Morning journal and courier., 1880-02-07
THE FIRE RECORD.
Burned to Death-A Family of Min
 Persons Perish.

Burned to Death-A Family of Nine Persons Perish.
 COLUMBIA, s. O., Feb. GA fearful calami- ty occurred last Tuesday night at a place called Stacks, about fourteen miles above Columbia, by which a whole colored family named Lorick, consisting of man and wo- man and seven children, met most horrible death by burning. The house contained two rooms, and only one small door and no win dows. The front room contained very wide fireplace, capable of holding large amount of wood, the fire in which was usually kept burning all night. The rear room. which was separated from this one by a strong board partition, was used as the sleeping apartment of the household, and had two large bed steads. Tuesday night at an early hour, after putting fresh fuel on the fire and securely boiling the door, the family went to bed. How long they had been asleep is not known, but at about eleven o'clock @ colored woman lurid glare in the direction of Tor ick's house, and, going nearer, discov- cred that the interior of the front room was in flames. She immediately gave the alarm. Soon 8 score of neighbors appeared
  axes. Itwas at once seen that the only means of escape for the inmates was cut off by the fire in the front room, and the men turned their attention to the rear of the house, and vigorously tried to force an entrance through the massive logs. Incited by the heartrend- ing cries from within they labored Justify though the heat was becoming intense. The night was rendered hideous by the terrified screams of the women and children, and their plaintive walls for assistance appalled, the stoutest-hearted of those present. Through the cracks in the wall could be seen the children huddlipg together around their mother, and the man was upon his knees suppicating God for a deIiverance from the impending doom. The heat grew so intense that the men were forced to retreat and abandon their work before the heavy logs had succumbed to their desperate blows. The situation of the inmates was now hopeless. Various plans were devised for rendering them succor, but all were declared impracticable. In the meantime the flames were making rapid headway, and some of the shingles and logs began falling. The fat lightwood logs now blazed with sudden brightness. The roof began to totter, and down 1t came with a terrific roar, crushing all before it, burying the nine hu- man beings from sight. The cabin was soon burned to the ground, and nothing but the charred bones and smouldering debris re- mained to tell the sad tale. To-day the coro- ner held long request, and the jury ar- rived at the conclusion that the fire was accidental, and that the death of the inmates was unavoidable, considering the nature of the burning and the construction of the build ing. The Lorick family were well-to do col ored people, and stood well in the neighbor- hood.
 PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 6.-Fire was discov- cred this afternoon in the fifth story of the cotton warehouse of G. H. McFadden < Bro., 40 South Delaware avenue. The building runs through to Pennsylvania street and con tained one thousand bales of cotton worth $6O, 900 to $70, 1000. A large quantity of cot ton was burned and the rest deluged with water. The loss is nearly covered by insur- ance