Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-12-30
A Eo,el pcnre.

dRrAr CONFUSION AT THE CLAYTON HousE-TRAIY-
ING the d" FIREMEN'-IHE GUESTS PREpARING
FOR A nAsTT EXIT.
A laughable, though at the time somewhat Sc
rious, incident occurred at the Clayton House,
yesterday afternoon. hIonontary confusion
reigned throughout the building, til guests led
precipitately dowD the sialrways in terror, and
some lady visitors have not b9en seen, since the
occurrence by their friends in the hotel
Insurance companies, it seems, lessen the
rick upon hotels accordingly as they are pruvid-
ed againat fire. That is to say, upon those ho-
tells which nave we'll organized force of fire.
men, ready for an emergency. both the premium
note aud the annual interest thereon mate
rally lessOne1-enough 40 to make it an object
to keep such fOrcs within tho building. II
was the desire OF Col Sawyer to avail himself
OF this advantage in insurance which led to the
scene we are about to describe; but he had
| neglected to make the fact known to his guests
and the whole affair appeared to them dread
| ful reality.
The Clayton House, it will be remembered by
| those who have made inspection of the building
10 well provided with apparatus in case Of fire A
standing pipe extends TO the top Of the building
| and even out upon the roof and upon each floor
| long lines of hose are connected therewith that
| Hood OF water may be preclpitated upon all or
| any part OF the hotel. There are no fire escapes
and upon the efficiency with which this hose ap-
aratus is applied in of fire depends the safe
| ty Of tho building Therefore, there is great
| need for an organized force to man it. Col.
| Sawyer, yesterday, undertook to impart to his
force Of tremen (tho servants) their first lesson,
and how well they followed out his instructions
| the sequel will show.
| The servants were distributed about on the
sleeping hoors while the lower floors were en-
| trusted to the culinary department. At signal
| from the Colonel, the hose having first been
| removed from tho pegs where it is usually
| kept, the " hremen" bounded through the door
/ ways OF the central stairway, dragging tho hose
| along behind them, while one on the lead i'm
/ itating the conduct of tiremen in regular
service, improyzed with his hand a horn which
sent shrlll cry throughout the building This
startled the guests who with one accord rushed
| for their doors, and suppOspg the building to
| be on hre, some ran preclpitately down the
| BtairWays and out into the street, though the
| most OF them were stopped in the Office and the
/ situation explained to them. Others excitedly
| began to remove their wardrobes and furniture,
| and 1t is related of one guest that in order to
| save some highly priced furniture he raised the
window and placing it outside went 80 far as to
notify those below to 'clear the way" His win
dow was thirty or forty feet from tho ground
Another guest, the agent of a well-known
newspaper, 1t is said, seized his musical instru-
ment "a fayorite guitar), his chfomos, wardrobe,
| DC, and burdened with them was hastily quit
| ting the building, when the truth was commune
Gated to him and he returned to his room to
soothe his troubled spirits. 1t is not true that
| he threw his looking glass out the window az
reported. Even Col. SAwyers own family were
| ignorant that the trial was to take place, and
| one member Of it tainted.
All is quiet about the Clayton. to-day, but last
night many hearty laughs were INDUCED in as
the guests related their experiences in the gem
erai terror Of the moment