, 1890-02-04

~
robe, her hands in an attitude Of prayer
and her face uplifted to heaven. Flames
gradually hemmed her in and she sank to
the floor only to be recognized again by
her charred remains. The French maid,
Josephine, met a similar fate In an ad
Joining room where her charred and
blackened remains were found.
With Mrs. Tracy and Miss Tracy and
Mrs. Coppinger, Secretary Blaine's
daughter, all lying dead, and Secretary
Tracy seriously i'll and his health im
paired, governmental circles to day are
e~nshrouded in sadness and gloom. Pres
ident Harrison as soon as he heard OF the
calamity sent assistance from the execu-
tive mansion to aid the bereaved family
and followed himself to inquire what as
~sistance he could render and at this hour,
ll:45 a. M, is still with Mr.. Tracy.
Chief Harris of the fire department
says: Il paid no attention to the fire
when / heard there were people in the
house, | felt my way through the smoke
to the second floor and found a man in
bed. l dragged him into q room where
there was not so much smoke and broke
a window out and called to Lowe who was
in the alley to run up a ladder. Then
they took the man out and it proved to
be the secretary. | couldn't move him
any further for L was exhausted. Then |
went back into the smoke and fire again
and found a young lady. Marie Tracy and
as | caught hold of her wrists and tried
to lift her up. the flesh came off her burn
ing hands. she was dead.
The bodies of Mrs. and Miss Tracy
will be taken to the white house this af
ternoon. Secretary Tracy will be moved
to the same place to morryw.
james WEIGH. the secretary's butler,
said: Il sleep in the basement and this
morning l got up about $50. There was
no smell of fire and no appearance Of any
thing wrong, about 7 O'Clock | started to
clear my diGing room when there was a
ring at the bell and when | answered it,
a colored man said, Your house is on
fire.. At once | rushed up stairs to
arouse the family, and although the
smoke was very thick, | succeeded in
knocking at every door and from each
one in the room | secured a response.
Then | started to go down stairs and
nearly choked with smoke. | fell three
times, but finally got to the front door.
Il went around to the rear and tried to
get a ladder so as to reach the secretary
and Mrs. Tracy's bedroom. Mrs. Tracy
was at the window and while a few of US
who were there appealed to her 20 keep
still a moment more she climbed out on
the sill and lowered herself until she hung
by her hands on a narrow projection.
Everybody who saw her yelled to her to
hold on tor a moment, and We looked
around for something In which to catch
her so as to break the fall which had to
come"
How long did Mrs. Tracy hang
there2"
Not more than a few seconds. She
told me afterwards she slipped. She al
most touched me in her swift descent, q
was on the ground leveD and struck on
her left side but no sound save a little in
coherent murmur came from her lips. !
picked her up and carried her into Rheims
house"
To those who were admitted to view
the destruction of property the bed room
which had been occupied by Secretary
and Mrs. Tracy was the principal point OF
interest. 1t is the rear room on the sec,
ond floor and must have been a beautiful
apartment. Everything is black and
soaked with water. The room is a huge
cinder.
On the third floor in the central front
was the room occupied last night by Miss
Tracy. This was a ruin of the most
thorough description, charred in every
corner, ceiling gone, doors burned out,
cinders ankle deep covered The floor and
what the flames had spared was destroyed
by water. The fire originated in the par
lor near an open fire place. Whether 1t
originated from the crate or heating pipe
is not known. The furnace is in the
basement directly beneath where the fire
started and the pipes leading to the up
per stories pass in the rear of the wood
work. The 6remen generally think the
woodwork caught fire from the heated
pipes.
The president received a large number
of kilograms of coincidence owing to
to the sad event and the president and
Mrs. Harrison have recalled the invita-
ton to a state dinner in honor of the
supreme court Thursday next. The re.
mains of Mrs. Tracy and Miss Tracy lie
to night in q casket in the East room OF
the white house beneath the crystal
chandeliers whose hight less than a week
aRo shown upon them as they Raily greeted
their numerous friends at the last presi
dental reception. The bodies were
brought to the white house at 6 o'clock
by order of the president who has taken
charge OF whatever arrangements for the
funeral it was necessary to make at pres
ent.
Final arrangements will not be made
until the arrival of Secretary Tracy's sor
and Gen. Catlin, his brother in law, who
are expected to night. The injured art
improving. The president visited Secre
tary Tracy again this evening and found
him gaining strength though still hardly
able to realize the great loss he has sus
tanned.
Hanpy Hna..r