Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-02-07
DEATH IN I'll. Il FLAMES.

lne, French maid, rs result of O
fire in Secretary Tracy's house this
morning, now lilo dead. Secretary
Tracy, when rescued, was in stu.
por, suffering from suffocation.
1t was about 7o'clock this morn.
ing when flames We're seen issuing
from the windows aud roof of Score.
tary Tracy's handsome residence,
No. 1854 g street. The neighbvr.
hood had not yet awakened, aud all
around was still. Within the resi-.
dence not Il sound was heard, except
the cracking of the flames, as with
great tongues of fire they camo out
of the windows Oh the top floor.
Secretary and Mrs. Tracy occupied
the back room in tho second story.
Mrs. Tracy, it is thought, was first
awakened by the suifocating smoke.
Secretary Tracy was at the time un
conscious, and Mrs. Tracy, with he
roic devotion, attempted to drag the
inanimate body of the Secretary to
the window; in this she partially sue
ceeded. Hnlf dazed aud blinded with
the smoke, she opened the window,
and just rs tue fremen were putting
up ladder TO rescue her, she leaped
to the ground. Her body was pick
ed up with severe internal injuries
and broken leg. She was taken to
neighboring hou &c, and without re
covering consciousness died within
an hour. The Secretary was rescued
and at first thought to be dead, but
it was discovered that small spnrk
of life yet remained. lie was remov
ed to the residence of MIR. Bancroft
Davis.
Miss Tracy, the Secretary's un-
married daughter, occupied the third
story front room, and met n fate that
WIS terrible to behold. The young
lady could lie seen at the window in
the light that hickerel in between
the binding smoke and flames, clad
Ill q white robe, her hands in the ut
titude of prayer, and her face uplift-
ed to heaven. The flames gradually
hcmmed her in and she finally sank
to the floor only to be recognized
again by her charred remains.
A French mnid, Josephine, met n
similar fate in on adjoining room.
Mrs. Wilmerding, Secretary Tlacy's
daughter, and her daughter,
Miss Alice, occupied the second story
front on the same floor with Secre
tnry and Mrs. Tracy. Both she and
daughter jumped from the window
to the glass terrace below, and while
the shock to both was severe, neither
received, so far rs is now apparent,
any serious injury.
The bodies of Mrs. Tracy and Miss
Tracy have been removed to the resi-
dence of Attorney General Miller.
Around all those residences great
crowds congregated as soon as the
sad news spread and have remained
all during the day. With Mrs. Tracy
and Miss Tracy and Mrs. Colonel
Coppinger, Secretary Blaine's dauoh-
ter, all lying dead, Secretary Tracy
seriously i'll, and his health perma-
nently impaired, government circles
today are enshrouded in sadness and
gloom. President Harrison, rs soon
as he heard of the calamity, sent as
sistance from the Executive Mansion
to aid the bereaved family, and fol
lowed himself to inquire what assist
ance he could render.
Secretary Tracy had regained con-
seriousness an hour or so after he was
taken to the house of Mr.. Davis, and
was then given a quieting opiute un
der the influence of which he slept.
About 1 l o'clock Mr.. Tracy asked
President Harrison where Mrs. Tracy
WIS. The President could not n :
swer the question. Mr.. Tracy, evi-
IDENTIFY feeling that her escape was
almost impossible, asked: SIS she
dead 2" Still the President could n, t
answer the question of his friend,
and Mr.. Tracy, apparently realizi' G
the truth, from the Presidents hes
fancy, at once swooned and remained
unconscious for half an hour. Re-
covering he asked for his daughters.
The President told the Secretary
that his daughter Mary was dead,
onJ r,o,r Ar T,o.,, r...o1