Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-22
A CALAMITOUS RECORD.
FRTGHTFUL DISASTERS BY FIRE
AND RAIL.

I
AND RAIL.
A Wealthy Philadelphia Family BuFUed
to Death--A Mothers Msddened Effort
to Save Herself and Children Seven
Killed by Gas ExplosiOn-Cut HIS
Throat for Breaking Two Eggs.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-To-day's dis
patches present remarkable record Of
casualties from fire and railroad aUci-
dents. One of the most shocking was at
Philadelphia. The private residence OF
John A. King, aretired lumber merchant,
of 1889 Pine street, was burned between
6 and 7 o'clock this morning. The occu-
pants of the house had been alarmed by
slight fire early IN the night, but had re-
tired and were sleeping soundly when
they were again aroused by fire and
found their escape cut off. Mrs. King
dropped two small children from the
fourth story to mattresses spread on the
sidewalk below and jumped after them.
One child died in few minutes from the
shock. Mrs. King and her other child
survived the fall, but were badly injured.
Mr.. John King, Miss Hamilton, Mrs.
Kings sister, and two servants were
burned to death. Another servant girl
was seriously injured. Mrs. King and
her remaining child are reported sinking
rapidly, and will probably die. MIS-.
King has become insane.
Two or three other fires were progress
ing at the time the King house was
burning, and the firemen were all engaged
in fighting them. None OF the other fires
caused loss of life, but the aggregate loss
OF property is very heavy.
CHAPPAQUA INSTITUTE DESTROYED.
Chappaqua, n. Y, was burned last night,
| and seventy-ive scholars, with the fam
lily of the principal and several attend
ants, were driven out in their night
clothes, with the thermometer ab0utzero.
! They all obtained shelter close at hand.
and no fatal casualties occurred. The
loss is about $4,000.
A QUARTER OF A MILLION IN ASHES.
A fire broke out at New Britain, Conn,
IN a livery stable, at O'Clock this morn
ing, and spread so rapidly that it got be-
yond control. About 100000 worth Of
property in the heart of the town was
burned, and one man lost his life.
WHOLE FAMILY KILLED.
An explosion of natural gas occurred
at WellsbuTg, Va, this morning, wreck
ing one house. The debris took fire. The
weather was intensely cold and the
flames spread rapidly. Five persons were
h1Ilcu OuGIlSuJ anu LNO dI6 ullSSlHEe
The killed comprise one entire family.
Half dozen other persons are injured,
some Of them seriously.
A long list of lesser fires, involving
losses from $4,000 to $4,000, also oc-
CURED, but no loss of life attended
them.
$4,000 FIRE IN CHARLOTTE.
CHARLOTTE, N. c., 21.-A fire today
destroyed Schifr Bros. building on Trade
street, also the adjoining building. The
fire communicated to the rear rooms of
the Central Hotel, but was eXtinguished
with little damage. Grace How ard,
disreputable woman, was fatally burned.
The losses and assurances are Schih Bros
on building, $4,000, insurance 1900; II. G.
Eccles, owner of the building occupied as
drug stores, $4,000; insurance, $1,000;
Schitf d Co., $4,000, insurance, Sl,50O:
William Wilson $27, 900, insurance ST, 500;
Thomas Reese & Co. $1,000, insurance
$4,000.
CUT HIS THROAT FOR BREAKING TWO
EGGS.
Sam Richardson, a colOred fireman, ran
against Isaiah Bronson, also cOlOTed, and
broke two eggs in the latter's pocket.
Bronson thereupOn cut Richardson's
throat. Richardson walked across the
street to drug store, and fell dead In the
doorway. Bronson was arrested. Both
had been drinking.
AN ARKANSAS BLOCK IN ASHES
LITTLE Rock, ARK, Feb. 2l.-This
morning at 2 O'Clock Marks brick block.
at TeXarkana, was discovered to be on
fire. The flames spread with remarkable
Tapidity. The total loss is estimated Ut
$I75, 900, but may reach a quarter Of a
million.
SIX BURNED TO DEATH.
NEW YORK. Feb. 21.-At fire early
this morning at Beaver and William
streets six persons belonging to a family
named Murray were burned to death.
A CHAPTER OF RAILROAD ACCIDENTS,
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2I.-Railroad acct
dents to-day were very numerous. The
most serious occurred on the West Shore
Railroad, at Canaioharie, n. Y, at ,
O'Clock this morning. A heavy passenger
train drawn by three engines, going 30
miles an hour, ran into the rear end Of
freight train which stood on the main
track with no f1agman out. All three en-
gines and several cars were wrecked. One
engineer and one fireman were killed.
Several other persons were injured, but
none are likely to die. The wreck burned
up. The loss is estimated at about $685.
600.
Two accidents occurred to outward
bound passenger trains from Cincinnati
this afternoon, one on the Ohio and Mis-
person was killed IN either, but in each
case from 20 to so persons received iniu-
ries of greater or less degree.
Another accident occurred on the Lake
Erie and Western Railroad, near Bloom
ington, III. Several passenger cars were
ditched and any number of people were
hurt, but no deaths have so far resulted.
The minor accidents to railroads almost
equal the number of minor fires.
FIRE IN A PENITENTIARY
BATON ROUGE, La, Feb. 21.-A fire in
the penitentiary here to-day destroyed the
north wing. The damage is $4,000. No
insurance.
TWO KILLED IN COLLISION.
CINCINNATI, Feb. 21.-The COmnnefcjq1
Gdzette'S Parkersburg special reports a
collision between two freight trains On
the Baltimore and Ohio Road, forty miles
from Parkersburg, to-day, in which thcee
men were killed and two badly hurt