The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-12-15
-Four Ladiea in . Portions Position.

A fire occurred at 142 North avenue, Bal
timore, Nd, about 8 O. clock Monday morn
ing Mr.. Earnest Rail, who lives at No. IA,
was reused by his sister-in-law, Miss Ada
Blackman who had been startled from her
sleep by noises next door, Putting his head
ont Of the window he saw that the house next
door was ON fire. His shouts reused Mr.. }.
H. Kahn and Mr.. " 3. Mccartney, who were
asleep over the formers drug store at the end
of the row, corner Greenmount avenue, and
they rushed to the scene. Smoke was rolling
out of the windows of No. 142, and four ter
.rifed women, clad only in their night cloth-
ing, appeared on a little fancy balcony in front
of the second story, making frantic appeals
for help They were Miss Ella Martin, an
artist, her sisters, Miss May and Miss Carrie,
and their niece, Miss Susie Rutter, of Mt
Vernon, Ohio. Mr.. Kahn and Mr. Mccartney
spoke assuringIy to the imperiled ladies, and
were answered from the balcony by piteous
calls, sob, for Gods sake save us y Don't
let us burn ~ "My God, protect mel" A
crowd of half- dressed people from the neigh
borhood gathered. 1t was twenty feet from
the balcony to the concrete pavement, and
the ladies were in an agony of terror. MIR.
McCaffrey ran off to get ladder, which was
about two squares away. Mr.. Rial, who had
hurriedly gotten his family ont of his own
house and placed them in safety, ran back into
his house, barefooted and half dressed, and
dragged out mattresses, and Mr.. John BIbby,
who lives on the other side of the burning
house, also got out mattresses. In their des-
peration Miss Carrie Martin and Miss Rutter
swung themselves over the balcony. There
were cries from the crowd, sDon't let 60,
the ladder is coming" but Miss Carrie, who
had lowered herself from the balcony and was
clinging to the bottom rail, relaxed her hold.
As she fell she swayed so that she struck the
mattress in sitting posture, striking her
back against the front of the house, injaring
her spine. Miss Rutter let go Immediately
afterwards, falling on top of another mattress,
sustaining no serious injury. They had been
so close to the flames that their hair was singed.
A moment later Mr. Mccartney arrived with
the ladder Placing it against the wall he
climbed towards the other two, who were still
on the balcony. The smoke drove him down
to the ground and nearly choked him. Re-
gaining his breath he made the second at
tempt, and succeeded in reaching the bottom
of the balcony He could not see for the
smoke. Bracing himself for the effort he
called to one of the ladies to come to him.
Miss Ella was over the rail in an instant.
With one hand around her waist and the other
clutching the rounds of the ladder he bore her
safely to the ground. When he reached the
balcony again, without waiting until he could
firmly fix himself, Miss May jumped into his
arms. The sudden movement almost threw
Mr.. Mccartney from the ladder, but he re-
gained his footing and bore the lady safely to
the pavement. The rescued ladies were at
once taken to Mr.. Webb's.
Attention was then directed to the building
The engines were promptly on the scene and
saved the adjoining property. Mr.. Rail lost
$1,000, covered by insurance. The loss at l42
was over $4,000. Mr.. Rails family and
Miss Blackman, are well known in Westmin-
sfar-Eds