Return to Milestones Vol. 5, No. 2
At about 4:30 o'clock this morning a most terrible and heart rending calamity happened at the Government Dam by the burning of the Merril Hotel, a large 3-story frame structure, resulting in the loss of 7 lives, four of the bodies being recovered. All the names of the victims are as follows:
John Kelly, a laborer, residence Woods Run, aged 40; Robert Standley, aged 35, an engineer, of New Brighton, widower with two children, lived with his mother; Jerry Wren, boss stone cutter, aged 60, and son Dan, aged 23, residence at Pittsburg, near Flynn's stables; Jerry Wilkes, a stone mason, of E Street, Allegheny, were fatally burned, almost beyond recognition, and James Hughes, of Chartiers, an engineer, aged 33, is missing and supposed to have burned to death.
The fire was discovered by William Bolds, a colored man, who says it originated in a stairway near the room used as a' store and post office on the first floor.
The building was a frame structure, three stories, 84 x 40, and was situated just above the railroad track, 200 feet west of the dam offices. It was valued at $4000 and was completed on the 15th day of last March. It was insured for $1800 in the Continental New York.
The proprietors were both young and energetic operators on the P. & L. E. R.R., Mr. Bradley being train dispatcher for sometime and a resident of Vanport, and Mr. Keenoy, a resident of Pittsburgh. Mr. Bradley telegraphed for Coroner Kring to hold inquests on the remains.
Quite a number of the boarders lost all their clothes and many of them watches and money; Mr. Bradley lost all and escaped in his underclothes. The girls had been discharged a short time ago and no females were in the hotel at the time of the fire.
Barney Lafferty, of Freedom, and James Schreerer of Sewickley, were badly burned and James Winn, Allegheny, was badly burned and had his right arm broke [sic] and shoulder dislocated and an ankle sprained and was sent to Mercy Hospital, Pittsburg.
F. F. Sweeney, of Pittsburg was in the room with Wiles and young Wren and escaped in a remarkable manner by jumping from the third story, without injury.
Clement Allen, of Pittsburg, threw his clothes out of a two-story window and then jumped out and saved himself except [sic] a few scratches from broken glass.
Mr. Standley of New Brighton was a great favorite with the employees and had just purchased himself a home in New Brighton. He was a very large fleshy man and got lost in the smoke although he was almost out when he fell down overpowered by the smoke and perished.
Benjamin Bills and Henry Taylor rescued the bodies from the burning debris.
At half-past ten o'clock, the bodies of the missing engineer and of P. J. Miller, a laborer, who resided in Allegheny city were discovered, making seven in all. The county for miles around was lighted up by the conflagration and several trees were set on fire, giving the place a weird aspect.
Coroner G. S. Kring was informed of yesterday's disaster at Merril Station and went promptly to the scene. He at once impaneled a jury and held the usual inquest on the bodies. Several witnesses were examined, chiefly with a view to discovering the cause of the fire, but all efforts in that direction failed. Some theories were advanced by witnesses, but they were only theories. One was that the fire might have ignited from the explosion of a hanging lamp which was, left burning every night in the store-room in the front of the building. Another that a stock of matches which had been recently placed in the store may have been ignited by mice. Witnesses all agreed that the cause of the fire, which started in the store room, was unknown, and that the proprietors had done everything possible to save the lives of their guests.
The finding of the jury in the case of John Kelly is similar to that found in each of the seven bodies viewed. It is: "We find that John Kelly came to his death Nov. 21, at Merril Station, on the C. & P. R.R., by the burning of the Merril House. The cause of the fire is unknown and no blame is attached to anyone."
Merril Station, the scene of the disaster, was filled with gloom yesterday. Work on the dam was suspended, in so far as it was possible to do so, and the workingmen sat around the offices and works gravely recounting the incidents of the fire and speaking regretfully of the loss of their companions, all of whom seemed to be general favorites.
Hundreds from the surrounding country and adjacent towns came to see the ruins and hear the story of the survivors. Some impelled by curiosity hurried to the shed where the dead men lay and looked upon the deadly work of the flames, but by far the greatest number shunned the place as if fearing the effects of such a sight.
From the November 22, 1893 edition of the Beaver Argus and Radical. our thanks to Ken Britten for spotting this account in the files of the Resource Center and passing it along for Milestones readers.