The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-05-31
FIRE AND Loss OF LIFE.



HAeEnsrowS, Nh, May a--About O'Clock this
morning the people In this city were startled from
their slumbcr by an alarm 81 nv, and Il was soon
Sseettalea mat the Msshinsao onse SITUATED On
place. In flames and the lives Of many Of is in
mates imperiied The citizens thus suddenly arous'
grafton,
The dire apparai,is, consisting of Two steam and
two hand engines aud hook and ladder trnck, were
promptly ol The spot and did good service, Tut 0w
Ing 10 defective hose and an Inadequate supply Of
water, were unable 10 snbdue the hFe. The entlre
house and contents werc consumed aud cunsiiefa.
BILE damage done 10 adjoining property. The waller
supply consisted Of eleven eternk Of which the two
neafe the scene Of The disaster We're soon exhaust
cd. The hotel was LANCE f0urstory brick building
on the main street. near the court house and In the
heart OF the town. il adouble building, Lshape
with hall and stairway In the centre. There was
Waterman employed about the premises, and the
IRE first discovered BY Of the porters alter
Il had already gained considerable headway. il
seemed 10 have originated under the stairs III the
hall on the inst hOar and spread rapidly, that il
had web nigh covered that entirc hoor before any
alarm was sounded or any effort made 10 arouse the
guests. Then followed scene of CONSERVATION and
confusion that was agonixing 20 behold The hotel
was crowded 10 lis utmost capacity. there being
enty-two guests Ia the house, iorty-two or whom
were transient and many Of them PARTIES Ia attend
ance ON court, which Is now IN session. As the
MY a.oseu aa .nsy Iusnel hso Their
cd a sea OF flame and many being etnAngers aud un-
familiar with the premises looked IN vain for some
other means of exit than the stairway and hall,
flames up which they were sucked In the furious
dnught Returning 70 their rooms many escaped
nom the windows by climbing down the balconies
from post 10 post; othen were rescued by ladders
o,hers sought to eseape by ropes made OF their bed
elo1hing and Others Jumped from the windows a.
ihe risk Of their lives as % remain was certain
death. Many of these we've badly crippled; Others
fell into the burning mas and were dangerously in
lurcd. The corpse OF man with his hands and feet
burned OF, and otherwise horribly mangled. was
taken from the ruins. Il Is supposed 10 be the re-
mains Of Ihos. rroxell, OF Cumberland. who was at
tending iiagerstown rs witness In the case OF john
c. Thomas va the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad 1le
leaves a wife and six children
The list of injured rs far ascertain Is as follows
:. b. snively. Shady Grove, Pa. supposed f8taiy in
lurcd, tendon OF the knee cut and body burned
MI !. b. Cushwa, ankle sprained and foot cut BY
cd; J. Marshal Iands, mteiy of Frederick severely
burned about face and hands and laeerated by
climbing; Christian Hauicha OF Cumberland legs
broken and head and face injured; Frank r Bur.
gess, agent OF Turner 4 Co.. Baltimore thigh broken
IN two places and badly cut Michael Shannon, OF
II. Exline, OF Hancock, Nd, hin broken; be attempt
20 lower himself with bed clothes and whilst going
down the rope broke and he fell from distance q
three stories. SolomUs. Jenkns,i of Hancock, both
ankles broken and back injured C.. Henninger of
Cumberland, ankle broken. i 6 supposed that
some other bodies are buried in the ruins though
nothing definite can be aseertained as the hoiei
register was destroyed.
In the panic MANY thrilling incidents occurred
MT. samuel IL. Dorsey, Of Baltimore, was burned
about the face In resctling his friends Mrs pattcr
son, daughter and child, Of baltimore, who were
siuppiIg tncfe. ittc enid was thruWn 10 the
ground by its mother frum third-stOry. hut mirac
ulously escaped unburt One Of the inmates in en-.
deavoring % escape frum the fourth story by rope
OF bedelothe fell 10 the ground and was badly hurt
None OF the guests saved anything but the soanty
clothing In which they were rescued The fire Is
supposed TO have been the work OF ineendiAries,
every preeantion was taken to guard against IRE
The estimated value Of the building Se5O01
It's assessed value being $1,000. The loss almost
wholly covered by insurance The personal effects
Of the proprietress Mn Middletud were insured
for 5000. Holman Eyerly. who occupied one OF
the store rooms in the building, were insured TO the
amount of sL0o0 which fully covers their losses
Adams Express Company, who also occupied one of
the lower rooms lost all Its records and packages
hand. ID. s Hartc, proprietor of Washington Iousc
saloon, lost his entire stock. amounting ~ Slpg g.
r. McComas was insured for slEa1 The losses
among the guests, as nearly can be learned were
"A. H. Almony, 500 Milton Knodle eveythingex-
cept snit OF clothes; Thomas j. Iiil personal effects
insured for 500 In North British and Mercantile of
England; T. b. Cuihwa, insured for $500; Judge Geo
A. reGrre lost 500 In money and very valuable
gold watch, The Judge saved nothing but his night
attire. b. j. snively, OF Shady Grove. Pa. who was
IN the fourth story, threw his pocketbook, contain
ing 81 100 out Of the window aud then attempted to
escape by means c: blankets tied together but fell
distance Of thirty feet receiving injuries principal
" Internally, which will probably result In death
,. W. Hayes residing In the property adjoining the
hotel. sustained considerable damage Insured for
SION. G. IL. Herbert, restaurant, damage fully COW
cred by ~ 1nn insurance.