Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-01-07
DcctcUctiOn OfLifc and Property in
Richmond.

RICHMOND, Dec. 2J.-Iast night was
the coldCst felt here for thirteen years, and
Il dreadful one for the calamity which oc-
Cured. The ground was covered with
hard, frozen snow, and the thermometer
stood at t degrees.
At quarter past two O'Clock this morn
ing just rs the porter commenced wakCn-
ing passengers tor the Southern train, the
SputswoOd Hotel was discovered TO be on
fire in the lower Aoor. An effort was i'm
mediately made to wake the guests, and
the scene became indcscribablc. Men were
rushing about trying 10 save their baggage,
aua the women, nearly naked and bare
footed, fleeing into the snOw-covercd
streets.
The steam engines were promptly on
hand, but water being frozen, it was some
time before 1t could be thrown on the build
ing. In twenty minutes the flames spread
to such an extent that escape by the stair
case was cut on. The guests then COM
mcnced leaping from the windows, and
lowering themselves by ropes made from
blankets into the streets. L. Z. Clark, of
Philadelphia, the steward of the hotel,
jumped from third story window, receiving
mortal injuries.
The most painful scene of the disaster
was the appearance of Mrs. Emily Cornc-
nelius, of Baltimore, the housekeeper, at n
window on the fifth story, with one or two
other ladies, screaming for help.
The tire companies leaders were put up,
but failed by two stories to reach the win
dow. While the tircmeu were making eff
forts to lengthcn the ladders the crying
women disappeared in the thick smoke and
were lost, the room Frightening up mo-
ment after with the flames.
Up 10 noon today the only persons
burned whose names are known are Eras-
mus Ross, clerk of libby Prison during
the war, Mrs. Emily Cornelius, house
keeper, who i,dvys family in Baltimore
Samuel W. Robinson, clerk With Eaper &
Brothers, and Samuel Hines, clerk with
MeIhiscr Il Co.
The register Of the hotel was DESTROYED,
and its is impossible to say what strangers
were lost, though it is supposed several
have pcIishud, rs there are about n dozen
unclaimed trunks of parties from New
! ork and other Northern cities.
II is a noticeable fact that the fire, after
destroying the block, left ouc store ON the
corner, the same building that topped the
contiaSral!on at tac evacuation Of Rich
mond.
The weather was SO intensely cold that
b the telegraph wires In front OF the burning
building were covered with ice, While Tie
lire was raging the fire steamers were en-
cased in ice an ipch thick.
Among tie remarkable escapes was that
Of a, G.. Shater, the Stale Printer, who
was lu the fourth story, and escaped by
dropping from window cUru.gc 10 window
curulcc until lac reached the ground cate,
though badly burned,
The Correspondent Of the New York
HTlIt narrowly escaped. Tho guests loa
oil tLelr ciutblgs, and thc ,udns had tl
walk parsl0ot over the snow g. rach ghel-
',I.
. The total loss hy dee Is s3j0l1o, insured
musiy la NoUAgru companies
The following aIe uadlapUal nance Of
persons who are known ,n haze been burn
ed a. death W tAa splIswu1d Hotel II.
a Thomas, agent lur lAe panorama OF the
"llsum's itugr,ss % W, IL. faer, ol
pan,il.r, Va United states mail agent,
Gui }. Il. luIis, messenger % l.e south
glu tApr,ss Company
Au Incident ri the Ire Nas tbs appear,
agge Ola man at one ot the upper aindoNs,
. r.a't3,d ti haT, who sat trauns papsr
IntJ sui. . plpcgs aua throwing thcm Oul ol
lhs via loH ull hv iell back into Jhu danes.
n. g. JoHsa09, 81 Al,adulle, ds,llnfs
a. a. q ltnd.lat4 10 Aulil9f Geuurai b.
iofs ils Republican stsle eonggnlloa.
lHr ta..ssi iuemteF ~ lhe isnRsj Iyanla
tessi4iaIs lsa b Clark "a Lawrence
tYtulA
q hta ioRkEn lias a dag shiels 10
painf ikauais 9l account ~ Ga l4ilnfts
"A h'f iafs
ltRth iEiaks "a aaalt ID : Fsal Listt.us
a. ilalAils y stiiseiady eusl1 ilfeul : 81 "A,
ihsi sgii4 fusbs al4Hiasy ~ gsl tas..
s@sgi 40 y lLtis sssqt