The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-02-14
DEATH In A FIRE.
Secretary Tracy's Washington
Residence DESTROYED
tracy Kflled-lHcr Daug htcr and
French Maid Lose their Lives
ThoSCcretRrY InluraI

HheO-ucr DRug htCr md
french Maid Lose their Lives
Thc'sccretary InJurei.
Inc residence OF Hon. Benjamin +. Tracy,
secretary OF the United States Navy, was dc.
stroyed by fire at quarter before seven O'Clock
In the morning. Mrs. belinda e. Trady. wife
OF the Secretary. Miss Mary Tracy, their
daughter, and Josephine Morell, a French
maid, lost their lives. Secretary Iracy was
seriously eff cited by inhaling smoke, and
MS widowed daughter, Mrs. Ferdinand suy-
dam Wilmerding. and granddaughter Alice
Wimerding, " were bruised in Jumping from
aeaoihet 6fnctf, foIlowlny so sooa after .ho
lsesns deaths u thssrfSS1a thssr symratsv f1s s5s
administration and practically ends the ua ~.
cues OF tho social season in official circles. IL
cnn.;i ouuceu tnat the Secretary might be
worst occurred 49, 'o
Ine house is a three story-ant, basement.
Drick, situated on / street, between Conueo,
sons u' raN,n avenue and Seventeenth street. Per.
TONS passing at seven O'Clock saw smoke is.
suing from ths front windows. and at once
raised an alarm Of fire. The fire ami poiice
apartments respo nded promptly. The prem.
,seS were almost concealed by a dense smoke.
was just lifting. Is was soon discovered that
lne mouse was all a:lszs inside and that tho
main stairway was burnt, thus cuttino on
communication ,th the sleepinp pa rtn1enis
on the second and third floors. Several
S.reams OF water were plIyed on the build
Ing, anu every effort was IN lde to check ths
NJ. n.i'es ana rescue th inmates. A scene of
Tue Widest confusion ensued when ~ was
known svao. n, that oil the members OF the family
were were In the house. The fir smen behay like
ueross IN the emergency. aud went through
nIs @ ano smoke In searching for tn, m ir the
oimerent ap .rtment..
Mrs + nma L. wiimerding, the Sscretarv,s
daughter, and Mis- Alio, WiImerdinu. his
Htanu laughter, forceI their way through
.n, o,'nding smoke and jumpei from tho
second story windows trout In ,der. war,
raised for them, Lut in their exo,tement ,h ~
tated 10 see them. Mrs WilmerIm, broks
- Ier ieit wrist, and wassev rely bru,seI. Her
uau Shter was badly injured about tho low,r
tInos, Out broke no homes. They both suf.
le'd severely from tn, shock. They wa,a
.ahen at once TO the rs s,dence of DR.. baxter.
near py, aud restora: Hs applied. Whil. thIs
sao s. scene was being enacted In tho front OF
.ue mouse hrsmen were enga ,ed in the sal
iiy from the rear.
Mrs Tracy endeavored to escape the rao-
ing element by dropping herself from her
peoroom window, and in her effort to de-
ere crease the distu &C to the ground she Rrasped
sne narrow stone window-sill and iowereJ
nerseit as For as sh, was able. Those VINO saw
neI ia ner perIlous position shouted to her to
noia on, but either she dill rot hear or her, |
strength Jared her, for, after thus .hanuino
q momene between life aud death, she fefj |
= ror.y @ teet INTO an 9reaway before anything 4
cIua oe done towards rescuiny her or Re tirx i
,ng ner fall. She was immediateiy taken "a Il
t9e house Of a saeiR hbors ,Afr.. Rnee =, 81
placed upon.a 1Qpn 2sss i