Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-02-04
ritz wAsiarsafos FIRE.
Its Origin; Secretary Traey's Butler
Makes n staterierit.

II WASHINGTON, Feb. 3. lame.
Welch, The Secretary's butler, said
II sleep In the basement and thii
morning l got up about $50. Their,
was no smell Of fire and no appear
ance OF anything wrong. About I,
O'Clock started to clean my din
ing room, when there was ring
at the bell, and when / answered i
colored man said; Your house /.
on fire. AT once rushed Iupstair,
TO arouse the family, snd although
the smoke was very thick, / sue,
ceeded in knocking at every door,
AID from each one in the rooms
received a response. Then started
to go downstairs and was nearly
choked with smoke. | fell three
times, but finally got 10 the front
door. | went around TO the rear
and tried to get a ladder so as to
reach Secretary and Mrs. Tracy's
bed room, Mrz. Tracy was at the
windows and while few Of US who
were there appealed to her 30 keen
still for n minute more, she climbed
out on the sill aAd lowered herself
uRtil she hung by her hands on
the narrow projection. Everybody
who saw her yelled To her 10 hold
on for a moment and we looked
around for something to catch her,
so as to break the fall which had to
Gomez
SHOW long did Mrs. Tracy hang
THEREOF
"Not more than a few seconds.
She told me afterwards that che
slipped. She "
FELL ISTo IHF AREAwAY,
almost touching me in her swift
descent, and struck on her LEFT side
No sound save a little incoherent
murmur came from her lips.
picked her up and carried her into
Rheem's housz.h
To those who we're admitted to
the residence the bedroom which
had been occupied BY secFetarf and
Mrs. Tracy was lie principal point
Of interest. Ii is a rear room ON the
second floor, and must have been a
beautiful apartment. Everything is
black and soaked with water. The
room is huge cinder. On the third
floor in the central front was the
room occupied last night by Miss
Tracy. This WIS a ruin Of the most |
thorough description, charred in
every corner, the ceiling gone and
doors burned out. Cinders, ankle |
deep, covered the floor, end what |
the fisnes hsd srefed Was destroyed
by water.
The remains Of Mrs. Tracy and |
Miss Tracy lie tonight in n casket in |
the center Of the East room at the |
White House beneath the crystal
chandeliers, whose light, less than a
week ago, shone upon them as they /
gayly greeted their numerous
friends at The lat Presidential re-
ception. The bodies were brought |
to the White House at 6 O'Clock by
order of the President, who has
taken charge Of whatever arrange
ments for the funeral II was neces-
sary to make at present. Final ar
Engagements will not be made until
the arrival OF Secretary Tracy's son
and General Catlin, his brother-in-
law, who are expected tonight.
The President visited Secretary
Tracy again this evening and fOusd
him regaining strength, though still
hardly able 10 reglize the great loss
he has sustained.
The fire originated in the parior
near an open fireplace. Whether il
from the grnte or heat
ng-pipe II not known. The furnace
in the basement is directly beneath
WHERE THE FIRE STARTED,
and the pipes leading to the upper
stories pass in the rear Of the wood
work. The firemen generally think
the woodwork caught fire from the
heated pipes.
The President received a large
number Of kilograms Of coincidence
this morning Owing TO the sad
event the President and Mrs. Harri-
son have recalled the invitations 10
- a r ~ II