Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-04-16

gle to the terrible death before them. But
the climax of the situation had not been
reached till Nelly McCarty, one of the
dining-room girls, appeared at the south
ern attic window and proposed to cast
herself to the ground, forty feet below.
A warning cry arose from the crowd, but
the poor girl would not retreat, and with
a wild cry of despair she cast herself forth
and fell. pitiful mass of broken bones,
upon the pavement. The flames were
now spreading so rapidly that every one
turned to rescue his own property. Masses
Of sparks and burning shingles were fall
ing on the roofs around. In haitian hour
the greater part Of the town was
burning, and women were rushing
wildly to the fields, dragging their chill
dren after them. No water was to be got,
and no resistance was made after the
first feeble effort The scene at the Han
lon House was only repetition of that
which hardly minute before had taken
place at the Central, which was only
across q narrow street The proprietors
MADE every effort to alarm the guests and,
from the fact that all the remains had
clothing upon them, had undoubtedly
succeeded in their duty, but they were
forced to fee, and when the flames had
subsidized three human bodies were OBJ
served TO be roasting in the ruins, and a
like number were exposed to view upon
the Goals OF the Central.
The dead so far discovered Though al
most undoubtedly further search among
the debris Of the Central will discover
more) are Nora CAVITY, dining-room girl 5;
Captain Oliver, of the Rynd Farm, guest
at the Central; Butcher George, porter at
the Central; Sanford Acker, guest at the
HaHlon House; Philip Martin, guest at
the Hanlon House; q young man I'M
known, guest at the Hanlon House. The
registers of both hotels were lost. Nelly
McCarty was removed to the house OF o
friend, and after receiving the holy sacra-
ment according TO the Catholic faith un-
der~ ent an examination by the surgeons.
who despair of her recovery, as she is in
jured internally.
The general opinion is that the fire
originated from escaping gas, but the
Central Hotel people claim that It must
have been the work of an incendiary.
Reports Of the fire were slow TO be cred
tied at Petrolia, Harms City, and other
towns throughout the lower country. 1t
being All Fools day, many were under
the impression that it was grand sell I;
but by two o'clock in the morning nu-
merous parties who had been eye-wit-
nesses appeared, and their candor could
no longer be doubted. Ere long not a
horse nor wagon could be obtained at any
price, as all had been hired to visit the
scene of the conflagration. Various ru-
mors were extensively circulated regard
ing the loss Of lives, some getting as high
as fifteen and twenty, and none giving it
below what it really was. 1t is safe to
say that no excitement ever happened in
Butler County calling out as many peo-
pie, all anxious 10 render any assist
ance in their power. The surround
ing towns COLD not boast of more
than corporsl's guard, as all who could
get away had gone to Millerstown. For
time the oil excitement was virtually
banished, and the topic Of conversation
turned to the details of the confagration.
In the street offensive odors are percepti-
BILE, being blown from the ruins constant
ly, and it is generally supposed that the
loss of life is greater than at present as
certained. The remains of seven crisp
bodies have been lying in the lookup
all day, where they have been witnessed
by thousands. Many turned from the
horrible sight with tears in their eyes.
Operators, and all parties either directly
or Indirectly concerned, pronounce 1t the
most distressing scene they have ever
looked upon in this country. When
morning broke nearly hundred families
were seen in the fields, protecting and
seeking shelter among their goods.