The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-04
A HOTEL IN FLAMES.

Destruction of n Wisconsin Hotel nv Fire
seven Persons Burned to Dea.h, Others Fa-
tally Iniured-A Mother aud aer Rour Ohli-
dren Among the Victlms-A SON of Oommis-
sioBer Capron Fatally Burned.
The telegraph has reported briefly the total
destruction by fire. on Thursday morning last,
of the Halliday House. four-story brick hotel
in Kenoeha, Wis, involving the loss of seven
lives, and the certainty of the death of two
others. The fire is supposed to have been caused
by the explosion of a kerosene lamp I'm the lamp
room, and it was first discovered by two gen.
tlemen, Captain Everett and a Mr.. Smith, who
passed the house returning from ball They
at once attempted to arouse the inmates OF the
house, about thirty in number, but the flames
spread rapidly, the smoke rushing upstairs, and
filling the staircases and passages with dense
and suHocating atmosphere.
The guests rushed out in scanty night attire,
and, after many efforts, several of them sue
ceeded in ehecting their escape. Two hand
engines were promptly prepared, while efforts
were also made TO bring two Jets from neigh
boring steam works The correspondent of the
Chicago Tribune says
Meanwhile the scene in and around the burning
building was horrible in the extreme. The night
was dark as pitch, strong wind was blowing froIA
snow added to the misery OF those engaged 10 their
attempts TO rescue the inmates OF the hotel. By
TIE lurid glare OF the flames could he seen men and
women leaning from the windows and crying in
Despair for assistance from below. Men below were
shouting eDcouraglnRly, while Others brought lad
deTs from the surrounding barns and hayl0fts, aud
assisted in resCunR those who had succeeded ia de-
sceDding to the second story, but who could go no
further. Among those who were thus saved were
four servant girls
Mr. osmond Capron. son OF Horace CaproD,
Uniied States Commissioner of Agrculture was
asleep in his room on the third floor OF the hotel,
when aroused by the flames. From the street could
be seen the stairs leading to his apartment In one
mass Of flames, the c1rrent Of air drawing them
upward and tanning them into an intensity Of heat
that soon consumed the wooden structure. Those
below could see him burst through this atmosphere
Of fire. clad only in his shirt and drawers, to the
second story, and essay 10 descend by the stairs,
the the window NV was left For this this he e." made.
his cunning garments clingiDg to him, and
leaped TO the ground into the snow. Half
a dozen men sprang TO his assistance and
raised him. He quite delirious, raved terribly,
and insisted with the strength OF nadman, on
walking across the street. But the paroxysm was
over, his frenzy subsidized, aud he was carried
20 the house Of Henry Andre, on the opposite side OF
the street. blood dripping from all parts OF his body
at every step. The lamp.liget revealed hideous
spectacle. His right cheek was burned clear to the
bone, and masses Of Charred flesh fell from It. His
! colar-bone proruded, ctarred and ghastly white.
| II e is young man aged about twenty-four years,
| and was employed as a clerk by his brother A. b.
! Capron, nOur and feed dealer lie is unmarried
| The fire was put out by O'Clock this morning.
The streams OF water continued to play on the ruins
in order to cool the preparatory TO the sad task of
! digging out the remains. by 10 O'Clock they were
| sufficiently cooled to commence work. Business
| was suspended throughout the town, and all who
could assisted ia the search. After about an hours
WORK they came upon the last terrible evidence OF
the tragic end OF Mrs. Merrill and her little
| Beneath pile OF bricks and beams lay the mother,
chaTTed to cinder her face so burned as to have
lost all semblance OF humanity. Casped tightly TO
her breast the little oney old girl, also ter
| riby burned Adjacent were the remains OF the
three other children, two boys and one GIRL forming
| group ghasty yet tender, which drew from the
eyes OF the strongest men tears which not their
manhood could suppress. Tenderly the little corpses
| were taken up and placed in cofins and then the
| hapess mother was taken up, still clinging to her
little one with grasp that not even an agonizing
| death could loosen Mother and child now occupy
the same celln. MIR. Merrill was at South Bend. Ind.
He was Immediately telegraphed for, and is expected
tonight. The body of Wade has MT yet been dis
covered. 1t is probable that the remains will be
found Tomorrow.