The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1873-04-04
albang gsgister,


pletely destroyed by fire. MFR. John
Murray, father-in-law of the landlord
OF the hotel, Mr.. Mcconnell, was
burned up with the building. The
following account Of the terrible dis
aster Is takeR from an EXTRA" issued
from the Office of the Corvallis Gazette.
CORVALLIS, March 20. 1873.
At halt past one O'Clock this morn
ing, our citizens were again aroused
by the fearful cry of FIRE" and be-
fore the alarm became very general.
the City Hotel was completely envel-
oped IN flames. So rapid did the fire
spread that nearly all of the inmates
barely escaped in their night clothes.
ene, Mr. John Murray. father-in-law
Of Mr., Mcconnell the proprietor. was
undoubtedly burned alive. Such a
wild scene was never before witnessed
IN Corvallis. Men, women and chill
iren escaped from the burning pile,
aud rushed out into a cDld r,in-stor,n.-
clad only In their night clothes and
under garments. A few articles. Of
furniture and clothing were saved from
the rooms OF Mrs. Mcconnell and Mrs.
Thorn. Father Gibney, Frank John
son and John l.. Simpson savetl them
selves by cIimbing,bwn the lamp-post
and others got ont. they scarcely
know how. Mr.. Mcconnell. after the
atairs were partially on fire. rushed
up to Mr.. Al. Rightsman's room, and
after great effort, succeeded in awaking
him. III returning Mr.. Mcconnell
was very badly burned about the head
and neck. Mr.. Rightsman, with more
preseuce of mind and pluck than rs
usual lMdersuch circumstances. dressed
himself. But by that time ii was i'm
possible for him to escape by the stairs.
His only chance Of escape was by a
window, intgOing through which one
Of bis boot heels caught and kept him
aHpended,until his hands became con-
Aideably scOFched-tinally he strlg-
gled loose andsslGl down the side Of the
house, receiving NO serious injury.
Frank Johnson lest all bis clothing.
gold witch, some money, and cut one
Il his feet very severely while break
ing through the window.
JOhMIA Simpson lost his coat and
shout seventy dollars IN coin--One
hand was badly burned. Two twenty
dollar pieces were picked out Of the
rains Immediately ander his room.
Otto Fox lost part of bis clothing.
boots etc. Jack Sheppard lost all,
except his pants. Others lost more or
less Of'tlleiF clothing.
The entire building, furniture and
ilxtures. including the woolshed and
Ontbuildings, were a total loss. Brit
all other losses were as nothing when
compared with the loss Of John Muir.
cay. All the inmates Of the house ex-
eept him esclpetlS 1t appears that
Mr. Mcconnell, John Murray and an
other lnan, known as Mike, ;" left Mr..
CtShman's saloon at | o'clock A. NJ.
Mr. Mcconnell testities that they pro-
ueetRtl directly tOytlle hotel. and that
he put Mr.. Murray to bed in room No.
s, and the other man in room No, 6,
and went Immediately to his own bed;
At half past one o'clock the alarm Of
fire was given, and when first diSgoy-
cred was under great he;ulway. The
erigin Of the fire Is. unknown, and
whether it started, above or below
stairs is a disputed point.
As so0n as the clmrred remains
so,lld be gathered from tte ruins. a
ltary was summoned, and an inquest
held upOu the same, with the following
VERDICT.
We the COEOncr's Jury. find the re-
mains 80 much consumed by fire by
ti,e burning of the City Hotel in Cor
wallis, as not to be recognized, bat are
eatisfie,l that they ne tie remains Of
a human being, aAd believe them to
be the remains of John Murray, who
was known to be in said hotel and is
beIieve,Lt 10 have been burned 10 death
therein.
Geo. Mercer, Jos. Llggett, L. Foley,
Hsnry Emrick, A. K. Pixley,- Daniel
Drake, jury.
4. j. RIGHT. Coroner. Benton Go.
The fire alarm was by no meaus gen.
eraI-but the citizens and, fremell
preent deserve great credit for the
aoble manner in which they worked.
q required almost superhunnln efforts
TO prevent the flames from spreading.
SOile ikea OF this may be conceived
when It is kllOAyn that the fire was
checked ia the building where 1t origi-
aated when a FOw OF frame buildings
came up 70. within two feet Of tile
tsOtel- 1t seens IRaOst incredible, and,
ret IL Is true. The heat WIS 10 great
It the Cistern, some togty feet from the
ire.. that nleti. could not stand it to
cork the brakes without being drench-
I'd by the ll0se every few minutes.
For awhile, big Ski played three
4hEe;Ins, and during tlle.entiFe fire did
inOst effective service.
Mrs. Knight. millinen was greatly
Damaged by water and inOKing her
goods. r. r. Grefoz, jawsler, also