The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-03-26

RETURN OF ME. IH0S. doRhbkoOks-
Mr.. Thos. Hornbrook and daughter, Miss
Dors, who have been spending several
weeks at the Arkansas Hot Springs, re.
turned homo yesterday, arriving on the
steamer Andes about noon. We had the
pleasure Of a conversation with Mr.:
Hornbrook during the afternoon, and
learned some interesting particulars Of
his trip, which proved to be quite an
eyentfIl one.
Nj. Hornbrook and daughter went to
Hot Springs about Eve weeks ago, and
were al that famous resort for inyalids at
the time the great ere, which destroyed
the larger part Of the town, occurred.
Mr.. Hornbrook gives agraphic account
OF the conAagration, the details OF which
have already been made public. About
2 o'clock in the morning our Wheeling
friends were aroused from their slumbers
by an alarm OF FIRE, and Immediately q
panic ensued. Mr.. Hornbrook arose
with the rest, and after ascettaining that
the flames were about seven houses distant
from the hotel, returned to bed and was
soon asleep. He did this, he assures US, for
the purpose OF calming the fears Of sew.
eral' ladies who were In the party. The
flames spread so rapidly, however,
that within three-quarters Of an hour
from the time the fire was first discovered
Mr.. Hornbrook and his friends were
compelled to seek new quarters. A cou-
ple Of gentlemen whom Mr.. Hornbrook
had met in q newspaper office in the town,
but with whom he had no personal &C.
quaintance, sought him out OF the crowd
and carried his trunks to a place OF sale.
". Here they were accosted by q lady
resident OF the town, who rendered them
the hospitality OF her home, which was
accepted with thanks.
MI. Hornbrook and daughter remained
at the residence OF their new friend for
eight days after the FIRE, when they LETT
for Little Rock. From Little Book they
went to Memphis, and after spending
three days in that city took passage on
the steamer James W. Gaff for Louisville
Ky. Their original intention was to re-
main in Memphis a day or 80 longer and
make the trip up the river on n OF the
Rne New Orleans steamers, which pass
that point frequently, but they were SC
we'll pleased with the CAT that upon
her arrival they Immediately engag.
ed ~state.rooms. Had their first pro.
gramme been carried out they would
doubtless have experienced q mild
repetition OF the Hot Springs
holocaust, as the following evening the
hotel at which they had been stopping
1.-THE Peabody was partially destroyed by
fire, the loss being about $4,000. More.
over, the rooms they had occupied were
situated in thst part OF the building
which suffered from the FIRE.
But our travellers heard nothing Of this
FIRE until their arrival at Cairo, and 1t
may be we'll believed they congratulated
themselves upon their escape from a
Claxtonian experience at the Peabody.
Yet their adventures were not yet over.
At Evansville, Mr.. Hornbrook suddenly
decided TO leave the boat and proceed TO
Cincinnati by rail. About $50 P. M. on
Wednesday he and his daughter left the
steamer, which struck a snag and sank in
the middle Of the river that same night.
Arriving at Cincinnati, the travellers
spent a day or so with friends, and on
Friday took passage on the Andes for
home. Upon going aboard the steamer
Mr.. Hornbrook related TO Capt Muhle.
man his experience by fire and water
during the past few weeks, and asked him
il he would risk taking them. The Cap.
tain took the matter very good humored.
ly, and gave them a hearty welcome.
During the remainder Of their journey
nothing transpired worthy Of note.
Mr.. Hornbrook, w are glad to be able
to say, returns home much improved In
health. He declares that he feels ten
years younger than when he started, and
he looks It. He tookno medicine during
his absence, and attributes his improved
health AMPLY to "lhree square meals a
day and nothing to do but talk"