The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-02-06
Fires Frightful Work.

Fires Frightful Work.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 9.-A terri.
BILE calamity visited the hou.e' 'o',l If
Secretary T,acy this muroing Whereby
three persons lost their lives and three
others were badly injured. Itis ilnpos
sible at this writing 10 state the exact
details, but the house, a three story and
basement brick, it situated onI Street
between Connecticut Avenue and Seven
teenth Street and has recently undergone
extensive improvements. Persons pass
ing the house at seven o'clock this morn
ing saw smoke issuing from the front
windows and at once raised the alarm of
fire. The fire and police departments
responded promptly. The premises were
almost concealed by the dense smoke
which was thickened by heavy fog
which was just lifting. It was soon seen
that the house was all ablaze inside and
that the main stairway WIS burnt, thus
cutting off communication with the
sleeping apartments on the second and
third floors. Several streams of water
were played on the flames and 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
we're in the house.
The fremen behaved like heroes in
the emergency and went through FIRE and
smoke searching for them in different
apartments.
Mrs. Wilmerdiug, Secretary Tracy's
daughter, and Miss Wilmerding, forced
their way through the binding smoke
and jumped from second story window
in front. Ladders we're raised for them
but in their excitement they failed to see
them. Mrs. Wilmerding broke her left
wrist and was severely bruised. Her
daughter was badly 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 DR.. Baxter, near by, and restoratives
we're applied. While this sad scene was
being enacted in front of the house the
fremen were engaged in the task of
removing other members of the family
from the rear.
at almost the same time two more
bodies we're. taken from the burning
building. One was that of the Secre-
tary's daughter, Miss Mary, and the
other was one of the servants. Both
bodies we're burned to crisp and were
unrecognizable by their features. Miss
Tracy's body was distinguished from the
other only by the superior texture of
what remained Of her stockings. The
cbarred remains were taken to an under
takers establishment 10 the vicinity.
Secretary Tracy himself had most
marvellous escape and is now lying in a
precarious condition at the residence Of
the Hon. J.. @. Bancroft Davis on 81
Street near 18th Street.
Like all the others be was overcome
in his sleep by the smoke which filled
the house and rendered him completely
helpless. he was discovered in this con.
dition and With considerable difficulty
was removed to place near one of the
windows.
Cries for ladder were quickly answer.
ed 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 physicians,
including Doctors Wales and Ruth. He
was suffering from asphyxiation. The
Doctors spilled artificial means to
induce respiration and succeeded after an
hours work in restoring him to semi
consciousness. It was then thought safe
to remove him to Judge Davis house.
He improved slowly from that time nn
and soon regained consciousness, rec"y
nizirg friends who called to inquire iu
regard to his condition. Among The
| 6rstof these we're the President, Vice.
President and several members of The
cabinet. The full extent of his terrible
afaiction. is withheld from him for the
present. His first inquiry on recovering
consciousness was in regard to the safety
of his family. He is gradually gaining
in strength and his friends are very san:
guine of his complete recovery.
The house was completely Quilted by
the fire. The walls are standing, but the
interior presents q picture of ruin and
devastation. The residence of Judge w.
8. Cox, of the District Supreme Court,
which adjoins it on the left was badly
damaged by water.
Chief Parrish, of the Fire Department,
told his story as follows: II paid no at.
tention to the fire when I heard there
were people in the house. felt my way
through the smoke to the second hoor,
and found man in bed in q room. 1
tried to pick him up but he was almost
too heavy. ]. managed to drag him TO a
back room where there was more air and
then broke window out and called to
those who were in the alley to run up
ladder. Then they took the man out
and it proved to be Secretary Tracy.
II could not move him any further for
was exhausted and full up to the neck
with smoke. Then I went back into the
smoke and fire again aud found young
lady-Miss Mary Tracy they tell me it
was-and as l caught hold of her wrists
to lift her up the flesh came off her burn.
ing hands. She had been burned. got
her out, but she was dead"
DR.. Ruth, at the solicitation of friends,
visited the undertakels establishment and
identified Miss Tracy. He made hur
ried examination and found she had died
from sufocation. Mrs. Tracy was found
to have died from rupture of blood yes.
sells. A gentleman who saw the FIRE said
never in his life did he ace or hear Of such
q sight. "Itseemed, J" he said, "as though
hell had broken loose and sent its fiery
tongue to earth. The whole building
seemed one seethiug mass of flames burst.
ing from every point, scream after scream
followed scream, each one more horrible
and blood curdling than the other, from
the interior of the building. Only few
people were passing at the time and they
seemed lost and bewildered. The engines
soon arrived and you know the rest"
R. @. Turner, footman at the Tracy
residence, was an eye witness of part of
the fire. he was up and dressed before 7
o'clock and was prepared to go up stairs
to clean the silver. He stepped in the
basement. "Just as I was starting up
stairs" said he, "a colored man rang the
bell and told the butler who answered it,
that the house was on fire. The butler
ran up stairs and Immediately rushed
back shouting, MY God, the house is on
fire." The entire first floor was in flames.
We ran ont of the 'front.' door Mira.