Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-02-04

"a us SCI NhltS uhu ptTlsneu III tne uuuleS,
while his other daughter and his grandchild
had received severe and perhaps fatal injur-
b& The tragedy was Of such an appalling
nature that il aroused the most intense SYM
plthy for the unfortunate secretary, and
caused almost a suspension of business in all
the government departments. The various
secretaries neglected their duties to render
such assistance as was in their power to their
unfortunate colleague, and the senate, as a
mark of sympathy to the dead, adjourned
Immediately after converting.
Fatal Delay mt the Outset.
Secretary Tracy occupied a three-story
and basement house ON l street, between
Sixteenth and Seventeenth streets IL is a
spacious residence, and was formerly the
property of Paymaster Bacon, of the navy.
When Mr. Dickinson was postmaster general
he rented it, and when Gen. Tracy became
secretary of the navy he purchased the prop
| erty. few minutes before : letter-car-
rier went past the house on his daily rounds
The house then from all outward appear-
ances looked as solid as it ever had The
man continued on his way to the letter-box
on the corner of Seventeenth street. and
then returned the same way he had come
On his second trip past the house he no
ticed tiny wreath of smoke curling up
from the front window on the first
| door. He looked at that little cloud
OF innocent gray so as to make sure that his
eyes had not deceived him, and then called
the attention of passing milkman to the
strange sight. Both suspected fire and both
ran TO give the alarm This delay was fatal.
Had they, instead of turning in the alarm,
first let the family or some of the servants
know that the house was on fire, in all prob
ability there would have been no lives lost.
A Policeman Gives the Alarm.
Policeman Cattell was walking up Seven
tenth street shortly after the above events
took place when he saw flames on | street
and, quickening his pace, he reached the sec
retary's house only TO find that it was burn
ing fiercely. Without loss of time he cleared
the front steps at II bound and commenced to
pull the bell, at the same time pounding ON
the door with all his might But there was
no answer to his repeated summons, and the
door resisted all his efforts to force a pass-
age The fire was gaining Roadway every
moment, and, seeing that delay would like
ly be fatal, he rushed TO the basement door
TO try and force his wsy in there. Greatly
10 his surprise he found that door unlocked
and standing ajar, and, pushing 1t open, he
at once entered the basement The lower
part Of the house was free from smoke and
fire
A Brave Officers Work.
But on the first floor the smoke was so
dense that he could hardly make his way
through It, Finding the stairs that led 10
the second floor he started up without
thought of the danger; only intent ON saving
life. On the second floor in front were two
large rooms, which were occupied by Mrs.
Wilmerding, Secretary Tracy's married
daughter, and her little girl. next TO these
spare room, and IN the rear the bedroom of
Secretary and Mrs Tracy Adjoining this
was bathroom. As the officer stepped
from the stairs to enter the rear room. which
was the nearest to him, he half fell over the
PROSTATE body of a man
1t Was Secretary Trncy.
Cattell made desperate efforts TO drag him
TO the window of the back bedroom But
the man was heavy and the officer was al
ready feeling the effects of breathing the
heavily charged air. Struggle as he did
with all his might it seemed almost impossi-
BILE for him to accomplish his purpose and
yet he stuck to it with all the grim determi-
nation Of a hero to die at his post, but not to
give up until he himself was stricken down.
He had desperate struggle, and could not
have reached the window, being on the
point of giving up when stalwart Lieut..
Guy, of the police force, and Chief Paris, of
the fire department, burst into the room and
carried he two victims into the open air.
Then for the first time it was learned that
the man for whom Cattell had nearly sacri-
feed his life was none other than the secre-
tary of the navy.
A TERRIBLE SCENE OUTSIDE.