Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-08-19
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ASSOCIATED PRESS DISPATCHES.
Another Holocaust

Another Holocaust
NEW YORK, Aug 19--Early this morn.
ing fra broke out in the kitchen OF
Snyder's restaurant on the store floor
of the big Eve story tene msnt al 500 Seventh
Avenue Nine of the sixty occupants OF
OF the house lest their lives and it is great
wonder that many more did not perish.
The building was occupied by thirteen fam
less by the FIRE. The flames did not do very
much damage in tbs various apartments but
burned out their strength in the hallways.
The pecuniary loss will not amount to more
than $40. 1000 Just how the fire started is as
yet mystery, hut SO the restaurants cook
is missing it is fair to presume that gu acct.
dent occurred while be was making the
fire 10 the big range. The awful speed with
which the fumes swept up through the
building suggests the use of kerosene by the
cook. Less than half a block away on The
corner OF 2S h street and the avenue stood
two policemen. They received warning
from cry Of pain which came from the
building, and looking in the direction
whence it came, saw wall OF fire beating
against the windows of the restaurant. By
the time that they realized whit the trouble
was forked tongue q flame shot out from
thu roof and lighted up the neighborhood.
With their clubs the two officers beat in the
front door, but spiteful blsz, ehot out and
drove them back. They tried the next
door and 10 that way found an entrance
There were no signs of life in the building
and the officers hurried from one room to
another, rapping on the doors with their
clubs and calling to the inmates to fly for
their lives Murmurings at first were heard,
then buzz of many voices which finally
changed into wall Of terror and agony
from tho women and children struggling
for their lives in the death trap. Fire es
capes leading from the burning building to
the as yet untouched tenement next door
were speedily flied with half naked
people. 10 the meantime alarms had been
sent out and the fire department was soon
at work on the fllmes and assisting the
frightened inmates. The fumes were ex
tinguished easily enough by the fremsn
and all the people on the fl % escapes were
safely landed. Not one person escaped
down the stairway and the names of the
few who tried it are found In the number
of the dead. As soon as possible the
search for the dead began. The fret
body found was that of old William Glen.
non. The remains were discovered by the
side OF the bed in his room on the second
floor. He had risen to ny with bis sons but
his old legs were not nimble enough and he
periohed. TIE boys were taken to the hos
pitsl. They were burned on the feet, caused
By walking on hot iron bars of the Ere es
cape. In the rooms of the Wells family
was sight which cannot easily be forgot
ten. In the middle OF The hoor knelt the
mother, Mary Wells, and in her dead EN-.
GRACE were her children, Jane and Thomas
They had been smothered and not q burn
or blister def4ced the pe!lor of their Gun
tenances. The nine dead bodies wers
placed in the ambulances and taken to the
30.h street station. Coroner Hanly gave
friends permits for the removal of thu dead.
Spy der, the keeper of the restaurant in
which the FIRE broke out, Was arrested on
suspicion Of being responsible for its origin.
A policy of insurance for 81 900 on his stock
10 his possession, and an employee states
that he found fat scattered over the floor of
the restaurant.