, 1890-02-04
The Fearful Fate of Secretary
Tracy's Family.
Cooped up Together in a Flame
Swept Building.
Tragic Death of Miss Tracy While
at Prayer.
Mrs. Tracy Dies After Rescue
From the Fire.
The Secretary Slowly Recovering
After a Narrow Escape.

WAsHINGToN, Feb. 3.-9:2O A. M
The house of Secretary Tracy caught
fire at 6:45 this morning and a
completely demolished. The bodies ct
four white females were taken out. two of
whom are known to be Mrs. and Miss
Tracy. The other two are as yet unideu
titled. Secretary Tracy was taken from
the house by means of a ladder in In un-
conscious condition. but the extent of his
injuries are not yet known. The cause of
the fire and the loss is not yet sscertaiued.
President Harrison and Vice President
Morton are now with Secretary Tracy.
The latter sustained no external injuries,
but was badly overcome with heat and
smoke. He is thought to be convalescsnt
Secretary Tracy regained conscious
ness a few moments g and asked about
the safety OF his family. He is not yet
aware of the awful character of the
calamity which has overtaken him. He
is now sleeping quietly.
Secretary Tracy's house is a three story
and basement brick, situated On | street
between Connecticut avenue and Seven
zenith street and has recently undergone
extensive improvements. Persons passing
the house at 7 o'clock this morning saw
smoke issuing from the front windows
and at once raised an alarm of fire. The
fire and police departments responded
promptly. The premises were almost
concealed by dense smoke. which was
thickened by a heavy fog which was Just
lifting. 1t was just discovered that the
house was all ablaze inside and that the
main stairway was burnt, thus cutting off
communication with the sleeping apart
ments on the second and third floors.
Several streams of water were placed on
the flames aud every effort was made to
check the fire and to rescue the inmates.
A scene of the widest confusion ensued
when it was known that all the members
of the family were in the house.
The tiremen behaved like heroes in the
emergency and went through fire and
smoke in searching for them like in DIFF
ferent apartments. Mrs. Wilmerding.
the secretary daughter and Miss Wilmer
ding forced their way through the binding
smoke and jumped from a second story
window in front. Ladders were raised
for them: but in their excitement they
failed to see them. Mrs. Wilmerding
broke her left wrist and was severity
bruised. Her daughter was injured
about the lower limbs but broke no bones.
They both suffered severely from the
shock. They were taken at once to the
residence of DIR. Baxter, near by and
restoratiyes applied.
While this sad scene was being enacted
in front of the house, fremen were en-
gagged in the back removing other mem
beers of the family from the rear.
Ik,aF E-N. DaA fa,-l he -
into Mrs. Tracy bedroom and found her
lying on her bed overcome by suffocation.
He carried her to a window and with
the assistance of others carried her almost
~lifeless body down a ladder. up an alley
and to the house of Mrs Rheim, on
Eighteenth street. She was then en-
tirely unconscious and although every et-
fort known to medical science was used,
it was impossible to save Ter life. She
died within a few minutes after her res
cue. She was not burned but died from
suffocation. Almost at the same time,
two more bodies we taken from the burn
ing building. One was that of the secre.
tary's daughter, Miss Marie, a young lady
about IA years of age, and the other was
one of the ervants Both bodies were
burned to a crisp and were u~nrecoguizable
by their features. Miss Tracy's body was
distinguished from the other only BY the
superior texture of what remained of hel
stockings. The charred remains were
taken to an undertakes establishment in
the vicinity where they we're Joined soon
by the remains of Mrs. Tracy.
Secretary Tracy himself had a most
wondrous escape and Is now lying in a
somewhat precarious condition at the
residence of Hon. j. G. Bancroft Davis
on 81 street. Like all the others he was
overcome in his sleep by the smoke
which filled the house and rendered him
completely helpless. He was discovered
in this condition and with considerable
difficulty was removed to a place near one
of the windows. Cries for a ladder ere
quickly answered and many willing hands
were raised to assist him to the ground.
He was at once removed to a neighbor's
house and was soon surrounded by physi
clans, including DR.. Wales and Ruth.
He was suffering from asphyxia. The
doctors applied artificial means to induce
respiration and succeeded after an hour
work in restoring him to semi conscious.
ness.
1t was then thought safe to remove
him to Judge DAVIS house. He I'm
proved slowly from that time on and
soon regained consciousness. recognizing
friends who called to inquire in regard to
his condition. Among the first of these
we're the president and vice president and
several members of the cabinet. Fuller
extent of his terrible affection is withheld
from him for the present. His first in
ouiry upon recovering consciousness was
in regard to tie safety of his family. he
is gradually gaining in strength and his
friends are very sanguine OF his complete
recovery. The house was completely
Quilted by the fire. The walls are stand.
ing, but the interior presents a picture Of
ruin and desolation. Mrs. Tracy. wife
of Secretary Tracy, Miss Tracy, his
youngest daughter, and Josephine,
French maid, as a result of the fire, nov
lie dead.
Miss Tracy. the secretary's unmarried
daughter, occupied a third story from