The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-07-12
FIRES DEADLY WORK.



The mos. terrible calamity which has
ever occurred in the history Of this CITY
resulted from the consumption by fire
yesterday Of the private residence Of
Mrs. ;. T.. Turnipsecd, corner Of NIcBce
Avenue and Wc3,feld street.
The house was a large frame structure.
TWO stories high and contained six rooms.
estcrday afternoon about half.past four
O'Clock Mrs. j. NJ. Ncblctt, Il niece Of
Mrs. luInipsrcd, who lived in the house,
was IN Mrs. 1nraipsccd room which
vas IN the second story Just over Mrs..
Ncblctts room. Mrs. Hcblc,t Was AT.
tlred IN wrapper, while Mrs. Turnip.
seed, who felt quite unwell, was living ~
dtshHb'He upon the bed. Mrs. Neblctt
WAS reading. Suddenly Winnie Aiken,
co.orcd, ran up stairs and shouted, 'lre -
lhe servant then Immediately r&n down
again, while Mrs. Ncblctt went to the
lumber room on the same floor on the
northwco. corners O! the building over the
dihihG room. lhe!c were IL lot of trunks
sittihH next to the center wall. From
one oi these, which contained dry goods,
l!ainra were pouring. Sine AZ once shu,
Lic door, and running back, told Mrs.
lurnipsccd To follow her down stairs
Immediately. Mrs. Neblelt ran down
ana !eit the house. Mrs. Turnipsccd
ran lntc spare room opposite her own
to set some clothing TO put on. She re-
turned and found that the door of the
burning room was open and that the
flames were making out. The way to the
stairway was thus Gu; off. In The mean
time the alarm lad spread and number
! OF persons were on the scene
{. II. Sloan, who lives near by, and
t"o colorcd men procured Il short ladder
with six Iungs, on hearing that Mrs.
murnipssecd was still il; The building.
The ladder would not reach to the win.
dow, Of the room. 1t WAS filled with
smoke and Mrs. Turnipsced appeared at
the window, completely overcome with
fright She vas about to Jump out when
Af. sloan begged her to ,%ait. The end
OF the laddes saR then placed on Tic
shoulders of the two colored men. Mr..
Sloan succeeded in climbing near enough
to the lady to assist her in getting Oh the
ladder. =. Sanford also rendered hi.
aid, and in her bare feet, and with moth
ing on except her undcrclothing, che
descended safely to the ground and was
taken TO the house Of a neighbor. Ir
the meantime the fire department and q
large number &C ,thcrs had arrived
Members of the hook and ladder compa
ny and many citizens began saving the
furniture. Nearly everything on the
lower floor had been carried out a
large party was in the dining room car
ryng out its contents.
There was closet in The northwest
corner Of the room where dishes
crockcrywarc, &c, were stored. 4 large
party went into this room to save wha
it contained. Those in the room n.
nearly as can be ascertaincd. we're:
James Dorroh, Robt. james, Chas
Moselcy, Henry Wood, benjamin John
son, colored, +. Schlapback, l.. Sanford
(liook and LADDER Jesse Smith, fire
mani Thomas l'a.nister (hook and lad
der, Daniel Henderson (tiremnn), T.
Shumate, Jim Wood, colored james
Ncsbitt and James Wooten. The arti
cles were being gotten out when fire was
observed breaking through the ceiling
Mr.. Sanford and others cried come out
boys, she is going to cave in." Me.srs
Bannetcr Henderson, Sanford and sev
cral others ran out. Just then the cell
ing fell. The room was Immediately q
mass Of flame. Henry Wood sprang on,
of the window, after he had been thrown
against the wall by the shock He had
spilled some kerosene on his pantaloon.
on the left side, and this iguited the gar
ment. He attempted to cxtinguish i,
and burned his left hand severely. BY
ISLANDERS put The flames out Other par
ties got out Of the front door and window
making narrow escapes
Mr.. &. II. Sloan says that fearing lha
his brother, Thos. Sloan was in the room
he ram through il buf,Te the ceiling fell
Not finding him he returned and stood
ut the door opening on the narrow hall.
way. At this moment James Dorroh
was in the closet, Ben Johnson, colored
was just outside to the right, and
Charles Moseley was to the left, both
standing near the closet door. Suddenly
the ceiling fell. Mr.. Sloan ran oul
through the hall and found that Charles
Moseley had gotten out of the window
Ills clothing was OH fire. Mr.. Sloan
succeeded in extinguishing it, but Mr.
aloseley was badly burned on the face
and hands. Then the colorcd man, Ben
Johnson, ran out through the back door
opening on the yard. His clothing was
also on fire. Mr.. Sloan and others
tripped him up, throwing him down
and put out the fire. johnson was very
| o~uiy ouiueoj uIs iaCt, ueCk, OIeaSt,
hands and legs being almost devoid oi
skin. The last unfortunate who came
out was James Dorroh He ran through
the back door and when he appeared in
the back yard there was not shred OF
clothing on him, the skin peeling from
his body. lie was completely dazed and
started to jump over fence when he
was stopped. The skin dropped from
his haci is and face and he had nothing
on but his drawers. A stream of water
wee turned upon him and the akin fell
off in slips. He WAS at once sent to the
house of Mrs. Dean near by, and Drs.
Earle, Wright and Jones attended him.
1t was found that from his face down to
his feet he was terribly burned-not a
single spot upon his body being un-
touched by the flames. Charles Moseley
was carried to his home, as was the
colored man, Johnson. Robert James,
who Is n student in Solicitor Orr's office,
did not succeed in escaping before his
right hand was quite badly burned and
the loft slightly. His face was also
slightly burned. f. Schlc pback's fingers
were slightly burned; Frank Shumete,
| son Of w. I. Shumate, was also burned
| severely. st. John Cox and Hampton
Cely had their hands burned in attempt.
ing to extinguish the fire on the cloth.
| ing of those who ran out Of the building.
Several Others were slightly burned in
this way. The fall OF the ceiling and
its fearful consequences occurred inside
of FIVE minutes and it vas not until