The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-04-14
The son,hern Hotel Fire.

again al Inc Southern HUtel ruins TIL
morning, and shortly afterwards the BODY
OF woman was found on the Fourtt
street side of the hotel, but it was 81
much burned and dishgured that 1t coulc
not be recognized. 1t was taken to the
morgue 10 await further Developments
The Board of Police Commissioner
held special meeting yesterday after
noGn, at which there was free discus
sion regarding the fire, the substance o.
which was that the most thorough inves
tigation into The cause of the fire and it.
management should be made. A resolu
tion was adopted tending the coroner the
service of the officers and Police Depart.
ment In making his investigation into
the matter.
No more bodies have been found up
to the present wrtlng,2 Pm. Charles
w. Shepherd, one OF the proprletors OF
the hotel, gives the opinion that none OF
the employees of the house, excepting
those heretofore reported were killed,
About twenty of them are still unac-
counted for, but it is believed they are
still alive and are either with friends In
remote parts OF the city or have left
town. Of the guests thirty-eight have
not reported, but the reasonable pre-.
sumption is, that most of them left the
city the day following the fire, or have
since departed. The remains of George
and Frank Gouley, Grand Masonic
Secretary, were removed to Grand Lodge
room in Masonic Hall this morning,
where they will lie IN state till Sunday,
when the funeral will take place. Ex-
teniive preparations are being made for
the sad event. Numerous delegations OF
Masons, from this and surrounding
States, will be present, and will particI-
pate in the ceremonies. The body of
Mrs. w. e. Stewart will be taken to
Syracuse, her former home, for burial
The coroner will not begin his inves-
vestigation till Mondey, bu! will then
make very thorough inquiries into
the facts in connection with the fire.
The jury will probably consis: of some
OF the most prominent and practical cit
izens of the city. Another body of a
man has just beeh found, about five feet
from that of the woman discovered this
morning. The BODY has not been recog-
nized as yet, and probably will not be,
as it Is very badly burned, and came to
pieces while being removed.
The remains taken from the ruins last
evening, supposed to be those OF child,
proved, on examination to-day, ~ be
those of dog. The bodies OF the man
and woman found to-day have been iden-
titled as II j. Clark and wife, of North
Adams, Massachusetts,. The lady Wa
identified by the dress abe wore and the
man by HE watch.
j. +. Russell, chief engineer of
the hotel, made q statement
of his experience on the night ofthe fire,
which throws some light upon the origin
OF the ire. He says that he LETT the en-
CINE room at ll:4O, leaving an assistant
IN charge, and went TO his room on the
fifth floor, near the baggage elevator. He
was aroused about five minutes past one
by the shrieks OF women. He hurried
out and found the hall filled with smoke,
which came from the freight elevator,
but saw no fire. he started for the so Ith
part of the house with view 10 descend
by the servant stairway. He was obliged
10 crawl On his hands aud knees to pre-
vent sutiocation, the smoke was so dense.
There were number OF women on the
fifth floor, crying piteousiy for help,
whom he told TO follow him to the lower
floor. Some did so, and others were too
apparently, to q" rs he direct
ed. Finally ne reached The Ginlng room
floor. passed into the kitchen and descend
ed to the basement. Here be found the
smoke very dense, and that the pumps
with the engine had been in
operation, and that some employees had
been throwing water on the fire, which
ut the time WAS raging furlously in the
store room. A nozzle had been blown of
before he reached the basement. Another
was put on, and he then put the pumps
at work again and turned the stream on
the fire. This WAS continued till the fire
became so hot and spread SO far that all
were obliged to flee Tor their lives. They
made their exit through the basement
under the rear part Of the building and
emerged on EN- street The sccount
does not state how long the fire had been
burning othc knowledge at lesst o, sew
ersl of the employees Of the house, before
the fire alarm WAS turned, but 1t does
show, and conclu;ively, thst efforts were
made to subdue it before the guests in the
house were aroused or any attempt made
to notify them that the building was burn
ing. 1t seems to be pretty certain
at all events, and 1t is extensively believed
that the hotel was known to be on fire
by the employees from twenty minutes
to half hour before the fire department
was notified. Russei also states that
there Was pile Of mattresses in 1ne cor
ner Of the store room and lot OF loose
hair, and about FIVE feet from them on
the ii oor Was bJx in which the stock
of matches was kept. lie thinks the mat
tresses and matches hsd slgood deal 20 do
with the origin of tLe fire, but did not.
know anything definite about 1t.
Tho following guests nj the hotel On
the night OF the ire are still unaccounted
tor. Ii the list should meet the eye Of
any mentioned b. will relieve the great
anxle,y felt by tr.egrsphng to Breslen,
Daring Il Co., propr!etors Of the hotel,
thst he !: SAT-: + F. Brown, GeorgetoTn; /;
A. Cusisu, Cairo; K. A. HeIning, New
York; b. Hal, Providence; 5 L.
Keavey, New York; Il. L. Obey
sId NJ. w. Lotson, Indianapolis; w. :.
Monroe. New York; K (. J. Miles,
Cincinnati; D. ". MARSHAL, Cleveland;
Il. ). Porter, Indianapolis; Aaolph
Schwind, New YORK; }. H. Weston,
j. b. Lulte'y, New York a.
PhlladeIphls. These names
may not all be entirey accurate, butthey
are believed to Dc nearly so. Ot the ser
wants, sll but very few have reported,
and TIE proprietors OF the hotel DO rot
think that any were burned. Besides
those mentioned on Wednesday, except
ing, perhaps, Charles hls!Hicht, the
head waiter, of whom nothing nas been
hesrd since the fire. The sst seen Of
him he Vas going through the tn story,
srousiag the guests of the house, and It
Is feared that ne was overcome by the
smoke and fell victim 10 his noble I'M
pulses TO ssve the lives OF others.
To-aIieve tho anxiety b ch prevails Q