Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-22
THRILLlNG ESCAPE
OF = Nashville Girl from the
Milwaukee Fire.


| .NNNANNN tSAtbi All 4Skluk II Il
was with or without injury that
escaped from the FIRE. Il was entirely
without injury, but we made a mos
miraculous escape.
We lett Wsukegan alter the Der.
iormance, and had to lie over at Mil.
waukee until seven next morning, on
our way to Sheboygan.
We stopped at the Depot Hotel, but
hDdlng the rooms uncomfortable, Mr.
Compton, Mr.. Lavelle, Miss Herbert
and l went 10 the Newhall House,
leaving baggage at the Depot Hotel
Mr.. T., Miss II. and got rooms con
necting, Mr. j. further down the hall.
We got to bed about / o'clock. At
about 3:3O was aroused by cries Of
"helpl and '6rel" | jumped up and
ran to Mr.. Q. 5 room. He had lust
jumped from his bed. Miss
Herbert came in and we ali
went to my room, which was nearer
the front Mr. Laselle then rushed
IN, having passed through twenty feet
Of flame. The hall was dense and
black with smoke, and people were
Jing over the floor groaning aud cry
ing tor help. Fortunately | had lef.
my gas burning, or we would have
been In utter darkness. We closed
the door to keep out the smoke. burst
open the Windows with our fists aud
yelled for help We we're in the fhb
story-think Of it2 The elevator and
stairs were burned down, and we saw
no way OF escape but out Of the front
window. We tied wet towels over our
mouths TO keep from suffucatinR
Looking from the window, we saw a
fre escape from the hall next to nv
room. We crawled through the win
dow to where u fireman was. who
called out, Here, this way" lie helped
us through the broken pane, and we
made our escape, Mr.. Il, on the outside
and | on the inside, oil the escape
Mr. y. aud Miss II. came down the
same way. Four minutes after we
got out, our rooms fell 10, and the
fireman who helped US out was crush
cd to death by the falling wall. It'll
was the most rapid Ere | ever saw. | |
was fortunate enough to get on most
OF nv clothing, which, however, made
1t difficult for me to descend. Miss II |
was In her night dress, with bare feet
Fortunately | had my shawl aud threw
it around her. We took carriage
and drove to the PlaDkington. / did
not see any one who escaped as we'll as
| did, Mr. i. was the only one Of
our party who was injured His neck
and arms were badly burned. and he is
suffering very much from it. His
hair aud eyelashes were singed. A
great many people who escaped
burning came to the Plankington.
You can't imagine the spectacle pre-.
sented. Most Of them we're In
their nightclothes-some insensible
Others fearfully burned and cut and
bruised. One poor girl went ravinR
mad and 1t took several men to hold
her As we went to the depot at SIX
Ia the morning We drove within q
block or so of the fire, which was as
near as we could annrnaeh
aud there was not a wall
standing. | don't suppose more
than one half Of the guests escaped
| telegraphed you, tearing you would
see my name in paper and be fright
ened, and would have written to you
yesterday, but | only got two hours
sleep the night before. and cur travel
ing for the past week has been severe.
SO thought my bed was the best
place for me lay down nearly all
day, but could not close my eyes
| only lost the contents of my hand
bag, including my blonde wig; which
| did not missl until about to 90 en-
the stage the next night-then had to
curl M bangs with a hot pipe stem.
Only think of our playing last nigh
after what four of us had gone through.
and l played as we'll, if not better,
than usual. hate losing my wig, it |
was so much more becoming to me |
than my own hair.
=
| am so sore from the effects of
dewn the ladder that can
scarcely move. This is the Only bad
effect | feel.
How thankful ought to feel that I |
was saved at all. There is not much
truth in the published statement in
the paper. Mrs l.. is the only one of
our party that passed through the
flames.
You should have seen me coming
down that ladder with those little
places to pass through. | thought
once ! would have to leave much OF
my clothing bUhind, and Miss H.sl
wrapper was torn in pieces and she
greatly feared losing it entirely before
she reached the bottom"
In a more recent lettor Miss Dunlap
saysi
The FIRE had served US as a fne
advertisement. Where we had full
houses before we have crowded ones
now, owing to the newspaper state
ments OF our escape, one paper stating
that Miss Dunlap jumped from the
fifth story to the pavement without