The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-27

l RICHMOND, Dec. 25.-Not a year has passed
since-swiftly, suddenly and without a shadow
| of premonition-this city plunged into a
depth of gloom almost without parallel in the
annals of any city on this continent by the fall
ing in of the floor of the Court of Appeals in the
Capitol Building. Since then flood has spread
desolation throughout the State to add to the
list of horrors that have marked the last decade
in this beautiful land; and now have to chroni-
Gle calamity which, coming at the time it
does, makes us feel that it is written by the
fates, "City of the Seven Hills, thou art
doomed"
THE DEMON OF FIRE
has again ravIshed it and added to the destruc-
tion of property and loss of life. Desolation,
destruction, death, come hand-in-hand with the
Ice King. Last Dight-Christmas Eve, which
never, even in the dark days of our civil strife,
was aught but time of merry-making and re-
joicing throughout the Old Dominion-foUnd
lnearly every house in the city the scene of
festivity. Christmas morcng found tn ecypress
where the holly had been the night before. At
half-past o'clock A. NJ, a canopy of fire hung
over the whole city. In one short hour, GER
tainiy five, If not more, souls were, not hurried,
but dra gged slowly into eternity through the
most horrible death-gates known to humanity.
Only Dante, in his widest flights of poetic
Imagination, could have depicted one-half the
horrors of
THE BURNING OF THE sPoTswooD HOTEL.
Not since the burning of the old theatre has
Richmond witnessed such scene.
Built without any brick partitions above the
Il
tway, any attempt to check them was worse
than futile. In a few minntes after the fire was
discovered by the watchman who happened to
pass the pantry where stove had been negli-
gently allowed to burn, and which, becoming
ed hot, communicated to the floor, it had
rushed with lightning speed from cellar to
Earret, and by the time the Fire Department
nad become thoroughly organized for work the
whole interior of the immense structure was
one sheet of living fame-mad, wild kissing
1ame.in its resistless, desolating sweep, hurl-
ing. athwart the frosty sky masses of burning
timber like some volcanic demon laboring to
|disgorge itself-now silent, as if to gather new
strength; now roaring, cracking laundering,
as if striving to drown.
THE sHRIEKs OF THE VICTIMS,
the hoarse, confused cries of the firemen the
shrill whistle of the engines and the agonizing
hum of the swaying crowd of citizens below,
ready to do and die in the cause of humanity,
but powerless.
Here is mother barefooted on the frozen
Streets and just as the cry of fire had startled
her from her slumbers, raises the most agoniz-
ing of cries,
''sAvE MY CHILDREN"
here brother looking frantically for sister,
Or a wife pleading for some tidings of her hus-
band, who when last seen was Drawing fire and
smoke to save some relation; there a man stupe-
tied by horror and fear beside him another,
whose gallant spirit knows not the meaning of
be latter word and who, having saved one
riend is preparing to rush again into the jaws
bf death to rescue another. Here is young
SAM HINES
who has lust brought two friends from the
(ourth story out, and rushes back for third
who is seen at the window of his room from
he street below: but now the stairway is in
lanes. Only one chance remains; it is to jump
lie prepared for the fearful leap. Brave hearts
will catch him, if he crushes them. Too late;
he fre-fend has claimed him. volume of
black, sitting smoke envelops him; angry
forked flames leap like serpents' tongues from
Without the mass, and his gallant soul is in
Eternity.
Creeping, writhing, Kissing during the lulls of
he winters blast-rushing as it springs fresh
rom its lair--the demon finally seiZes upon two
arge buildings adjoining the hotel, when the
Gene, If possible, becomes more fearful than
efore, mngling as it does the falling of walls
nd the crashing OF the floors with the other
HORRORS OF THE SCENE.
At one time it appeared as if the destruction
the whole block was inevitable. The night
Vas the severest of this winter, the spray from
he streams falling in hail upon the half-dressed
inmates of the hotel as they stood watching
he means of egress from the building, to see il
he next that rushed out was a brother, sister,
husbands wife, son or daughter, or to give a
word of enco uragement to some one poised
Petween two horrible forms of death and pow
rless except to cry out above the din below,
'sAVE ME! 1 AM BURNING"
This heartrending appeal rang out from more
han fifty windows, and rang out only once. 1t
not known positively that there were more
ban five actual victims of the flames, but the
be number. One short hour and the fire-fend
lad done its worst. Its progress had been stayed,
Nt two-thirds of the block fronting Main street
nd running back nearly the same distance was
fiery charnel lake, still smoking and seething,
ENt conquered
WIEN THE FIRE FIRST BROKE OUT,
nd the wild cry rang through the house. re-
eated from mouth TO mouth with frantic and
espairing energy, your correspondent whose
Dom was in the left wing of the building in
be third Story, woke up, aud, after getting or
ONE clothes, rushed into the long passage, now
lied with smoke. A terrible scene met the
We through the smoky atmosphere The forms
II half dressed males and females could be seer
ushing they knew not whittier, and shriekine
With despair
Proceeding further to the head OF a staircase
III egress was blocked up with an inciscrimi
ate mass of luggage and people trying to es
APE. Rushing then to the right wing of tn
kuilding, another staircase reached, whiel
rought one to the second floor, and here tn
ong corridors but served as fues to conduct tn
ames through the building. Continuing on
he ground floor is reached at last and then tn
old icy air strikes the face.
PITEoUs SCENE.
Here | saw the wife of Captain McPhail il
Ier bare feet, with blanket wrapped aroun
Ter, while her husband, half dressed, carrie
heir infant child, whose piteous cries could b
heard above the din of the falling timbers an
cracking floors. But here was
AN ACT OF CHIvALRY
worthy of mention. A young man name
Towers sprang forward, pulled off his shoe
ind gave them to the lady, and diyesting hin
elf of his oyercoat, wrapped the child up
and carried it distance of several square