The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-01-06

great sEieetssoT fame rolled oEts and drove
the men away. They saw chat the bodies must
have burned to d crisp long before, and no
further efforts were made. Mcnamara was q
married man, living on Plum street near
Sixth, aud sleares d wife and child. His as
,sistant lived on Congress street, and the
young man Stewart was also g resident OF the
city: 3 All OF them had long been In the en-
ploy Of Mr.. Stearns, and their horrible death
deeply affected him. - y ass.as7 81
5'A-@ ia THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.. ~
Knowing, what q stubborn enemy they had
to deal with, the fremen went at their work
Systematically and deternIinedly. Ladders
were, raised to the various stories, front and
rear, hose were taken Ilp and streams poured
IN, and four steamers worked their best to
quench the, flames. But the oils, chemicals,
and other fcombustible articles kept catching
fire and exploding, and when the flames were
conquered on nehoor they burst out above
or below, md water had but little effect.
Armour went by and then another and
another, and twas. nearly 6 O'Clock before
the flames let go of the upper stories and
were confined to! the basement. There were
large quantities Of whale oil, turpertine,
chemicals, acids, and other such articles in
tue basement, aud for two or three hours
longer, until the cellar was nearly full of wa
ter, the flames kept shooting up and destroy
Ing whatever would burn. -
- e 3. II Et9r. tt4=nA SAD SIGHT.
About. an hour after the fire broke out a
number of persons, relatives Of the victims
IN the basement, appeared upon the ground,
and their tears and lamentations created
heartfelt sympathy in every breast. One by
one they We're led away, weeping and Sob
bing, and there was not one who did not pity
them in their great sorrow.
'..a. FINDING THE BODIES.
About half.past 7 o'clock the flames were
sufficiently eXtinguished to permit the fire.
men to descend through the front CRATES, and
they had not been down long before word
was passed up that the bodies Were all float
ing under the sidewalk. In a moment more
word was given that there were four bodies,
instead of only three, as had been for several
hours supposed, and there was intense. ex-
element to know the name of the fourth
victim. ~.
l. BoENEGHACsEN's BODY
was the first one brought out, and was taken
into Nails store and laid on the counter. The
clothing was not even scorched, and the
blackened face told that the boy had met his
death by suffocation alone. He had appa-
rentIy fallen to the floor, stretched himself
out and died without much struggling or
suffering. Two friends passed in, to be sure
that they were not mistaken in the body,
and when they came to take closer look ct
the swollen face their walls and sobs were
sud to hear.
M'EAMARA's BODY
came next, and it presented n most horrible
sight, The hands were tightly clasped, as il
in prayer or great agony, and there was
hardly spot where the body had escaped
the flames. The face was crisped and burned,
the knees were drawn up and shriyelled, the
flesh burned from the arms, and one could
not look at the poor body without shudder'
1t is merciful to hope that he srnothered to
death before the flames reached him.
STEWARDS BODY -.
was next brought in, and there was every
thing to show that he died Of sufTocation.
Not scratch or burn appeared on the
body or its clothing, and the poor boy looked
as if death had come without pain. Only q
few DAYS ago his father was stricken with
disease and died, and this new grief will rest
heavy on the hearts of family and friends.
THE FOURTH BODY
was brought in at length and deposited on
the long counter, and for some time no one
could recognize it. The flames had spared
form and clothing, as with two others, and
the twc-score Of men lii the store drew back
and waited. at length an old man, hall
frantic with fear and excitement, was admit
ted, and he at once rushed to the body.
He could not recognize the features. as
those of his son, though he looked again anu
AGAIN, and he was turning away with great
burden lifted from his heart, when thought
sutldenlp-came- to him. lie rushed back,
threw of the sheet, rolled up one of the
pants-lees until he could see the boot-top,
and then he fell back with Shrek and a
groan which brought tears to many eyes. He
had made tie boots for his son, and some
mark enabled him to recognize them. For
some moments he walled and sobbed like a
child, and the sight Of the gray-headed old
man, wringing his hands in anguish, sent
more than one from the store. The name OF
the boy was Henry Gcigcr, his age about
eighteen, and bis home was on Catharine
street. He was the order clerk.