Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-01-05
The Richmond Fire.

der circumstancesof such appalling calaml
ty, removes from that city a building more
closely associated with the conduct of tht
war of the rebellion than any other, th'
State Capitol alone excepted.
Strangely enough, the waves of the vas
fire of April, 1865, which laid the greater
part of Richmond in ruins, were stayed a
the corner below the Spotswood Hotel
sparing the building, which Immediately
became the place of abode of the greater
number of the Federal officers who enter.
ed Richmond with the victorious Army
of the Union.
The hotel was not called Spotswood, as
might be supposed, in memory of the truly
great Colonial Governor of Virginia, Al
exander Spotswood, but in honor of the
father of the capitalist who erected 1t,
whose baptismal name was Spotswood. Ii
was built about eithteen years ago, and
was a large and comfortable establishment,
with a fine facade upon the principal street
of the town.
The fearful loss of life attending the
fire, the intense cold of the night, the
rapid progress of the flames, and the utter
inability of the fremen to check them, or
to rescue the victims, make up a picture
of horror supplementing only too well the
disasters of fire, flood and falling buildings
which have within so short a time brought
sorrow upon Richmond.
The Dispatch of yesterday has the fol-
lowing:
Three days have elapsed since the burn
ing of the Spotswood Hotel, and the fire"
is still the absorbing topic of conversation
on our streets. The blackened walls and
smoking debris are still an object of in
terest to the curious crowd, and a detail
of policemen is kept oonstantlG on duty in
the vicinity to keep order and guard a.
| gainst accidents which might occur from
allowing people to indulge their morbid
tastes, as well as from the undue zeal of
the friends of those who have persisted In
the conflagration.
On Sunday afternoon, it being gener-
| ally believed that Messrs. Ross and Hines
were among the killed, steps were taken
by the knights Of Pythias, to which Order
they both belonged, to have the bodies
disinterred at the earliest practicable mo-
ment. Nothing could be done that even
ing, as there was still a smouldering fire
beneath the bricks: but on Monday the
work was commenced.
The first thing done was to have the
standing walls wherever dangerous pulled
down, so that the men could work with
safety in the ruins. A stream Of water
was theu turned upon the hot bricks, SO
that by yesterday morning they were
cooled sufficiently to allow the chain-gang
and some other hands to 90 to work.
The Express Company also put a squad
to work with a view to getting out their
safes.
The task of digging up the debris in
order to recover the remains of the dead
was performed under the supervision of
Masonic and Pythian committees. They
were guided in this work by a diagram of
of the hotel in the possession of the pro-
prietors. Mr.. Ross room was No 43, just
above the Express Office, so the men work
ing under the supervision of the Masons
and Pythians and those employed by the
Company worked together. Several
times it was thought that the remains Of
one or more persons had been discovered.
but the bones having been collected in a
box and examined physicians, were pro-
nounced not the bones of a human being.
At one place quite a number of fragments
of bones were found together, and with
them some coat buttons and what appear
ed to be burnt cloth. 1t was finally con-
ceded, however. that these were probably
the remains of the contents of boxes which
had been burned in the the cellar of the
Express office. This morning the exami-
nation of the debris will be resumed.
II is believed that the eighth victim of
the fire was John H. Holman, of jackson.
Tenn. He formerly lived in Virginia, but,
has been for several years past in Ten
nessee. On Saturday last he came to
Richmond, partly on business, but princi-
pally to spend the holidays with his sister,
who lives near tie city. 1t is known that
he registered at the Spotswood, and as ne
has not yet reported to his friends, they
feel sure that he is numbered with those
burned to death. He is about twenty
eight years of age.
Besides the persons generally admitted
to have been killed, the following are still
missing f. George and K. II. Andrews.
Syracuse N. Y, and Henry Kroth, of
New York.
C. B. Walden of Chesterfield county, re-
ported missing left for Caroline county on
Saturday morning. but his name was
not checked off the register. His brother
him safe.
w. w. Ragland of Petersburg, Va, re-
ported at our office on Monday morning
safe.
j. F. Wilcox of Lynchburg, had also
left the hotel before the fire occurred.
Nathan Burnstien, of Washinton city,
was among those reported missing. He
has since turned up uninjured. He occu-
pied room No. 103 on the third floor, and
escaped in his night clothes with only a
part of his baggage.
j. Med Darlington, Esq, late Common
wealth's Attorney of Henrico county,
made a narrow escape. He retired at
about one o'clock and was awakened after
the fire had made considerable progress by
hearing the noise caused by dragging
down stairs, and Immediately after
the sound of womau's cry of terror.
He ran out of his room and finding the
building on fire made his way out without
ceremony.
The DeLave theatrical Troupe lost
their wardrobe, as before reported. De-
Lave was also burnt out at the Atlantic
Hotel. Norfolk a year or two ago. Lila
and Zoe, the trapeZists, were not injured
rs was at first feared.
Mr.. A. Leib of Tampa, Florida, is re-
ported now to be in Washington.
i
EXTRAORDINARY