Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-12-27
TERRIBLE CALAMITY In RICH ASsD.
BURNING OF THE spoIIsWooD HOTEL
SBvEN OR MORE LIVES LOST
ThrilIing Scenes ana Incidents.

have another. Only a few months since the
calamity at the State Capitol caused . fearful
loss of life, which is yet widely mourned, and
now We have Information of the burning OF the
Spottswood Hotel, on Saturday night, while II
was tilled with sleeping guests, several Of whom
persisted inthc flames. To add to the tsrrors OF
the night il was the coolest experienced i'm Rich
moDd Tor thirteen years. The ground Was COW
cred with hard, frozen snow, and the thermoBl-
eter stood at degrees
The Richmond Dispatch of yesterds, give,
the following account:
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
On the morning of Christmas day, at about
O'Clock, Patrick Byrd, the nigIt-W atchmsn al
the Spottswood Hotel, was sent by Mr.. Knowle.
the night clerk, to cali the women whose duty
IL is to scour the floors. Going up stairs he
thought he detected; thefs nell of smoke, and
looking carefully he presently saw il curling
nom q f.sure in the weather. oardng Of the
old wiHe-room, of late used as pantry. The
alarm was Immediately given, ard Mr.. Knowles
and Dr. Latham. of Lynchburg, running TO the
spot, tried to get in the room TO eXtinguish the
fire, but found it impossible TO get IN without
KEY. Presently, however, the door was broken
walls and licking the ceiling with their fery
tongues. 1t was too late for buckets of water,
and a messenger was sent TO sound the lire
alarm. Meantime the cry OF nre was raised in
In n few minutes fllsa'with frightened, stupe-
fed, half clad people, throwing Oren the doors.
and otherwise clearing the path OF the fiery ele-
ment.
THE BUILDING IN PLANTS.
Those who escaped say that in aspsee of time
almost incredibly short the smoke had filled the
whole house, and the flames made their wsy
through the thin woodwork Partitors with
fearful rapidity. The IRE department, not
withstsndins the extreme cold. was on the
water could not be made so speedily available.
In less than half an hour fire was observed on
every one of the five floors, and the passage.
el,nl irn NIT hata M al inn. Ina
bic ashes. The scene was now one of
UNDESIRABLE TERROR.
Men, women and chil,iren were in the burn
ing building. and all who were awake were
striving I'D get out. With fire on every side and
smoke binding, sunoeating smoke = ene-
trating everywhere, tins was no easy task TO
these not thoroughly acquainted with the land
marks. The screams and prayers of the panic
struck terrified the lf-pessessed: the weak were
either trampled under foot on the narrow ST ans
or sank where they stood paralyzed by fear,
waiting for relief. Fortunately. however, there
were those within who retained their presence
OF mind, and those without bold enough to rick
the danger to save human life. So far as i.
known, MI who left their rooms found means TO
escape, though with life alone; and there was no
woman's cry foT help or infants wall of terror
that did not bring man TO their relief. Most
of these Who lost their lives were awaked by
finding the flames in their rooms, or remained
in the vain hope OF saving also their property
The floors began 10 fall, and al in the building
then could not but perish
TEOGRESs OF THE FIRE
A strong wind swept the flames westward
and the sparks and ashes lew ali over tie city.
causing serious apprehension least there should
be fire in remote places. while the services OF
the iTcmen were needed " here they we're. After
the SpOtswcoG. the adj dining building, occupied
by the Grover * Baker sewing machine depot,
IL. CuTrant's house furnishing store, and Mr..
Hungeriord's bsnkiB. establi shnent ,caught IRE
and was speedily DESTROYED. WOlfdscke's cigar
store and AndeTsons tin and stove depot were
then fired, ana only the constant play of the
engines uIon the building or the conner OF Main
AM Sth streets, known az Boshers Hall, and
LDfer which was the grocery and liquor store of
W. ID. Blair & Co., saved il from following SUIT.
On Sth street TIE old frame building in the rear
OF the SpotswOCd, ard belonging 70 the concern.
was partially destroyed. AT o'clock the FIRE
was stayed.
