The Anaconda standard., 1890-07-04
WRAPPED IN. FLAMES
Terrible Accident That Befell Hiss
Tenie Johnson Yesterday.
While Lighting the Fire with Coal OIL
the Can Explodes and She 10
Horribly Burned Saved
by Heroic Women.

BY the Standards Special Wire.
BUTTE, July 3.-The frightful danger at
tendant upon the use of coal oil in kind
ling fires was manifested to-day in a
startling manner at the residence of John
Gillie on West Broadway.
A few minutes before II o'clock Tennie
Johnson, a domestic in the employ of
Mrs. Gillie, was engaged in preparing
lunch. The fire not burning rapidly
enough 10 suit her she attempted TO i'm
prove il by the application of coal oil
Raising one of the lids of the stove she
began To pour oil upon the Goals from
large can. The oil in the stove suddenly
burst into fierce flame which ignited the
oil in the can. A terrific explosion fol-
lowed. silattering the can into atoms and
covering the girl from head to foot with a
Hood of burning oil.
The girl began TO scream and ran into
the hall. her clothing n mass of flames
which threatened To ignite everything in
the house. Mrs. Gillie and her mother,
Mrs. Emerson, were upstairs and hear
ing the girls shrieks started to run down
To ascert ain the cause. They were met
10y the girl who was about half up the
stairs. As soon as she saw the ladies she
turned and started to run back. Forlti-
nately for her both the ladies showed rare
presence of mind and TO them she owes
her life. As soon as Mrs. Emerson saw the
girl she started in pursuit and overlook
her at the bottom of the stairs. where she
pushed her TO the floor and with the
assistance of Mrs. Gillic. speedily extin-
guishcd the burning clothing with rugs.
In her frantic rIishes about the house
the girl had communicated the fire from
her clothes To various articles of furniture
and for n while il was feared that the
house would certainly burn to the ground.
Several men working on a building near
by heard the screaming and seeing the
smoke rushed To render assistance.
Attaching "A small garden hose To a pen
stock in the yard, they began To play upon
the fire, while Others also carried water
in buckets, and by this means soon extin-
guished the fiames. neighborng lady
also telephoned to the city hall and the
fire department responded promptly, but
no water was thrown, as the fire was out
when the apparatus arrived AT the scene.
When il was found that the building
was safe DIR. Johnston was summoned TO
attend To the injured girl. He examined
her and found that the left side of her
head and neck was fcarfully burned.
while the left arm and breast
w Sitable ''em snec,a@ia w%r' press,ins eJi,in -,
these injuries, the left leg was also badly
burned, not as seriously as the other
parts mentioned. As II was apparent
that the girl had not inhaled the flames,
ncr injuries are not therefore necessarily
fatal. Under the doctors directions, the
sufferer was made as comfortable as pos
siblc, and AT last accounts her suffering
was not as intense as would be supposed
from the nature and extent of her in
jurics.
Mrs. Emerson fortunately escaped with
n slight burn on one arm, while Mrs.
Gillie only lost n small amount OF her
hair. which came in contact with the
flames from the girls clothing.
After the accident an examination of
the kitchen was made and evidence of
the terrific force of the explosion could be
seen in every direction. The stove pipe
was twisted and broken. cooking utensils
and furniture were strewn about i'm the
most promiscuoiis manner. The kitchen
and entire rear part of the house were
badly scorched and the carpets and fur
nitlre in the hall almost ruined by water.
The damage To Mr.. Gillie will probably
he 1000, but considering all things the
accident might properly be called one of
the fortunate kind.