Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-12-08
pu,LIpspuno EscApKs.-The Journal

PHiLIPsBURd ESCAPES. The Journal
of Saturday thus details two miraculous escapes
from Gre and death In that borough
A kerosene aceidsnt occurred st the residence
Of Mrs. Matilda Richards, on North Centre street,
on Monday evening which not only endangered
the building but the life Of at least Que Of the in
mates. Mis R6s, daughter Of Mrs. Richards,
entered the pantry, adjoining the Kitchen, with
lamp hanging against the wall dIsledssd ~ Iron
ripg-ussd By The laeiss 10 set their aat.irons
upon, whsa 10 uss-whieh brsks The lamp into
atoms AAd saturated her elethins And tbs doer
with kerosene, which In ~ Instant blsssd Up to
the ceiling. Ths room was narrow asd the ysung
lady, with her clothing already biaslns abeys her
had, was obliged TO pass through the asmss
springlpg FROM the doer, In order 10 escape, and
reschins the kitchen she was on her way out Of
dosrs when seized by her mother and thrown to
the floor. Fortunately the carpet Of the Kitchen
was loose aud Art. Riohards had the presence Of
mind to wrap the burning girl 10 the folds Of the
carpet, and smother the hnmes, while another
daughter, Miss Dora Richards, threw water upon
them both. Ths clothing Of Miss Enis Richards
was alIiost burned from her person, scarcely u
remnant being left Of the dress she wore aud yet,
sirange to say, beyond the slight burning Of one
wrist, she was not injured In the least. Her moth
OF dcors--which she realized would prove fatal
was burned about the wrists and throat, the rui-
he on tho neck OF her dress having taken tire and
burned Cd without setting her dress on hrc The
ar IA the pantry was quietly subdued, and al
though there were none but women In the house,
there was no screaming done, asd none Of the
ncighbors knew Of the danger until IL was all
over. Altogether It was q marvellous escape, and
is due to the prompt action Of MrA Richards and
Miss Dora-the presence OF mind Of the former
undoubtedly saving the life OF her daughter and
her residence FROM the flames.
On Thursday afternoon, between the hours Of
three and four o'clock, the agent for patent SELL
lighting burner, who occupied Room No. 5 st the
Lloyd House, wat to bis room, in which hs had
left three lamps burning, about half an hour pre-
vious, and was struck dumb with astonithment
when be found tho room full OF dense smoke and
saw the three lamps broken aud fused BY the heat
Of the fire, which had subsidized Of ITSELF The
cause Uf the accident was the falling Of tin cap
from the hole in the chimney, upon the lamps
standing upon the table beneath. The oil satu-
rsted the wooien cover OF the table, and after
burning away, destroying q mirror that hung
above II, and smoking .te wai!s, ceiling and bed
clothes in the room, although hot enough to fuse
the glass OF which the lamps were composed, As
stated above, went out without doing further dam
age. 1t hardly seems as II such thing were pos-
sible, as II tho contents Of three kerosene lamps
could suddenly be freed and set on ERE without
com municHting to the oombustible material Of
bed chamber and setting the house on fire, yet It
did so. One reason why the flames did net do
more serious work was because the room was
tightly closed and no air could find its way In to
feed the flames.