The following are the names of persons know
20 have been
BURNED TO DEATH IN THE HOTEL:
Erasmus W. Ross, clerk of the Libby Prison
drI,ng the war; Mrs. Emily kennearly, house
keeper. who leaves family in Baltimore: Sam
uel NJ. Robinson, clerk with Ellker 4 Bro; II
A. Thomas. Agent Tor Che PaECram OF the Pill
erims Progress; ". H. Pace, of Danville, Va.
senger of the Southern Express Company; and
Captain Saml T.. Hines, salesman in the whole
sale house of Moses Millhiser, glI Main street
BURNED TO DEATH WHILE TRYING TO SAVE
HIS FRIENDS.
Captain Hines room was on the fifth floor, in
the corner next to Cary street-a most inaccess-
bic part of the building: but it is known that he
came down stairs to beg some one 10 help him
get Ross and Robinson out, they occupying
rooms adjoining his own. The undertaking was
so perilous that he could not procure any assis
lance, and noble follow that he was) he re-
turned through the binding smoke and flame
to the attic. determined to make final effort to
rouse his friends. lie reached the room in
safety, and was presently, il j. stated, seen a.
the window crying and Reckoning for help. In
response bedding was placed below the window
and he was told TO jump and he would be
caught. But suddenly the flames burst forth
from the very window where he stood. He wa
caught in their scorching embrace, fell back
ward into the room, and was seen no more. In
lew minutes aiterward the floor fell through
Nh. i. King reports seeing Mr.. Robinson az a
window in the NTH story, near the southwest
corner OF the building. beggingfor help. SIEVE
raj beds were placed directly beneath the win
dow, and he was urged to jump, but seemed ter
rined by the depth OF the fall and did not 10 50.
TRANSIENT boAEDERs MISSING.
The transient boarders, who, though they
may have escaped, have not Yet been traced
are y. ). Wilcox, of Bynchburg; q. b. Walden
Virginia; Nathan Burnstein, Washin gton, ID. =:
that Mr.. Bernstein j. safr:) 4. Leib
Tampa, Florida, lMr. Leib, is in Washing
toni; T.: George and E. Ill Andrews, Syracuse,
II. Holman, ir., jackson, Tenn. Some or all OF
these may have found refuge at private board
Ing houses or elsewhere: Mr. W. II: Pace is a
route agent on the Danville railroad, and MIR.
j. b. Farris is An express messenger between
Richmond and Greensboro, n. q. They roomed
together in the fifty story. Neither has since
been seen or heard of, and it is feared that the
flames caught them sleeping, and that they
never left their rooms. MIR. Farris has a wife
and two children in Greensboro.
SCENTS, INCIDENTS, AND NARROW HsCAPHs.
Captain ID. W. Bohannon was 20 fortunate as
to be among those who escaped with life. At 10
O'Clock he retired to his rooIl, ON the fourth
floor. He was awakened at about O'Clock bv
some one bursting into his room and exclaiming |
"For Gods cake, Captain, get out Of this, If you
want to save your life" He sprang out of bed, |
and put on . few articles Of clothing. Tie man
who walked him asked, Scan help you?" and |
receiving an answer in the negative. left Capt |
BohannOn thinks this Was Mr.. Hines; who, il |
SCENT, Was Afterwards lost in attempting to save
friend. The Captain, having got into his coat |
and pants, picked up bundle Of clothes. and |
wrapping his cloak around his face, ran down /
etairs through the flames and smoke, arriving 1T /
the main entrance almost suffOcated.
PERILOUs DESCENT.
Mr.. c. A. Schaf5ter. Of Lynchburg. supern-
tendent Of public printing, bed q narrow es
cape. He heard the roar Of the advancing
flames, ard first thought it the noise of Christ
mas frolic; but presently, smelling fire and hear
ing an alarm, opened the door TO see the pas
sage full OF smoke. Realizing that his retreat
by the ordinary avenue was cut on, be slammed L
the door to and opened the window. Some In the
crowd urged him to jump; others urged him to
wait for help. lie determined to do neither l
hut took q chance equally ~ hazardous
49, l<- - At. Il