The herald., 1895-02-23
A Great Fire RACES at Hot
Springs, Arkansas
MANY LIVES ARE LOST
The Origin of the Blaze Is Shrouded in
Mystery
The Flames Started in a Bakery and Swept
Over the Business Part of the
Town

st. Louis, Fob. PA special from Hot
Springs, Ark, says: A fire breaking out
here at o'clock this morning has ragged
without control, and so far four blocks oil
buildings have been destroyed. Mrs Sam
monis known to be dead, while Others
are missing. Reports at 8 O'Clock were
thatseight were dead, and the number
will be Increased when a thorough examl-
nation of the ruins can be made. Hot
Springs has no adequate fire department.
the streets are narrow, and the buildings
frame,, So far none of the large hotels
have burned, but all are in danger.
Hot Springs, Ark, Feb. Eight peo-
pie are knows to have persisted in the fire
which started in this city at O'Clock
this morning. Four large blocks of build
ings were soon laid in ruins. 1t is feared
the number of dead viii be much greater
than eight, as many people who lived in
the destroyed buildings are missing.
How the flames started is a mystery.
When discovered the fire was under strong
Roadway and made such rapid progress
that the department could do little toward
checking ii. People who roomed in the
doomed structure were caught almost
without warning, and nearly all who es-
capped did so in their night clothes, being
unable to save any of their effects.
The dead are: Mrs. Clara Sammon,
boarding house keeper; d. W. Wing of
Glen Falls, Wy. Mrs. Hecox, boarding
house keeper Mr.. and Mrs. Bronson of
Macon Mo-, were slightly injured by
jumping from burning building.
-, cd in haE arv
which were! furnished rooms kept by Mrs.
Ssmmon. Other buildings burned were
the Laclede, Ouachita Illinois, Oaklawn
and Bloomington boarding-houses; H. nj.
Hudgins' residence r. l.. Williams three
story brick, Joplin's grocery, E. Ran
dolph's residence, Ledgerwood's bakery,
the Tennessee stables, the West House and
fifteen cottages. The total loss is S75 900;
very little insurance.
Later.-Hot Springs, Ark, Feb. %
AS far as known six persons were burned
to death and four and a half blocks of the
residence and business portion of the city
was burned by the fire this morning. The
fire originated in the Legerwood bakery.
The residence of H M. Hundkins and the
bakery were destroyed, and in ten min
utes the fire had spread to half dozen
and famed by strong wind from the
north swept everything as finder before it.
The flames crossed the street and the
0uachita Hotel and Oaklawn were next
burned. Out of nearly 100 houses burned,
in only half dozen cases was the furni-
ture saved. AS far as known there have
been six persons burned TO death but
rumors are rife OF others missing and the
number of fatalities may be increased to
a score when the death roll is completed.
Among the dead are:
Mrs. Mary Sammonson, 20 years old,
who was living in the Legerwood build
ing.
D. ". Wing, of Glens Falls, n. Y, who
escaped the flames at first but remem-
bered he had $500 in the hotel, rushed
back to get it. Before he reached the
door his clothes were on fire and he was
burned to death in sight Of thousands of
people.
A man named Hill, one of whose arms
was paralyzed, from Chicago is reported
as among the dead.
An unknown negro.
Mr.. Maggie Hiscock, housekeeper at
the Oaklawn.
How many were lost remains to be seen.
The total lost by the confagration will
reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.