The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-04
ANOTHER RICHMOND HORROR
sPoTTswoop HOTEL BuRSED-sEvES PR
Sons PERISH IN THE FLAEss-sEvEN
I OTHERS MISSING.
RIcnMoyp, Va, Dec 25.

years. The ground was covered with
SNOW. and the thermometer indicated Eve
degrees below zero. At quarter past
| two this morning, as the porter had com.
; mencel wakening passengers for the
Southern train, the Spottswood Hotel was
discovered to be on ire on the lower
flor. Au effort was Immediately made to
waken the guests, and the scene became
indescrihable.. Men were rushing about
tyiug to save their baggage, and women,
heariy naked and barefuuted fleeing into
the cnow. covered streets. The steam ERE
engines were promptly at hand. but the
water being frozen, it was sometime before
the water could be thrown on the build
ing. In twenty minurcs the flames spread
to such an extent that escape by the stair.
case was cut of. The guests then com.
menced lcaping from the windows. PIP.
Clark, of Philadelphia, steward Of the Ho-
tel, ieaped from the third story. receiving
fatal injuries.
The most fearful scene Of the disaster
was disappearance Of Mrs. Emily Ken
nearly, Of Baltimore, the housekeeper, at
a window in the ifth story. with one or two
other ladies'. screaming for help. The FIRE
companieI' ladders were put up. but failcd
BY two stories to reach the window
While the 6remen wore endcavoring To
lengthen the ladders the crying women
disappeared in the thick smoke, and we're
lost. the room Frightening up . moment
after with flames. s7st
Upto noon to-day the only burned whose
names are known arc Erasmus Ross, clerk
Of Libby Prison during the war Mrs.
Emily Kennearly. housekeeper; Samuel
". Robinson clerk with Enker & Bro.
and Samuel Hines, clerk with Milhesen J.
Co. The register Of the hotel was con-
sumed. and it is impossible to give the
names of strangers vino may be lost. Sew
eral are believed to have persisted .as there
are about q dozen unclaimed trunks Of
persous from about New York and other
Northern cities.
The weather was so cold that the tsle-
graph uires in front Of the Currency
Building were covered with ice. and the
Gre steamers eneased with ice an inch
thick. i,as- t' f
. Among the remarkable escapes was that
Of C.S. Heftu, attached inthe Office Of the
Stat. Printer, who was in the fourth story.
aud escaped by dropping from window
coruice to window cornice till he reached
the ground. He was badly burned, how.
ever. The correspondent Of the New
York Herald had narrow cscape. The
guests lost all their clothing, and the Ia
dies had to walk barefoot over the snow
The total loss is $500, 900. The insurance
is mostly in Northern companies. Several
business houses we're destroyed, among
them Branch & Curriut's erockery store,
Adams Express Company's Office. and
other small stores 7.ass as@
The following are additional names of
persons who arc knewn to b. burned to
death in the Spottswood Hotel: Fl 4
Thomas, agent Of the Panorama of lb,
Pilgrims Progress; W. Fl. Pace. of Dnn.
Vile. Virginia, United States Mail Agent.
and ]. B. Faris, messenger OF the South
.ru Express company. The Spotswood
Hotel was valued at $40, 900 and insured
in northern companies. Messrs. Lubtell
Luck Il Co., proprietors Of the Spots
wood, had their furniture insured for
500. 900, and wines and carpets for
$1,000 in the North British Company.
All the goods ready for delivery in the eel
lars of the Southern Express Company
wcls destroyed. The compauy's money
safes are buried in the ruins
Ar incident oil the fire was the appear.
aucs ofa man at one ofthe upper windows
who sat tearing paper into small pieces aut
throwing them out ol the window till h,
fell back. Among those who had very mar
row escapes we're NJ. Meillefert, of New
York engineer Of the James river obstruc
iious; s. A. Pearce, of Columbia, Soutl
Carulina, private Secretary Of Senate
Sprague. and Mrs E. Magill, proprielres
Of the theater. The De Lave troupe los,
their baggage
The hotel register was found tonight
aud only six strangers have nst been found
Its probable some citizens have taken SOM,
to their house. The name of the house
keeper burned was Mrs Emily Kennear
ly. The following are the names Of tn
missing strangers: ]. H. Wilcox. @