Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-02-14
A FEARFUL CALAMITY.
MIS-. scCEETaliN YRASI AND DAUGE-
tn BURNED TO DEATH.

a Very Ecll of Flame Before the Fire
Was Observation-Disclosures.
A terrible calamity visited the house,
hold of Secretary Tracy Monday morning
whereby three persons lost their lives and
three others were badly burned.
The house is a three story and
basement brick situated on l
street, between Connecticut e and
Seventeenth street, and has recently under
gone extensive Improvements. Persons
passing the house at z o'clock saw
smoke issuing from the front windows
and at once raised Oh alarm Of fire. TIE
fire and police departments responded
promptly. The premises were al
most lost, so completely were they
concealed by the dense smoke,
thickened by a heavy fog which was just
lifting. 1t was soon discovered that the
house was all ablaze, inside and out; that
off communication with the sleeping apart
ments on the second and third floors.
Several streams OF water we're thrown on
the flames, and every effort was made to
check the fire. A scene of the widest
confusion ensued when it was known that
all the members of the family We're in the
house. The tiremen behaved like heroes
in the emergency and went through fire and
smoke searching them in different apart
ments. Mrs. Wilmerdeing, the seccetary's
daughter, and Miss Wilmerdeing forced
their way through the binding smoke
and jumped from the second story
front window. Ladders were placed for
them, but in their excitement they failed
to see them. Mrs. Wilmerdeing broke her
wrist and was severely injured. Her
daughter was badly injured about the
lower limbs, but broke no bones. Both
suffered severely from the shock. They
we're at once taken to the residence of DIR.
Baxter near by and restoratives applied.
While this scene was being enacted in
front of the house the firemen were en-
gagged in removing other members of the
family from the rear. Chief Engineer
Parish found his way into Mrs. Tracy's
bed room, where he found her lying
on the bed overcome by smoke.
With the assistance of others he
carried her almost lifeless body down q
ladder and to the house Of Mrs. Rhiem.
She was then entirely unconscious and al
though every known effort was used it was
impossible to save lher life, she died g
few minutes after her rescue. Her body
was not burned, death resulting from
suffocation. Almost at the same
time two more bodies were taken from the
burning building. One was that of the
secretary's daughter, Miss Marie, aged
about IA, and the other was n of the
servants. The bodies were burned to a
crisp, and were unacceptable. Miss
lracy's tbody was distinguishable from
the other only by the superior
texture of what remained of he,
stockings. The charred remains were
taken to an undertaking establishment in
the vicinity, where they were joined soon
after by the remains of Mrs. Tracy. Sec
rotary Tracy himself had n most wonderful
escape. Like the others, he was over
come in his. sleep by the lsmoke, which
filed the house and rendered him
unconscious. He was discovered in this
condition and with considerable difficulty
was removed to one of the windows.
Cries for a ladder were quickly answered
and many willing hands were raised to
assist him to the ground. He was at once
removed to a neighbours house and was
soon surrounded by physicians. Doc
tors applied artificial means to induce res.
piration and succeeded, after an hours
work, in restoring him to ~scmi-conscious-
ness. It was then thought safe to move
him to Judge Davis house. He improved
slowly from that time on and
soon regained consciousness, recognizing
friends who called to inquire in regard to
bis condition. Among the first of these
were the president, vice president and sew
eral members Of the cabinet. The full
extent of his terrible affection was withheld
from him for the time. His first in
quiry upon recovering consciousness Was
in regard to his family.
Another Account.
In another account of the fire it is
stated that soon after the flames were
discovered at the Tracy residence
two male servants were seen
to emerge from the front door and run for
their lives. The fire gained Roadway, and