The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-28

Nfty.
a Milwaukee special TO the New York
Herald says: Since the awful scenes and
great loss OF life attending the destruction
OF the ill-fated Newhall House no sound Il
more dreaded by the citizens Of milwaukee,
than that OF the fire-alarm, especially when
given In the dead hours OF the night. Yes
terday the city was in mourning and ON
people were engaged in burying the UNI
recognized dead that had been taken from
the ruins OF tue hotel. You may, there
fore, Judge OF the excitement that ensued
when the alarm-bell Of the Female College
began ringing at half past | this FRIDAY
morning, for the first thought was thatthere
were more human beings in sudden peril.
SIXTY YOUNG LADIES RUDELY AwAKESED.
The Female College of Milwaukee is an
old and famous institution, taking rank
with Vassar College and kindred seminaries
In the East. Here are educated the daugh-
tiers of wealthy families residing through
out the Northwest, and the number OF stu
dents at present in attendance is about two
hundred, but OF these only sixty sleep on
the premises. These sixty young ladies
were in great danger for time. but owing
to the praiscworthy eXertiOns Of the fire.
men, police, and citizens, and also the
promptness and cool conduct Of the teach
ers, all were able to escape from the burn
ing building.
AsMELL OF SMOKE.
About hali.past l A. NJ. Miss Rose, one
OF the teachers employed i'll the college,
was awakened by strong smell OF smoke.
Rising at once she passed, after hurriediy
dressing, into the hallway, finding the pas
sageway densely filed with smoke. With
great GOODNESS and presence Of mind the
lady ran downstairs and across court TO
that part OF the building occupied by Pie
sident Farrar and his family, where she
gave an alarm Of fire.
SOUNDING TIE ALARM.
The president immediately ordered the
collegc-bell to be rung, and the alarm was
soon communicated TO ether stations, thus
notifying the fremen. While the bell was
ringing President Farrar proceeded to
arouse the teachers and students, when a
scene Of intense excitement Cnsucd. Sud-
denly awakened from sleep, and finding all
the passages full OF smoke, the young la-
dies were naturally very much frightened,
especially as the cracking OF the flames
could be distinctly heard by them as they
hocked to the stairways.
SCENE OF TERROR.
Very few Of the ladies stopped to dress,
for the claug OF the college bell and the
rapid progress Of the flames gave them no
time for thought, so they darted from the
dorinitOricS in their night-clOthes in great
terror. Those who first reached the stair
ways ran down at break-neck speed and
thence into the open sir, despite the in
tense cold and their hali-clad condition.
AD1NCERous BOILER-ROOM.
Ii appears that the flames broke out in
the gymnasium. which is situated over the
boiler room. and having once gained head
way made very rapid progress into the
main building containing the class-rooms
and dOrmitOries. So rapid, indeed, was
the spread Of the fire a second alarm was
deemed necessary. and this was followed
Ivy the tones of the bell on the ROOF OF the
Convent OF Notre Dame, which stands n
few blocks away from the Female College.
REsCUISG THE INMATES.
The ringing OF the Convent bell gave
rise to q lumOr that that institution was
also on fire, and as the citizens ilOcked TO
the scene from all parts OF the city they
seemed to believe that more scenes Of ter
ror and death Were to be enacted. On reach
inc the Female College the tremen worked
maniully to check the flames and rescue
the inmates. in which cndcayor they were
ably assisted by the police and citizens.
SO successful were these ehorlS al were
rescued without injury, thoughthc young
ladies suffered greatly from the cold until
they were safely housed by the people re-
siding IN the neighbOrhood.
The loss by the fire on buildings Is esti-
mated ut $1,000, on which there is an in
surance OF 500, 900. TO this must be added
the individual losses Of the teachers and
students: for none OF them saved any
clothing but that they escaped in. The
iremen and police deserve great credit Tor
their prompt efforts.