Year: 1874

|
| Hotel j. A. Frisbee, the bartender, who
| happened to be sitting up with sick
| friend, discovered the fire and immediate
| ly rushed through the halls to arouse the
guests. There were, including servants
| 100 souls in the house, and directly the
corridors became the scene of the widest
dismay. Fortunately there were no lady
guests registered last night or the story OF
horror and death might have been i'm
measurably more painful to detail. The
flames drifted up the wooden walls, and
quicker than it takes to tell it, spread over
the entire southern side and were curling
in thousand tongues from cornice and
gable. The heat had the effect to crack
all the windows on that side of the house,
and admitted the flame and smoke
before the most expeditions of the
ffggat0 fig GaRald GaeRal nut lnllytbvv on - their cloth
into tue hall, some not even taking their
clothing in their arms, and, anxious to es-
cape with their lives, tore up and down
the corridors, madly seeking some outlet
from the pursuing flames. The widest
horror prevailed Shrek rose upon
shrek in heartrending accents, all the
more impressive because they came from
strong men graphing with death, with
the odds so terribly against all mere hui
man power MANY on the lower hall had
found their way out of the building, and
the proprietor of the house, who was sick,
had been borne out. For an instant it
was hoped that all would escape, but
again that hope was dashed by the be-
seeching cries for help of those who had
fingered to dress, or in the excitement OF
the dreadful moment were unable to undo
the fastenings of their doors. To add to
the horror of the situation, it was discoy-
cred that the flames had crept through the
southern sleeping rooms and, following
the draft along the corridor, had cut OFT
the servants escape from the attic. Be-
tween prayers, and shrieks, and groans
the scene was now too much Tor
human hearts, knowing their utter
inability to render aid. Many turned
away from the sickening scene they
found it as difficult to endure as to re-
lieve. Some of the girls had the courage
and presence of mind to turn their dra-
perry over their heads for protection, and
rush Though the sheet of flame; and thus
some escaped. Others rushed back to the
north side and cast themselves from the
windows upon the roof of the adjoining
building, whence they were rescued.
Others sank bewildered in the suffocating
smoke and, like some of the guests on
the floor below, yielded without strug-
gle to the terrible death before them. But
the climax of the situation had not been
reached till Nelly McCarty, one OF the
dining room girls, appeared at the south
ern attic window and proposed to cast
herself to the ground, forty feet below.
A warning cry arose from the crowd, but
the poor girl would not retreat, and with
wild cry of despair she cast herself forth
and fell, pitiful mass OF broken bones,
upon the pavement The flames were
now spreading so rapidly that every one
turned to rescue his own property. Masses
of sparks and burning shingles were fall
ing on the roofs around In half an hour
the greater part of the town was
burning, and women were rushing
wildly to the fields, dragging their chill
dren after them. No water was to be got,
and no resistance was made after the
first feeble effort. The scene at the Han
lon House was only repetition OF that
which hardly a minute before had taken
place at the Central, which was only
across a narrow street. The prOprietors
made every effort to alarm the guests and,
from the fact that all the remains had
clothing upon them, had undoubtedly sue
ceeded in their duty, but they were forced
to fee, and when the flames had subsidized
three human bodies were observed to be
roasting in the ruins, and like number
were exposed to view upon the Goals OF
the Central.


The dead so far discovered though al
most undoubtedly a further search among
the debris of the Central will discover
more) are Nora Canty, dining room girl ;
Captain Oliver, of the Rynd Farm, guest
at the Central; Butcher George, porter at
the Central; Sanford Acker, guest at the
Hanlon House; Philip Martin, guest at
the Hanlon House: a young man un-
known, guest at the Hanlon House. The
registers of both hotels were lost. Nelly
McCarty was removed to the house OF a
friend, and after receiving the holy sac
rament according to the Catholic falth
underwent an examination by the sur
geons, who despair of her recovery, as
she is injured internally.


The general opinion is that the fire
originated from escaping gas, but the
Central Hotel people claim that 1t must
have been the work of an incendlary


Reports of the fire were slow to be cred
tied at Petrolia, Karns City, and other





being All Fools day, many were under
the impression that it was grand sell; !;
but by two O'Clock in the morning nu-
merous parties who had been eye-wit-
nesses appeared. and their candor could
no longer be doubted. Ere long not a
horse nor wagon could be obtained at
any price, as all had been hired to visit
the scene of the confagration. Various
rumors were extensively circulated re-
garding the loss of lives, some getting as
high as fifteen and twenty, and none CIV
ing it below what it really was. 1t is
safe to say that no excitement ever hap
pened in Butler County calling out as
many people, all anxious to render any
assistance in their power. The sur
rounding towns could not boast of more
than a ccrporal's guard, as all who could
get away had gone to Millerstown. For
time the oil excitement was virtually
banished, and the TOPIC of conversation
turned to the details of the confagratlon.
In the street offensive odors are perceptl-
BILE. being blown from the ruins constant
ly. and it is generally supposed that the
loss of life is greater than at present as
certained. The remains of seven crisp
bodies have been lying in the lookup all
day. where they have been witnessed by
thousands. Many turned from the horri-
BILE sight with tears in their eyes. Oper-
ators, and all parties either directly or
indirectly concerned, pronounce it the
most distressing scene they have ever
looked upon in this country. When
morning broke nearly hundred families
were seen in the fields, protecting and
seeking shelter among their goods.


A FEW days ago New Orleans horse
railroad company sunk 47000 counterfeit
nickel coins in the Mississippi River, the
receipts of one year. The counterfeiting