Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-02-03
A Terrible Calamity.

iured. The house "a three story and base
ment BRICKS situated on l street, between
Connecticut avenue and Seventeenth street.
Persons passing the house at o'clock this
morning cav smoke issuing from the front
windows and at once raised an alarm of fire.
When the fire and police departments re-
sponded it was discovered that the
house was all ablazs inside and that the
main stairway was burnt. thus cutting Oh
communication with the sleeping apart
ments on the second and third floors. Sew.
eral streams of water were played on the
flames and every effort was made to check
the fire and to rescue the inmates. The
whole building seemed to be one seething
mass Of flames, bursting from every point.
Scream followed scream, each one more hor.
ribIe and blood curdling than the other,
from the interior of the building. A scene
of the widest confusion ensued when 1t was
known that all the members OF the family
we're in the house. Mrs. Wilmerding, the
Ssoretary's daughter, and Miss Wilmerding
forced their way through the binding smoke
and jumped from the second story window
front. Ladders were raised for them, but
ia 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 had no bones broken. They
boh suffered severely from the shock
They we're taken at once to the residence
! of DR.. Baxter near by and restorative ap
piled. While this scene was being enacted
| In the front of the house, 6remen were On.
gagged In the sad task OF removing other
members of the family from the rear. Chief
Engineer Parrish forced bis way into Mrs.
Traoy's room and found her lying on her
bad overcome By suffooation. He carried
her to the window and with the assistance
of others bore her almost llfeless body down
ladder and up an alley to the house OF Mrs.
Rheem on 18th street. She was then IN.
conscious and although every effort known
to medical science was used 1t was impossi
BILE to save her life. She died within few
| minutes after her rescue. She was not
burned, but died from sufocation. Her
body was removed to the residence of At
torney General Miller Almost at the same
time three more bodies we're taken from the
| burning building. One was that of the
Secretary's daughter, Miss Mary, and the
others were those of female servants. The
bodies we're burned to crisp and were I'm.
recognizable by their features. Miss Tracy's
| body was distinguished from the others only
by the superior texture of what remained OF
her stockings. The chsrred remains were
taken to an undertaker's establishment In
| the vicinity.
Secretary Tracy himself had a most mi
raculous escape and Is now lying 10 some.
what precarious condition at the residence
of Hon. ]. G. Bancroft Davis. Like ell
the others he was overcome 10 his sleep
by the smoke which filed the house and
rendered completely helpless. he was dis.
covered In this condition and with consid.
cradle difficulty was removed to place near
one of the windows. a ladder was quickly
raiaed to assist him to the ground and he
was at once removed to neighbor's house
and was soon surrounded by phyaioiana.
he was suffering from asphyxis. The doc.
tors succeeded after an hours work 10 re
storing him to semi consciousness and he
was then removed to Judge Daviss house,
where he soon regained consciousness, re-
cognizng the friends who called to inquire
in regard to hls condition. Among the first
of ths ae were the President, the Vice Presi
dent and several members of the cabinet.
The full extent OF his terrible stiliction Ia
withheld from him for the present. His
first inquiry upon recovering consciousness
was in regard to the safety OF his family.
He IL 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 standing
but the interior presents picture of ruin
and desolatIon. The residence of Judge W.
8. Cox, of the District Supreme Court,
which adjoins it on the left, was also badly |
damaged by water.
DR.. Ruth visited the undertaker's estab.
lshment this morning and identified the |
body OF Miss Tracy. He made hurried
examination and found che had died from |
suffocaton. Mrs. Tracy was found to have
died from rupture of blood vessels.
AS soon as the attending physicians had
pronounced Secretary Tracy out of danger
and be had fully reaained consciousness ne.
was told Of the awful calamity that had be.
fallen him. The grief of the stricken man
was most pitiful. He soon, however, fell
into deep sleep. AS soon as possible after
he awakes be will be taken to the Executive
mansion.
Chief Parrish. of the Fire Department,