Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-10-26
Incidents Of the Fire.

Fren the Chicago Tribune.
The Chicago correspondent of the
Boston Post says it is believed that
John McDevit, the billiard player and
eX-champion Of the United States, per.
ished in the flames. McDevit was
asleepin Thomas Foley's billiard room.
He was last seen on the steps of the
Tribune Office.
morning; on Sunday evening he took
passage for Chicago to succor the fam
lily of his son, who was living here.
AT wayside station not far from Chi.
cago, he heard that the Water Works
were burned, and that there was 8
scarcity of water. Not being familiar
with our geographical position, he pur.
chased cask and brought it full OF
water to Chicago. A philanthropiC
eXpressman charged him Fifty dollars
for carting that barrel to his sons res
ideRce. 1t was certainly case of well.
meant, but misapplied benevOlence.
-AS st. Paul paper of the 18th says;
'sA story is related of the proprietor
of st. Caroline's Court a hotel on the
West Side, of Chicago, illustrative O
General SheridaR's idea of the eternal
fitness of things. The General called
and inquired the price of board. ''Si1
dollars day." was the reply. "The
price before the fire?" inquired the
General. 1.-TWO dollars and a half
General Sheridan replied that he would
run that hotel himself, and at s. so pei
day. He placed an orderly in charge
and at once put stop to exorbitant
charges"
-One of the impudent actions
performed during the fire was related
yesterday. Orrington Lunt, Esq, one
ofour oldest and best citizens, haC
dragged his piano from his residence
on Michigan avenue, and was toiline
along with it, when two men with {
dray accosted him and asked him tt
whom it belonged. He replied that i
was his own, and received the astound
ing information that they would like
him to prove it. Without lanothel
word they placed the instrument OF
their vehicle and drove off. Ofcourss
remonstrance was useless. He has NO
seen the piano since.
The following curious incident /,
well authenticated. Mrs. -, the
housekeeper of a prominent hotel, had
made up her mind to leave the city s
few days before the fire. She had not
drawn any of her salary for some time
end it amounted to 81 900. On Satur
day the amount was handed to her BY
the proprietors. The bearders at the
same time got up testimonial amour.
ting to $l59 and presented her with
the money that evening. She deposi.
fed the graenhaclxs under tho oaryat IN
a csrner of her room. When the fire
was raging Mrs. - rushed into her
room, and succeeded in saving a favor
lite canary bird, But she forgot all
about the money.
John GiIvin, of Decatur, was yes
terday helping to get safe out of the
ruins on South Water Street, near the
Union Depot. The men had got the
safe nearly on the sidewalk, when it
slipped back on them, This man came
along and asked what was the matter
with the safe, and one of them said it
had slipped off the rollers and had
gone back on them. He said "Get out
of my way" and seized on it like
Sampson, lifted it up and walked to
the wagon with it, and threw it on the
wagon. He caught it on the bottom
edges raised 1t with the force leveYed
against his breast, and walked off with
it. The proprietor said it weighed $2,-
464 pounds. The man then offered tc
bet $500 he can carry 1900 pounds. He
is about 5 feet 10 or III inches high,
weighs perhaps 260 pounds, built like
Hercules, and about IS years old. He
was brick layer in Macon.