The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-06-07

this time a young clerk started into Jones
q Watts3sc cellar w0n an -errand. AS he
reached the steps one of the other boys
rushed up the stairway with flames play
ing about his shoes and trousers, followed
by fierce cracking sound and dense sick
ening smell. Clerk number one rushed
headlong to the nearest station to give the
alarm and clerk number two reused thees-
tablishment to the idea that the house was
on fire. In less than ten minutes the
flames were bursting out of the roof of the
handsomest and most substantial business
house in the city.
MI. Geo. w. Wasche, who carried on a
successful hardware trade in HarriSonburg
in ante bellum days. and is well known
throughout the Valley, has long been in
the employment of Jones Il Watts and
when the fire begun he was sitting at his
desk in the second story of the house.
Nh. W9sche says he heard the cry of fire
below, but did not know where it was and
continued writing for afew minutes, when
a clerk from the floor above called to him
to hurry out, the house was on fire and ev-
erybody was leaving. MI. W3sche said
sob, don't suppose there is any danger. y
but rose as he spoke and put ON his coat
quietly. 1t turned out that his was about
the only coat saved by the employees of
the concern. Following the youth who had
spoken to him Mr.. Wasche went to the
front stairway and found it enveloped in
flames. The back stairs were also on fire
and volumes OF flame rushing up the ele-
vatOr and out of the windows. BY this
time MI. WRSche and his companion real
lied the situation and rushing to back
window Sprang out OH the roof of a low
building and made their way to the ground.
The ViTginian Office next door caught at
once and was speedily consumed.
The telegraph has told the details of the
terrible destruction that followed and of
the catastrophe by which five men were
crushed under the falling walls.
For time wild confusion prevailed.
1t seemed impossible to stop the fire, the
water threatened to give out, the police
were unable to control the immense crowd
which collected, and dire destruction
seemed impending. The military were
called out, and it is said that but for the
aid OF the white and cOlored soldiers. who
were promptly on hand, and behaved with
much decision, the mob would have been
uncomfortable. One of the buildings burned
was a drinking house, and the evil influence
Of liquor was added to the fierce conflict
with the flames. kilograms were sent to
other cities asking aid, and replies at once
received giving promise OF speedy help,
but before the trains started with the
five companies asked for the requests were
cOuntermanded.
The property losses are very serious
blow to the city, as some Of the firms are
only partially insured. Much sympathy is
are roughly estimated from $4,000 to
100000 above their insurance. All their
books and papers were burned, their being
no time even to close the safe, the contents
OF which were consumed.
The editor and employees of the Yer
giaitn, one of the oldest and most respect
able journals Of the State, acted with much
GOODNESS, and it is a subject of general re-
joicing that the files of the paper, estab-
lished in 1908, were preserved unhurt. Mr..
Button is said to be fully insured and a
notice in one of the other papers yester-
day stated that the Virginion would re-
sumo publication this morning, June list.
Major Daniels office was in the FirWn-
adn building, and the Major in the effort
to save his books and papers ran
serious risk OF his life and barely escaped
in time.
The unhappy men whose lives were lost,
We're in the Virginidn office when the walls
fell and were buried in the ruins in sight
OF their friends and relatives. The charred
and mangled remains, when recovered,
were placed in collins and carried to the
Opera House, whence the funeral took
place yesterday, at the expense Of the city.
Religious services were held at clock
| i'll presence of an immense audience, thou
sands OF people who could not enter the
house. standing III the streets around. 1t
| is said that from six to ten thousand peO-
| pie attended the funeral. An eloquent and
pathetic address was made by Major
Daniel, and then the victims of the dis
aSter were borne to their last reSting-place.
| attended by all the civic and military com
panies OF the town. The pageant was a
| most impressive and beautiful sight. The
fire brigade was placed at the head of the
procession, the horses, machinery, ETC.,
draped with the emblems of mourning
| mingled with exquisite flowers and ever
| greens. Heaven forbid that we shall ever
| again behold such spectacle as the five
hearses that followed, and hear such sounds
OF grief as filled the air when the carriages
bearing the bereaved families of five brave,
strong men cut down i'll their prime, passed
on their sorrowful way. The military
companies with their bands, the soldiers
bearing reversed arms, made a very fine
| appearance as they marched Solemnly by,
their banners all furled and draped in
mourning. The colored companies, who
for the first time had been called out to aid in
defending the lives and property of the citi-
zens, had done their part well, and most
cordial recognition of their services was
| made by the press and the people, Their
efforts at organization have been kindly
encouraged by the ex-Confederate officers
living here, and they gladly responded to
the call to arms to give their aid in the ter
rible scenes Of the fire.
An impressing feature Of the procession
was the colored pOrters of the business
houses, tobacco factories, &C., burned, a
body OF powerful looking men mounted on
stout horses
Among the citizens organizations. st.
Patrick's Beneficiary Society, ''wearing of
the green,' and bearing their beautiful
banners draped with mourning emblems,
blended with the fairest flowers, attracted
special notice.
The flowers offered by loving and sor-
roWful hearts were eXquiSitely arranged
and in such beauty and profusion as only Il
southern town in the month Of May could
display.
1t is all over; the mangled bodies of the
slain are laid away forever; the pageant
has passed. The mourners go about the
streets and business utters it's imperative
w HUH tllt uettI W lille Nv
ing. 1t seems as if a terrible convulsion
had passed over the town, and it is with a
shuddering sense of the mutability of hui
man affairs, and the helplessness of man,
when he vainly strives to contend with the
vast forces Of nature that we take up the
burden of life again. O. L.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad has
cut off the Baltimore and Ohio and the
Shenandoah Valley and Western Mary
land Roads from it's connections for the
White Sulphur and other Virginia Springs
travel this summer. Passengers will only
he ticketed through via Washington, the
Virginia Midland Road and the Chesapeake
and Ohio, which will get the longer haul
and the most of the passage money by that
route. This policy will have the effect of
shutting off some Of the usual travel to
the springs. The Baltimore and Ohio and
Western Maryland are doing energetic
work in pressing the agreeable resorts on
their own lines to popular attention, and
will no doubt DO a satisfactory business.
The Baltimore md Ohio has the exclusive
right for Wednesday excursions to Luray
via the Shenandoah Valley Road. These
are to be limited express, parlor car and
reserved seat affair." from Baltimore and
WaChipntOp WhaN Onn +;ol,o+, $50 .o1J