Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-06-04
of the Wa shing-
ton Hotel, HagefstowTi 4. Md
Many Persons InjuJ ed and
One Burned to DeatF Thrill
ing scenes and Exp eriences


ing scenes and Exp eriences.
HAGERsTowN, Md. MAJ 29.-About
. O'Clock this morning the people in this
city were startled from ieir slumbers
by an alarm OF fire, and t was soon as
certained that the Was' iington House.
situated on washington street, and the
principal hotel Of the place, was in
flames and the hives OF many of its in
mates imperiled. TIE citizens, thus
suddenly aroused froCn their sleep, has
tened to the scene OF con6agraton.
The fire apparatus. consisting If two
steam and two hand engines and hook
and ladder truck, were promptly on the
spot, and did good service, but, owing
to adjective hose and an inadequate sup
by Of water, were unable TO subdue the
| FIRE until the entire house and contents
were consumed and considerable DAM
age done to adjoining property. The
water supply consisted of eleven els
serns, OF which the two nearest the
tcene Of the disaster were soon exhaust
ed. Many Of the others we're too far
distant to be available. The hotel was
a large four story brick building, on the
main street, near the court house, and
in the heart CT the town. The first floor
was reached by long stairways from the
street, the lower story being used for
stores. 1t was a double building, l.
shape, with hall aud stairway in the
centre and dining room in the back
building. The means of ingress and
egress were bad. TWAS built by a joint
stock company in 1856, but was alter
wards sold to individuals, and at the
time ofthe fire belonged to Drs. Jos.
A. Smith, D. l.. Hammond and Ed
ward w. Mealey. and the miner chill
dren Of {. G. Baldwin, heirs OF the late
Hon. J. D. Roman. There was no
Waterman employed about the prem
ises, and the fire was first discovered
by one of the porters after 1t had al
ready gained considerable Roadway. 1t
seemed to have originated under the
stairs IN the hall on the first
floor, and spread rapidly, so that ii had
well nigh covered that entire floor be-
fore any alarm was sounded or any
effort made to arouse the guests. Then
! followed a scene of conservation and
confusion that was agonlzing to behold
The hotel was crowded to its utmost
capacity, there Deing seFenty-two guests
in the house, forty-tw0 of whom were
transient, and many OF them parties in
attendance on court, which is now in
session here. AS the boarders were
aroused and they rushed from their
apartments the lower stories OF the
building appeared a sea OF flame, and
many, being strangers and unfamiliar
with the premises, looked in vain Tor
some other means of exit than the STAIR
way and hall, which had become a
chimney for the SETTLING flames, up
which they were sucked in the furious
draught. Returning to their room.
many escaped from the windows by
climbing down the balconies from post
to post; others were rescued by lad
ders; Others sought to escape by ropes
made of their bed clothing, and Others
jumped from the windows at the risk oil
their lives, as to remain was certain
death, Many of these were badly Grip
pied; others fell into the burning mass
and were dangerously injured. The
corpse of a man with his hands and feet
burned of aud otherwise horribly man
gled was taken from the ruins. 1t is
supposed to be the remains OF Thomas
Troxell, of Cumberland, who was at
tending Hagerstown as a witness IN the
case OF John c. Thomas VS.. the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad. lie leaves a
wife and six children.
The list ofiniured as far as ascertain
ed is as follows: +, b. Snively, Shady
Grove, Pa, supposed fatally injured,
tendon of the knee Gu! and body burned
Mrs. T. B. Cushwa, ankle sprained and
foot cut by climbing down back porch
Miss Geary, ankle sprained; j. Mar
shall Lands, lately of Frederick, ser
verely burned about face and hands and
laceiated by climbing Christian Hani-
cha, of Cumberland, legs broken and
head and face injured Frank F. Bur-
cess. agen Of Turner 4 Co., Baltimore,
thigh broken in two places and badly
cut Michael Shannon, Of Cumberland,
oth wrists and back broken James
II. EXline. ofHancOck, Nd, hip broken
he attempted to lower himself with bed
clothes, and whilst going down the rope
broke and he fell from distance of
three stories Solomon Jenkins, Of
Hancock, both ankles broken and back
injured C. Henninger, Of Cumberland,
ankle broken. 1t is supposed that some
other bodies are buried in the ruins,
though nothing definite can be ascer-
tanned, as the hotel register was de-
stroyed.
In the panic many thrilling incidents
occurred. Mr.. Samuel II. Dorsey, of
this city, was burned about the face in
rescung his friends, Mrs. Patterson,
daughter and child, Of Baltimore, who
were stopping there. A little child was
thrown TO the ground by its mother from
third.story window, but miraculously
escaped unhurt. One of the inmates,
IN endeavonng to escape from the fourth
stor, by a rope of bedclothes, fell to
the ground and was badly hurt, None
Of the guests saved anything but the
scanty clothing in which they were res
cued. The fire is supposed to have
been the work OF inccndiaries. as every
precaution was teken to guard against
fire
The estimated value of the building
was $4,000 It's assessed value being
$4,000. The loss was almost wholly
covered by insurance, as follows ::
Franklin, Philadelphia, $500; Pho =
nix, Hartford, $500; German. Balti-
more. $4,000; Baltimore. Baltimore,
$4,000 Germania, New York, $4,000 !;
Mutual, 0! Washington county, $4,000.
The personal effects Of the proprietress,
Mrs. Middletauh, were insured for &C.
900, in Meriden, Of Connecticut. and
Western, Of Toronto, Canada. Hoffman
& Eyerly, who occupied one of the store
rooms in the building, were insured TO
the amount of $4,000 in a Baltimore
company, which fully covers their losses.
Adams Express Company, who also oc-
cupied one Of the lower rooms, lost all
its records and packages on hand. D.
5. Harlie, proprietor of Washington
House saloon, lost his entire stock,
amounting 10 $1,000; G.. E. McCOmas
was insured for 1880 in the Mutual OF
Washington county. The losses among