The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-03-06
FIRES lATAL WORK.
Two Families Wholly AMI One PART
~ Wiped Out-A Day Record.

The news apers are happily rarely called
upon to chronicle such terrible days record
of fire as is given below. In New York city
policemans whole family of six persons and
in West Virginia another mans family of
five were swept away, while in Philadelphia
one of the best-known residents, one child
his sister-in-aw and two servants met hor-
rible fate. Minor disasters by fire on this day
were also numerous.
The family eXtingushed in New York city
consisted of Policeman James Murray, jantor
of the building corner Beaver and William
streets, where the fire occurred, his wife. his
mother-in-aw, and three small children. Po-
liceman Murray was on duty at the time and
was killed while attempting to rescue his
family.
At Wellsburg, w Va, the whole family of
Mr.. Halsiey, consisting of himself his wife,
mother and two children were instantly killed
by an explosion of leaking gas in the cellar
of their dwelling, which, together with an
adjoining building, occupied by saloon
Keeper named Wallace was completely demol-
ished John Walters, aged seventeen, was miss
ing, and was supposed TO be buried in the ruins.
Mr.. Walters, his wife, and two other chill
dren were badly injured, and some of them
were not expected to recover Several other
persons were reported fatally injured
At Philadelphia the residence of John G.
King, retired citizen of social prominence
caught fire in the early morning, and the en-.
tire household Were driven by the advancing
flames and smoke to the windows of the ton
floor. The tremen We're absent at another
fire, and the spectators could do little to help
them. Mr., King was burned to death at a
window, His sister in-law Miss Jennie Ham
llton, hung hclplesSly at a window until her
fingers burned off, and then she dropped dead
TO the ground John King, five years old,
dropped from the fourth story upon a mat.
tress and was killed Mrs King threw her
baby down upon mattress, and then jumped
herself. Both were injured, but not fatally
One colored and one white female servant
were roasted to a crisp, while a third was
taken to hospital with severe burns Mrs.
King and her sister Jennie were both beaut.
full women and prominent in society circles.
A fire that was raging in Philadelphia at
the time of the King calamity DESTROYED bust
ness property on Market street valued at
Sl25, 900.
In New Britain, Conn, an extensive fire
devastated numerous business houses and
caused an estimated aggregate loss of 5000
600 One man was burned to death
At Charlotte, n. c., drunken woman up-
set lamp and was burned to death. The
spreading flames licked up two business build
ings; estimated LOSSES $50 900.
Many business firms were burned out and
aggregate losses of 500, 900 were inflicted by
fire at Texarkana, Ark.
A Chappaqua IN. " Quaker boarding
school caught fire at night, and teachers and
scholars were compelled to flee for life in their
night clothes. The building was destroyed
Beside the above the telegraph reported
about twenty other fires in various parts of
the country on this day, with damages run
ming from $1,000 to $4,000.