, 1872-12-13


eously through sheer fear and horror. The men,
at least the greater portion Of them, appeared as
frightened as the women, and ran about here,
thore, and everywhere IN the halls, not exactly
knowing what they wanted, and yet afraid to |
leave the floor for fear Of something worse be-
low, The carpets we're soaking with water. and
as one dashed his way through the aff1ighted
crowds the water WAS splashed about as If from
"Come here" said q gentleman who met the
reporter on his way to the third floor. "Isnt
this terrible7" And the sight that met the re-
porter's eyes Was really heartrending. ;, On the
parlor floor, lay poor servant girl half clad,
writhine in torture and presenting the most |
hideous appearance. She WAS covered with |
burns and bruises from head to foot, and looked
appears she had been found By the fremen in
the attic and was carried down and left where
the reporter behe1d her in her agony. Some
kind person, in the absence Of a doctor (none
assuage her sufferings by pouring sweet oil oyer
her body. 1t Was truly q sckening sight, - are
you eufferiug7" she WAS asked. The lips OF
the poor creature opened slowly, the head WIS
half raised from the carpet, and as it. fea bass f
uttered the words, 'fMy God, but this is horri-
ble" And indeed it was hcSrible. Fancy the
picture. The body writhing u the carpet; the
busy crowd about, each one intent only on his
own safety, and no one near but few young
men, attracted by curiosty to the horrible scene,
| and little boy, who pale and atfrighted, held
candle over the body, so that the girl might not
be trampled upon by passers by.
pillow WAS procured for the poor thing finally
| by the gentleman who first called the reporters
attention to the unfortunate creatnre's condi-
ton, and there she was left at midnight.
| Once the fremen and police had arrived the
hose WAS Immediately dragged up the stairs, and
they went to resume work. And serious work it
| WAS. In the neighborhood OF the attic the
smoke was so dense that for time they were
unable to make their way though the halls.
Meanwhile the shrieks OF the servant-gir1s in
cry Of distress rent the air, and the frenen re-
doubling their exertions, dragged the hose after
them, bravely fighting their way through the
dense smoke, one relieving another as fast % =
| the foremost man was overcome and had to fall
back to escape eufocation.
It was bitter hght, and the nearer the fire.
men got to the top floor the louder and shriller
became the ahrieke Of the servants in the attic:
| 1t WAS reached finally, but when it was reached
no CRY issued from the binding smoke. AL WAS
still as death, the splashing Of the water from
the hose alone breaking the death-like silence.
And it was the silence OF death, for, as the light
there were deserted the dead bodies Of thirteen
men and women The fire had done it's awful
work before the cry OF agony could be answered:
At o'clock, the excitement in the vicinity Of
throng circled the line OF police that stretched
from the corner Of Twenty street to that Of
Twenty-fourth, and extended about hundred
feet from the portioo. The hose we're laid
flooded, and up the long fights of stairs and
through the halls, which we're all covered with
new carpets, but were nevertheless soaked With
with water. In the lower yestible, the group 3
gpSa and strangers snoha1 ws5a al Mt hs
grim hu1nor On the misfortunes Of the occasion,
some of which were indeed possessed Of quite
laughable tint. But there we're stories Of deaths