Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-22
FRIGHTFUL CASUALTIES.
Whole Family Burned - Death Other
Fires ard Disasters.
ny tclcgraph to the Dispatch. /

fht. as' ASf-setEt.
ny telegraph to the Dispstch.I
WASHINGTON, ID. c., February 81.
To-day's dispatches present remarks
bic record Of casualties from fire aud
railroad accident.
One OF the most shocking was at
Philadelphia. The private residence Of
John A. King. retired lumber mer-
chant, 1889 Pine street, was burned
between and 7 o'clock this morning.
The occupants had been alarmed by
slight fire early in the night,
but had retired and were sleeping
soundly when they were again arousedby
fire and their escape cut of. 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 a few
minutes from the shock. Mrs. King
and her other child survived the fall,
but were badly injured. Mr.. John
hing, Miss Hamilton. Mrs. Kings sis
ter. and two servants were burned to
death. Another scrvant-girl was seri-
ously injured. Mrs. King and her re-
naming child are reported sinking rap
idly and will probably die. Mrs. King
has become insane.
Two or three other fires were pro-
crossing at the time Kings house was
burning, and the firemen were all en-
gagged IN fighting them. None Of the
other fires caused loss of life, but the
aggregate loss of property is very
heavy.
The Chappaqua-Mountain Institute,
at Chappaqua, n. Y, was burned last
night, and sevcnty-iiye scholars, with
the family of the principal and several at
PENDANTS, were driven out in their night
clothes with the thermometer about
zero. They all obtained shelter close
at hand, and no fatal casualties occur
red. Loss about $4,000.
A fire broke out at New Britain,
Conn, in a liyery-stablc at o'clock
this morning and spread so rapidly that
it got beyond control and about $500
coo worth of property in the heart of
the town was burned. and one man lost
his life.
An explosion Of natural gas occurred
at Wellsburg, w. Va. this morning,
wrecking one house. The weather was
intensely cold and the flames spread
rapidly. Five persons were killed out
right and two are missing. 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 SO. 200 to 100000. also oc-
Cured. but no loss of life attended them.
The railroad accidents were almost
equally numerous. The most serious
occurred on the WeSt-Shore railroad, at
Cana oharic. \. Y, at , o'clock this
morning. \ heavy passenger train,
drawn Ivy three engines, going thirty
miles an hour. ran into the rear
end Of freight train which
stood on the main track with
no flag out. All three engines aud
several ears were wrecked. One cu-
gincer and one fireman were killed.
Several other persons were injured, but
none likely to die. The wreck was
burned up. Loss estimated at about
1926. 900.
Two accidents occurred 10 outward
bound passenger trains from Cincinnati
this aiternOOE-onc on the Ohio and
Mississippi. and one on the Bee Line.
No person was killed in either, but in
earn case from twenty to thirty persons
received Injuries Of greater or less de-
gree.
Another accident occurred on the
Lake Erie and Western railroad near
bloomington. III. Several passenger
ears 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
the minor fires.