The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-03-24

( CLEvRIAND, o., March 2S,-Shortly
before 70 o'clock to-day FIRE broke out
in the Morgan, fashionable apartment
house on Prospect street near Granger
The engines responded quickly, but be-
fore help arrived the building was
enveloped in flames and smoke and a
terrible panic ensuod, Five women
and baby burned to death and several
more were partially suaocated. The
house was a handsome one OF three
stories. A central hall runs through
the building on either side. The only
escape was by way OF tho front stairs.
Those in the third story had no time TO
gather their goods together and before
they were aware OF any fire they were
surrounded with flames and smoke. The
scene was terrible one and the excite
ment and CONSERVATION OF those in
safety who wero unable to aid tho
sulloCating women was great. Tho fire.
men worked heroically, A second
alarm was given and every effort made
to rescue those still in the burning
building.
The body OF the first woman found
was that Of Mrs. Sommers, blind lady,
who had groped her way to the stairs
only to die. The three other women,
with the little child, whose names
have not yet been learned, were all
found lying on tho floor OF second
story front hall dead, sutfocated by the
smoke. Their bodies were huddled to.
gether, but it was evident from their
position that they died without pain.
The fro started. no one knowa, how in
the basement, and tho building is q
total loss,
As soon as the engines began work
ing, three car lines which passed the
building were blocked and the croWd'
grew to thousands. Many OF the spec
tators assisted the tiremen in trying to
rescue persons in the burning structure
and several OF them were badly burned
as they were driven back by the flames,
The names OF the dead are rs fol-
lows:
Mrs. Mary L. Abbey, widow Of Judge
Abbey, aged rs.
Mrs. Emma somors, blind woman
aged 45.
Mrs. Jessie Hunt, wife OF A. g. Hunt,
aged 81, who was visiting her mother
Mrs. Somers.
Percy Hunt, daughter Of Mrs. Hunt.
Mrs. ?. G. somers, 10 years, step.
mother.in.law of Mrs. Emma somers. \
The injured are:
Mrs. L. I. Clifford and Mrs. ]. II. Mil
ler, who were badly bruised by jump
ing from the second story windows.
1t seems inconceivablo that fire at
such time and place could have been
attended by any loss OF life. The Nor
gan was, however, so constructed that
the fire had n clean sweep. Each floor
had long hallway extending from
front to rear, with single stairways lead
ing from floor to floor.
The fire started in the basement, just
how Is not known, and it swept up
through the halls, cutting of all means
OF escape. The women who persisted
ran to this windows, but before any.
thing could be done to assist them they
were driven back by tho smoke and
flames and persisted. Those on the
lower floors rushed to the street, and
one woman, besides Mrs. Miller, jumped
from second story window. She was
Mrs. L. r. Clifford, and she was caught
in rubber ovorcoat held by two OF tho
spectators, escaping without injury.
Tho dead bodies were found on the
third floor. The corpses were burned
to crisp, and were horribly blackened
and dsfgured. As quickly as possible
the bodies were taken to the morgue.
Tho two upper floors Of the building
arc gutted and the contents Of the
house are ruined. Tho Morgan Is own
cd by W. j. Morgan, the litho-
graphcr. II cost $4,000 aud. was in
surod. The contents wore owned by
Mrs. II. NJ. Hanna. Her loss is estimu-
tnl nk Go nnn with M inanrnt1cn