The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-28
Sacramento Union, Jan. H.
BURNED TO DEATH,
A Terrible story From the Pacific
COast-DestructiOn of IA Sacramento
Hotel by FIrc-ScveraI Persons
Roasted Alive.

COast-DestruCtiOn of a sacramento
Hotel by Firc-ScveraI Persons
Roasted Alive.
The whole upper portion of the house
was thoroughly painted and finished with
China glass, which the fire ran along as
rapidly as a man could walk, owing to its
great inflamabiity, and tho smoke given
off was as heavy and thick as might be ex-
pccted from the burning of vast quantity
of varnish. Soon it was found that the en-
gines were powerless to stop the spreading
of the dcvouring element and suddenly,
and almost as If of one accord, scores Of
men and women In the crowds that lined
the street bethougbt them that probably
many of the occupants of The upper portion
of the building had
FAILED To MAKE THEIR ESCAPE.
The fremen redoubled their cxeItions,
being ably directed by the chief engineer
and his assistant. The absence of ladders
of serviceabe length was much felt, but
after some valuable time had been lost two
long ones from Krob's paint shop were pro-
cured and did good service. Just before
they arrived man was seen to look out of
a rear window in the third story of the
doomed building, and the men in the alley
called to him to lie Hat upon the floor and
wait for the ladder, but he disappeared so
quickly that he probably heard none of the
advice given. Anotln man ran out upon
the rear balcony of the second story, and
was advised to jump down, bur Ii, fastened
back into the building Neither n them
was seen again. As s,n,i Il, the ladder was
placed against the rear of the building, As
sistant Engineer Sullivan assembled 10 look
for the men that had necn seen. S,n,,oolng
a window with his hat, he jumped into the
building and disappeared, while the smoke
poured out furiously from the opening he
had made. A few seconds later he reap
peared nearly suifocatcd, and it was evil
dent that he had failed in the object of his
search.
ONE OF TIE VICTIMS FOUND.
Gradually the firemeu succeeded in driv-
ing the fire from the front and lower por-
tons of the building, and bursting in a
q door in the upper story that opened from
a long hall, running the whole length of
the house, out upon the front balcony they
found the body of man lying just back
of it, the face badly blistered, hair burned
off, the hands and feet roasted until the
bones pro;ruded. Ropes were procured,
the body lowered to the ground and pres
emily conveyed to the Office of the
coroner. AS the remains were being low
cred from the balcony murmur of horror
rose from the assembled multitude. 1t was
subsequently found that the body was that
of Simeon B. Conklin, a we'll known prin-
| ter, tor many years employed in the Union
office. From the description given it was
evident he was the man that ran out upon
the balcony and then returned to the build.
| ing. The imagination can picture him in
| his flight from that end of the building, on
the second floor, to the front of the third
| floor where, Just rs he reached the door
the opening of which would have given
him life, his strength failed and he fell. A
wound was found on his forehead, and the
report spread that the unfortunate man
had
BLOWN HIS BRAINS OFT
to put an end to his misery but such was
not the case, the hurt having probably
been occasioned by his striking against
something in his rush for life. Soon after
wards there came rumor of other bodies
having been taken from the rear of the
building, but the report was incorrect. The
positive fact that one life had been lost
served, however, TO fill the minds of all
with the most painful apprehensions, as il
was known that the hotel had been nearly
full of guests, among them being many
ladies'. Two of the latter were very ill.,
and rumor had it that they had moi
been rescued, but we are happy
to be able to state that they were re.
moved from the building before the fire
reached their rooms. 1t was also found by
the printers that another popular member
of the craft, Job Court, was known to have
been in the hotel, had not been seen tC
leave 1t, and fears were expressed that he
had been lost. The excitement of the as
sembled multitude became intense II
seemed an age before the fire gave evidence
of succumbing, and even then its fur,
ceased only because it had exhausted the
material upon which it fed. At 4:3O
however, the tiremen thought they were
MASTERS OF THE SITUATION,
and proprietors of adjoining stores, who
had feared that the coni1agration might eX
tend to their premises, become less anxious
About Q o'clock the engines ceased work
ing and hydrant streams were employed
Between aud 8 o'clock officers Dunley)
aud Harry Luft, while searching in thu
upper story, found lying upon pile OF
pulp. which had evidently been bed il
one of the rooms. a horribly distiguret
corpse. The surroundings indicated Tho
deceased had been suffocated in bed. TIL,
arms and legs were nearly burned off. al
was also the head in fact, little was lief
except the trunk of the body. The re
mains appeared to be those of small per
son, and physicians who have seen then
Judge from the bones that the deceased wal
boy about sixteen years of age. Yester
day forenoon officer Dunlevy and two OF
three other men searched the ruins of til,
building; and about noon found in hall il
The upper story, about fifteen or twenty
feet from the rear of the building,
ANOTHER BODY,
which had been so covered with debris tina
it had been passed and repassed many
times. 1t also had been shockngly burn
ed--almost out of sembance to humanity
but from the size. and the fact that the dc
ceased had evidently worn red flame
drawers, it is supposed to be the body o
Job Court.
He it was that appeared at the third storl
window and glanced out with that terror
stricken look which none that saw it will
ever forget. Beneath his body were fount
strips of window curtain, which he haC
evidently endeavored to manufacture int,
rope; but the terrible smoke cloud strucI
him down before he could accomplish hi
design, and while poor Conklin lay dying
a horrible death at the front end of TIN
hall, his old-time friend with whom for tn
past two or three years he had occupie,
the same GALLEY" in the Uaion Office, wa
breathing his last in torture at the othe
extremity.
MARROW ESCAPES.
Among the occupants of the Westerl
was James Cover. He had gone up tn hi
room to change his shirt, and was in tn
act when the bell struck. At frat he pait
no attention to the matter, but a momen
later the thought struck him that it would
be as well to look out, and he started TO
the front of the building. AS he entered
the hall he found it full Of smoke, whicl
rapidly increased in density, and his effort
to reach the front failed. Attempting t
retrace his steps he found himself in DANCE
| af au ffocatiou au1 Ind IN ret down am