooted into the Street.
business Houses Burned - Great
p" Loss OF Property. l 81


Was the coolest for thirteen years, the Their
mometer indicating hve degrees below zero.
At quarter past two Saturday morning, just
as the porter had commenced waking passen-
gers for the Southern train. the Spottswood
Hotel was discovered TO be on fire on the lower
floor. An effort was Immediately made to
awaken the guests. and the scene became in
describable.
Men we're rushing about trying to save their
baggage. and women nearly naked and bare
footed rushed into the snow in the streets.
The steam engines were promptly on hand.
but, the water being frozen, it was some time
before water could be thrown on the building.
In twenty minutes the flames spread to such
an extent that escape by the stairway was cut
of to the guests. Then commenced leaping
from the windows.
PIP. Clarke, the Philadelphia steward of
the hotel, leaped from the third story. receiy-
ing fatal injuries.
The most fearful scene of the disaster was
the appearance of Mrs. Emily Kinneasly. Of
Baltimore, the housekeeper, at a window in
the fifth story with ono or two other ladies.
screaming for help.
The fire companies ladders were put up, but
failed by two stories roach the window.
While the iremen were endeavoring to length
en- their ladders the crying women disappeared
in thick smoke and were lost, the room bright
ening up n moment after with flames.
Up to noon to-day the only persons burned,
whose names are known. are Erasmus Ross,
clerk of the Libby Prison during the war;
Mrs. Emily Kinneasly. the housekeeper; Sam
uel W. Robinson, clerk with Enker Bro;
and Samuel Hines. clerk with Milhiser Co.
The register of the hotel was consumed, and
it is impossible to give the names of the stran-
gers lost. Several have persisted, as there are
about dozen unclaimed trunks belonging to
persons from New York and other Northern
cities.
The weather was SO intensely cold that the
telegraph wires from buildings are covered
with ice, and five steamers were encased in
ice an inch thick.
Among the remarkable escapes was that of
c. Shelter, attached to the Office of the State
Printer, who was in the fourth story. and es-
capped by dropping from window corner to win
dow corner. until he reached the ground. He
was badly burned however.
had q narrow escape.
The guests lost all their clothing. and the
ladies had to walk barefooted over the snow
to places of shelter. Total losses $4,000;
insurance mostly by Northern companies.
The following business houses were de-
stroyed: Messrs. Branch * Currant's crock
cry store, Adams Express Company's Office.
Howe's machine store and other smaller
houses.
The following are additional names of per-
sons who are known to have been burned to
death: W. III. A. Thomas. agent for the pan
Drama of the Pilgrims Progress; W. ii.
Pace. Danyille. Virginia. United States Mail
Agent. and J. B. Fariss, messenger of the
Southern Express Company.
I The spottswood Hotel was valued at $40 900
and was insured in Northern companies for
$50. 600. Messrs. Subtitle. Lusk Il Co., pro-
prietors Of the Spottswood. had the furniture
insured for so. 900. and the wines and carpets
for $1,000. in the North British Company.
All the goods ready for delivery in the cell
lar Of the Southern Express Company we're
destroyed; the company's money safes are
buried in the ruins.
An incident Of the FIRE was the appearance
OF q man at one Of the upper windows par
alyzed with fear, who sat tearing paper into
small pieces and throwing them out Of the
window.
Among those who had very narrow escapes
were NJ. Maillefert Of New York. the engineer
Of the james river distractions S. A. Pierce.
Of Columbia. 5. c.; the private secretary Of
Senator sprague, and Mrs. Z. Magill, propri-
etress Of the theater.
The Dehane Troupe lost their baggage. The
hotel register was found tonight. and only
six strangers were not accounted for. II is
probable that the citizens have taken some Of
them to their own houses. The name Of the
housekeeper burned was Emily Kinneasly.
The following are the names Of the missing
strangers; ]. II. Wilcox. Of Lynchburg; n.
Bernstein. Of Washington; A. Lielle, Of
Pampa. Florida; @. and Z. Andrews. Of Sy-
racuse. N. Y; N. II. Croft. Of New York;
and John Holman. jr.. Of jackson, Tennessee.