Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-09-25


| QS5S) was engaged in some professional
work inthe Valley and was the guesG OF
| his brother in-aw, the late DR.. Edmund
| Berkeley. The letter has no postmarK,
| but has upon it WAY 123," showing 1he
rate of postage at that time.
Sincerely yours,
BERKELEY MINOR.
STANTON, Thursday, Oct. 4, 1888.
Dear Mother:
| Last night [ was awakened by cry OF
| ''hle" In few minutes l was at the
| spot and found that the stable (where the
| fire originatea) of the old swain Tavern
was in blaze from one end to the oChes ,
whilst several other small framed houses
| adjoining were just taking fire.
The engine was on the ground. put as
| those who had the direction of it. seemed
at loss what to do, and were IN lalr
way to do nothing. I went to the assls-
lance of some females who, tho evidently
| not in plight to receive morning vlslGors,
manifested some pleasure in seeing me.
| even at the early hour OF one in the morn
ing. They occupied the small buliolng
above alluded to, which was soon emptled
Of all that was of any value. The tavern,
being very much like the old Indian
Queen IAN old tavern in Fredericksburg
and unoccupied, except temporarily by a
| few visitors attending the Synod, burnG
rapidly after the few articles OF furniture
which were in it were removed.
This endangered the valuable block OF
buildings on the opposite side OF the cross
street, and on the opposite side OF the
Main street, from McClupg's Tavern, Dr.
Berkeley's drug store and Mr.. Crawford 8
store, which is diagonally opposite to the
old tavern. The danger was greatly In
| creased by One-stOried framed house,
which became very much heated from tne
old tavern, being separated from 1t only
by the narrow cross street ABOVE menGlon-
ed; for as the fire was rapidly progressing
in the opposite direction. that is, up the
Main street, feeding upon three or four
| old framed houses in its course, and
| threatening some much more valuaole
| ones on the opposite side of the Main ST.,
| general attention was attracted that way
! by the only engine that was available.
| This left q bout dozen of us to look after
| the onesto1ied frame house, which, after
| breaking our fire hook in vain attempt
| to pull it down, (for axes were scaTce), we
saved, by knocking away the weather
| boarding, pouring water on the shingles.
| and by few blankets, which. strange to
! say. were as scarce as the axes.
Young Robt kinney, brother chip,
1 of mine, took the lead in this affair, and
\ displayed great activity. energy and SELF
possession. He stood upon the ridge pole
of the house with wet blanket around
N, for the heat was insurportabie with
ut some such protection, and piled the
water vessels, tin, leather, iron and earth
1 enware, as we handed them to him. In
kthe mean time the fire was progressing
! both in the direction of the Main AID
| Gross streets. Nothing could stop it IN
| either direction until the framed houses
were all destroyed. Though half the
square was destrose ed, the houses were OF
little value and nearly all insured. The
| chief sufferer is machine maker, who
| lost his shop, some tools and several
machines Just made. But Notwithstanding
his all was destroyed among the first, he
was the most active man through the
whole affair. Though just recovering
from sickness, he stood upon the top OF a
| brick house tearing off the shingles and
pouring in water on that side which the
| engine could not reach, and was frequent
| iy exposed to the play of the engine.
| About 16 horses were destroyed. Thls
was the chief loss of property, and, tho
| divided among good many, fell rather
heavily On the owners, they being minis
| tiers and others, members of the SYNOD.
| The inba bitants of this county, however,
are wealthy, and almost all Presbyterlans,
so the preachers will hardly suffer much.
| will mention little incident which
will be gratifying to sister. In the back
| yard of the old tavern I found house
burning and close to it a tree. to the limb
of which hung large cage combining two
hares. [ drew my knife and cut the rope
by which it was suspended, intending to
carry them out along with Some other
| things had rescued. AS the fire ragged
| around them they were very much alarm
| ed and made violent efforts to escape. l
held them up to the light. Thinks | to
| myself, Poor devils! 1t strikes me you
are between the Devil and the deep sea.
either cruel death Or imprisonment fol
| life. think can provide for you more
comfortably" And with that | tore the
cage into two pieces, and it would have
been treat to Uncle Toby to see them
skip thro' the cabbage stalks of the garden
scarcely more frightened than pleased
I can see sisters smile of pleasure as she
reads this little INCIDENT. she is one OF
the few who can sympathize with me in
the enjoyment of it; not meaning to ex-
cept you, mother. 1t would be exquisite
in N. P. Willis's hands. May God bless
you all. expect to leave Stanton on
Saturday, at II A. M.
Your son,
T.. 81. MINOR.