Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-06-07
THE GREAT FIRE AT HA-
GERSTOWN.
DESTRUCTION OF THE WASH
INGTON HOUSE.
ONE MAN BURNT AND OTHERS
INJURED JUMPING FROM
THE HOUSE.
From the Hagerstown Mail.

From the Hagerstown Mail.
The Washington House, the newest
and largest hotel in Hagerstown, oppo-
site the Old Bank, formerly "The
Globe" which was rebuilt and compile
ted in 1855 is now a mass of ruins. 1t
was four stories high, the three upper
ones being occupied as a hotel and the
lower front floor by the Adams Express
Office and Hartles Saloon, on the east
side of the entrance, and by the harness
mandatory of J. Z. CcComas and dry
goods store of Hoffman S Eyeriy on
the west.
The fire broke out about l2 o'clock
and by 1,2 the destruction was com
plete. The flames did not extend be-
yond the house. The night was beau
tifuly bright and calm, and as there
was bountiful supply of water in the
different cisterns there was no danger
of an extension of the flames, at any
time, although the two steamers and a
hand engine did exhaust the supply in
the Public Square, sooner than would
have been the case had the fire engines
been distributed more generally.
The progress of the flames was very
rapid, and had it not been that the
house on the west had slate root, and
the small out-buildings, including the
'Globe" office, were well secured with
49,, ,oof, tbo,o ,ronIl bavn bnnu GREAT
danger. About three-quarters OF an
hour after the fire commenced the cen
tire of the east wall fell out and upon
the back building of Mr. Barbers house,
occupied as part of the store OF Mr.
Gibson, crushing it in. Mr. Gibson had
however before removed all his watches,
iewelry and variety articles, and no
damage was sustained by the accident.
At about noon yesterday the central
portion of the front wall fell out into
Washington street, and as we write the
corners are standing, and likely to fall
any moment, Ropes are stretched across
the street to prevent passage.
LOCALITY OF THE ERE.
The fire was discovered about l-2
o'clock in the closet under the steps, in
tbs first story of the house, leading into
the main building from the back yard,
where kindling wood was kept. Near
this closet and separated only 10y pas
sage, is the liquor cellar OF Hartles sa.
loon, in which was collection OF
liquors. When discovered the stairway
over the closet was on fire and the blaze
ard smoke were bursting up the steps,
to the floor above, upon which are the
offices, parlors and sample rooms, and
cutting off communication above by
means OF the main stairway. OF course
the liquor room added TO the rapidity
of the fire and cut off the main entrance
into the hotel by the stairs leading into
the street. Almost as quick as thought,
it ran up the stairway 10 the stories
above and completely cut off communi-
cation with them. This left as the only
means of escape, back stairway, in the
wing which was unknown to most OF
the guests of the house, and they were
driven, as the only means Of escape, TO
the four ranges OF posts supporting the
porch running along the four stairway s
of the wing. On the west side OF the
main building is the ladies entrance
from the street, which runs up two
flights of stairs and no more. This is
very narrow and was in few minutes
rendered impossible by the heat and
the flames which had spread over from
the main entrance above.