Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-02-04
sim Living, but No Hope.

4
herself from the window. She simply
rolled out, and it will never be known
whether she was dazed by the smoke and
| fire or whether she lost her balance and in
her enfeebled condition was unable to re-
cover herself in time to prevent the catas-
trophe. When Mrs. Tracy fell score of
willing hands were ready to cary her to a
place of safety. She still living, but
/ the doctors saw that she WIS mortafiy
wounded and that she could not long sur
vive her injuries. She appeared to be semi
conscious of her surroundings, but to be suf-
fering untold agony.
Marie Tracy's Frightful Death.
The tragedy which occurred IN the rear of
the house was duplicated by one of even
| greater horror in front. There the even
larger crowd saw at window the third
story the figure of a young woman Her
| face, pressed closely against the glass of the
| window, illumined by the flames, which
seemed to be so close to her thai the people
| wondered how she could stand there and not
perish from the heat, was turned upward as
| IL in supplication, while from tbs motion of
her lips it was plain that she WIS asking at
the throne of grace help which rould not be
given her by man. 1t was mnddening to
think that strong and able-bodieo men should
lie standing there in safety ON the street and
still be unable to render her the least assist
ance. And yet, what could they doi The
room where the girl stood was a least thir-
ty-five feet from the ground. There was not
ladder in sight, and there was no means OF
reaching her.
The Fire Fiend Victorious.
They called to her at the top of their
voices to be of good cheer, and that assist
-. A Il
| felt in their hearts that if the ladders were
| not there at once no human power would be
OF avail. At last, after what SET med like an
eternity, although really it had taken less
| time than is required to tell it, the girl left
her place at the window and was seen nc
more The moment she left shudier ran
through the frames of the oil servers, for
they guessed what would be the late of the
| young woman who had so bravely and calm
| " faced death without a cry. They knew
that she would attempt TO force her way
through the fiame-enveloped stairs and per-
ish. As was afterward shown, their predic-
ton had proved only too true.
Mrs. wilmerding and Dau ghter.
Then the window of the second story front
room was thrown open and there appeared
| at the opening woman and a young girl,
the latter not more than IA years old. 1t
was evident that they contemplated the dan
/ gerous eXpedient of leaping and tho crowd.
| now almost frenzied with excitement, cried
to them not To think of doing So The elder
| woman was Mrs. Wilmerding daughter of
the secretary, and the child was ners, Alice,
the pet of the secretary of the navy. She is
a beautiful little girl, and clad only in her
night robe as was her mother she stood
without the slightest trace of fear on her
face, and seemingly more intent On cheering
| up her mother than in thinking about the
danger which encompasSed her.
The Engines at Last, but Too Late.
At last the clang of the bells announced TO
the crowd that the engines and hook and
ladder companies had arrived But it was
too late. Mrs. Wilmerding's courage had
failed her, and, thinking that To stay where
she was meant certain death, she preferred
TO risk everything by leaping into the street
below Giving her daughter gentle push
| the girl was seen TO pass through the win
| dow and fall on the soft grass parking in
front of the house, and the next moment
Mrs Wilmerding followed II was impossi-
bile at that time To say how badly hurt thes
were. Both seemed to be suffering severely.
Mrs. Wilmerding had dislocated her wrist
| and shoulder Alice was bruised and con
Nusttl, anu WIS Iouuu iater Tn AZ sue had
injured her spine, although she had borne up
bravely all day. 1t is feared she may be a
| cripple for life, while some apprehension i:
felt also for her mother
Informed of His Bereavement.
Secretary Tracy had been taken to the res
| idence of Mr.. Bancroft Davis, where it was
found that he was suffering from the inhala-
| ton of smoke. The doctors fear that he ma y
have recurrence of the attack of pneu
| monia from which he was just recovering
but he got some sleep, and later awoke re
| freshed. Then the dreadful new of his be
reavement became troublesome matter
| Should he be told or noti His first inquiry
was for his wife and daughters. The presi
dent was at his bedside, and was too much
overcome TO answer. The secretary persisted
however, and finally the president told him
| the whole of the sad story Mr. Tracy
| swooned when he learned it. and remained
| unconscious for half an hour When he re
covered, his grief was pitiable The latest
news from his bedside is that he vas resting
| quietly and sleeping All his rela tives have
arrived in the city.
Two Victims Found.
The firemen now got to work and soon the
| flames were attacked by torrents of water.
the ladders were put in place and he search
| for bodies begun On the landing of the sec
| ond floor, at the foot of the stairs they came
| upon the body of Miss Marie Tracy, show.
| ing that when she turned away from the
window she had attempted to go down the
stairs and had been overcome by the smoke.
She was dead when found. Her body was
slightly burned, but the doctors say that she
was suffocated before she burned On the
third story the firemen found the body of
Josephine Morrell, Mrs. Tracy's maid 1t
was so terribly burned that it could not be
recognized except by a single slipper which
the unfortunate girl had on at the time,
when she was evidently preparing TO make n
hasty exit from the house. These, with Mrs
Tracy, we're the only hveslost.