The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-27
a Night of Horror.

Nignt OF n0rrOr.
EXPERIENCES OF A ST. LOUIS MAN N A HOTEL
FIRE IN 1S5S-HAIR TURNED SUDDENLY
WHITE.
lst. Louis Clobc-Dcmocratl
Cases OF rare occurrences in which. as III
Byron's "Prisoner Of Chillon," ones hairs
grow white
In single night,
As mems have grown from sudden fears
but there is a well-authenticated instance
OF this kind in the person OF Charles B,
Wardrop, the cigar-store man OF NO. 2le
north Fourth street. "This Newhall-
House fire in Milwaukee yividly recalls an
incident in my early liie," remarked Mr.
Wardrop TO a Globe Democrat repOrterwho
dropped into his store yesterday afternoon
for few samples OF the fragrant weed.
"My white hairs date from February 20.
1853, and il you care TO hear the story
will tell il TO YOU. The old Pacific
Hotel in this city was opened for
the reception OF guests on Seventh and
Poplar streets on June 2S, 1857. The
hotel was three stories high. the first being
occupied by stores, and IL was very good
hotel for those days. was about twenty
five years old at that time, and after serv-
lug awhile as clerk changed for the posi-
ton Of head porter. The house had been
opened less than year, when, on Febru.
ary 90, 1853, il was swept by slch ia,al
tire rs this city has never seen before or
since. That night thirty occupants Of the
house pershed in the flames, and 1t was 10y
the mercst chance that ] was not In
cluded in the number. had given
up my room for that night, and
was sleeping with eight others, mostly
ralIroad-mcn. I'm the same room on
the third floor oi the house. About
O'Clock I'm the morning | was awakened by
the fierce cracking OF the flames, aad was
conscious Of q sheet Of fire rolling through
tie chamber in which we were sleeping.
rolled out on the floor and crawled along
on my hands and knees under the ilalnes,
which filled all the upper part OF the room
The stencil from the roasting bodies OF my
dead companions was fearful, and l eX'
pected to meet the same fate. Al
though badly scorched | kept my pre-
sence OF mind and crawled along out
OF the room, through the lnll, ana
TO the stairways leading TO the second
floor. On attempting to descend them
fell through the fire which had destroyed
them, setting my shirt on fire and striking
on the bani,ters leading from the first to
the second story, and breaking two ibis.
From this place | gained the street. and
was saved. OF the other eight meE in the
room not one escaped. Among the dead
was Mr.. Gerry, newspaper.man. III
making my escape my hair was singed
off my head, and when it grew
out il was ~ white as snow. The
terrible experience OF that night Whiien'
ed it completely, and although sue
ceeding growths have had some dark hair,
mingled with them. my head is still very
white, as YOU see. \ long investigation
was conducted after the fire. but lis cause
was never fully explained. II was proved
that the watchman, who persisted in the
flames. was drunk that night, and although
some thought the fire incendiary / always
charged il to some swinging lamps in the
back part of the house. The night was Bit
ter cold and the wind blew ticrcely. The fire
department, which had recently been organ
lied, was hindered by frozen 1rc-plugS'
From that day to this have never slept IN
room that was not within easy-i iumplne
distance OF the ground, although | have
travelled 4 great deal and stopped in many
hotels. Whenever | could not get room
suiting me in that particular | have ire
uuenty spent the night i'm chair IN no.
tel-oliice. From my experience have
good opportunity to judge Of what the poor
people in the Milwaukee fire suffered, and
/ can tell YOU that it must have been some
thing terrible"