Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1911-01-06
TRAGEDY AT ORKNEY STRINGS
II. II. Biller's Hotel, Home and
Daughter Burned.


At Orkney Springs Christmas morn
ing, about 4:30 o'clock, fire destroyed
the Mountain View Hotel" the hpmt
of Mr.. Henry 81. Biller, with most o.
its contents, and SO frightfully bur nee
his daughter, Miss Lila, whose life,
less young form was found in Orkney
lake several hours later.
| The following detailed account OF
/ this sad Christmas tragedy was
written for the HERALD by one of the
first to respond to Mr.. Biller's call
for help:
The first persons to arrive we're
Geo. Stidley, DR.. Canaan and Rev.
Randolph.
/ These gentlemen found that it had
originated in or near the room of
Mr.. Biller's daughter, Miss Lillia, as
this room was in flames. Her door
was locked and her parents declared
that she must be burned to death. Mr..
Geo. Stidley broke in the door, but
was driven back by smoke and flames
The room was then deluged with water
and Rev. Randolph, with hand full
of snow over his nose and mouth, af-
ter a second attempt, succeeded in
crawling along the floor and in this
way hurridly searched the room, but
failed to find Miss Biller. He said
he found holes burned in the floor and
some charred bedding that had been
put out by the water.
! AT this time Mr.. Biller said TIE
attic was on fire and the few men
present hurried up there with buckets
of water, but it was of no avail as the
attic was solid flame and the roof,
g single one, was on fire. Telephone
bells we're being rung on every SHE
for help.
| A futher search was made for Miss
Biller in other rooms of the doomed
1 building; and what property that
could be saved was taken to a place
of safety. The fight was now on to
/ save the Kagey Cottage which stood
only II feet away. This WIS one of
! the bravest fights ever seen in this
! section. Twice it was thought to be
doomed. One whole end was in a
solid blaze, and the attic on fire.
The supply of water in the nearest
| wells was exhausted and the men
were carrying from futher down town.
Rut finally the battle was won and the
flames conquered. Had this cottage
burned it would have been impossible
to have saved the store of Mr.. Biller,
DR.. Canan's residence and the re-
naming dwellings iE this row.
Daylight was now dawning and
some one remembered that one of the
widows of Miss Biller's room was
hoisted and that Mr.. Brit Lutz had
tried to enter her room through this
window but was driven back by the
flames This window opened over the
kitchen roof and it was thought that
she may have left her room by this
route. Soon parties were searching
in every direction and they were re
warde6 by folding barefoot tracks IN
the snow. These were traced to tire
Orkney lake about four hundred
yards away. There they found the I'M
fortunate girl in the water. She had
been dead several hours. She was
c, ad in her night clothes which was
partially burned away. A bed COM
fort was also lying in the water about
her, which was burned considerably.
INJURIES TO THE BODY.
There was small burn on one
limb, and large one on side of chest.
shoulder and arm. There was also
several small ones over throat, chin
ard face. Her mouth and throat in
side was also scared.
There was no water in the lungs
and she was sitting crouched in
scarcely four feet of water. 1t is DR..
Canan's theory that she had breathed
hot vapor and smoke in her sleep,
i sufficient to cut off all oxygenation of
| the blood; consequently when she
| agoke her brain was incapable of
formulating though; and that her
throat was probably in such condi-
ton that she COULD not call, had she
| thought to do so. That her fleeing
from the burning building was only
animal instinct until she sank down
exhausted from shock Her tracks in
the snow showed that she staggered
several times and then gained her
equilibrium and burned pieces of
clothing were found along her path
way
Miss Biller was "a years and 8
months old and leaves her father and
mother and two sisters, Mrs. Clara
Lutz, of Orkney. and Mrs. Mamie
Funkhouser, of Washington, D. c.
Miss Biller was beautiful and ac-
complished young lady; and her un-
timely and tragic death cast gloom
over the whole place. She was one
of the sweetest characters tie writer
has met in many years.
Her funeral took place from the
little chapel in Orkney on Tuesday
after Christmas; Rev. Pittman, OF
Page county, conducting the service
and her remains were laid to rest in
the little burial ground near Barb's
school house; thus ending one of the
sadlest events Orkney has ever
known.
| TUE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
A The origin of the fire is, and always
will remain, mystery. At first many
thought that lamp must have ex
ploded in Miss Bil!er's room but thil
, theory was finally abandoned when il
was learned that Rev. Randolph dit
not feel any glass when he crawet
over the floor in his search for hel