The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-02-14
Secretary Traceys Daughter
and Her Maid Perish in
s the Flames.
Mrs. Tracey Killed in Jump.
ing or Falling From a Win.
dow to Escape.
The Secretary Rescued b!
Firemen in an Uncon-
sciOus Condition.

and basement brick, situated on street,
between Connections avenue and Seven
teenth street, and has recently undergone
extensive improvements. Persons pass
ing the house at o'clock
this morning saw smoke issuing from the
front windows and at once raised an alarm
of fire. The FIRE and police departments re-
sponded promptly. The premises were al.
most concealed by dense smoke. which
was thickened BY heavy fog which was
just lifting. 1t was soon discovered
that the house was all aLlaxe inside
and that tho main stairway was
burnt, thus cutting off communication
with the sleeping apartments on the second
and third floors. Several streams of water
were played ON the flames, and every effort
was made to check the fire and to rescue the
inmates. A scene Of the widest confusion
cnsued when 1t was known that the members
of the family were in the house. The fire.
men behaved like heroes In the emergency,
and went
THROUGH FIRE AND SMOKE
in searching for them in their different
apartments. Mrs. Wilmerding, the secrc-
tary's daughter and Miss Wilmerding forced
their way through the binding smoke and
jumped from the second story window
front. Ladders were raised for them, but in
their excitement they failed to SEQ them.
Mrs. Wilmcrding broke her LEFT wrist
and was severely bruised. Her
daughter was badly injured about
the lower limbs, but broke no bones. They
both suffered severely from the shock.
They were taken at once to the residence Of
DIR. Baxter, near by, and rcstoratives ap-
piled. While this sad scene was being cn-
acted in front of the house flrcmen were ell
gagged in the task of rescuing other members
Of the family from the rear. Mrs. Tracy en-
dcavorcd to escape the raging element by
dropping herself from her bed room win
dow, and in her effort to decrease the dis
tancs to the ground she srasped the narrow
stone sill and lowered horself as far as she
was able. Those who saw her in her peril
Gus position shouted to her to hold OIL. but
either she did not hear or her strength
failed her, for after thus hanging moment
BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH
she fell forty feet into an areaway before
onything could be dono towards rescuing
her or relieving her fall. She was immcdi-
ately taken to the house of neighbor, DR..
Rheem, and placed upon q lounge in the
sitting room. She was perfectly conscious
and did not seen, TO suffer pain. Occasionally
she complained of an oppression in tho
neighborhood of her heart, and found q
difficulty in breathing. She talked WHILE
coughcd slightly, and then became silent.
The physicians looked at each other sig
nificantly. Mrs. Tracy was dead. The inn
mediate caase of her death was supposed to
be from injuries to her heart, sustained in
her fall from the window, which flooded
her lungs with blood. 1t is said
that hud she delayed her movements
couple OF minutes ladders and
mattresses and other means of safe escape
would have been at hand. Her body was
soon removed to the residence of Attorney
General Miller on Massachusetts, avenue.
Almost at tho same time two bodies were
taken from the burning building. One was
the secrctary's daughter, Miss Mary, q
young lady, and the other was that
of the French maid, Josephine. That Of
the former was
FOUND ny CHIEF PARIsII
lying on the floor In the second floor hall at
the head of the stairs. Tho body was not
greatly lisfigured by the fire. She had evil
IDENTIFY died from suffocation. The chief
lifted the lifeless body In his arms and, al
though the staircase was ablazc, lie brought
1t safely out into the street. 1t is said that
Miss Tracy could have saved her
self If her strength had held out few
minutes longer. She fell in the
hallway of the second story, q few yards
from the bath room, which, If she had
reached and closed the door, would have
insured her against the fire and smoke until
assistance could have reached her. Of the
French maid little is known, save that her
dead body was found in her room on the
top floor of the house, burned beyond
recognition. Both the bodies of Miss Tracy
and her maid were taken to an undertaker's
establishment in the vicinity. Secretary
Tracy himself had q most wondrous es-
cape, and IL now lying in asomcwhat pre-
cariops condition at the residence of Hon.
J. c. Bancaoit Davis OH II street, near
Eighteenth street. Like all the others, he
was overcome in his sleep by the smoke
which filled the house and rendered him
COMPLETELY HELPLESS.
He was discovered in this condition, and
with considerable difficulty was removed
to place near one of the windows. Cries
for ladder were qdickly answered, and
many willing hands were raised to assist
him to the ground. He was at once re-
moved to neighbor's house and
was soon surrounded by physicians,
including Doctors Wales and Ruth. He was
suffering from ssphyxia. The doctors ap-
piled artificial means to induce respiration,
and succeeded after an hours work in re-
storing him to semi-consciousness. II was
then thought safe to remove him to Judge
Davis house. He improved slowly from
that time ON, and soon regained conscious
ness, recognizing the friends who
called to inquire In regard to his
condition. Among the first OF
these were tho presidcnt the vice president
and several members Of the cabinent. His
first inquiry upon recovering consciousness
was in regard to the safety of his family.
His friends ere very sanguine of his COM
plete recovery. DR.. Wales. who is one of
the physicians In attendance upon Secre-
tary Tracy, said this afternoon that the
secretary was getting along very well, and
that
THE ONLY DANGER
now to be feared is that the smoke in his
lungs would cause bronchitis. The secre-
tary, he said, was bearing up bravely in his
great affliction. His greatest anxiety was In
regard to his vile, and the first words ut
tered by him on regaining conscious
ness was to urge them IN save her life.
''save her, save her," he cried piteously,
and then relapsed into state of in
scnsibility. II lasted short time only,
however, and he again called out TO the
doctors to leave him and save her. He sub
sequently inquired for his daughter and
told the doctors that she, too, must be saved.
Finally It was concluded that the best course
would be to tell him the truth, as the terri
BILE suspense he was suffering might retsrd
Ills own recovery. The president was with
him at the time and 1t was from his lips
that he learned the sad news that his wife
and daughter were dead. The blow was
terrible one, but ne stood II with. fortitudc
and soon after fell into restless sleep. DR..
Wales said that the secretary's breath was
still saturated with the smoke he had In
hailed, but there was slow and steady i'm.
provement in his general symptoms.
THE PREsIDKnr
and Mr.. Halford remained at the house un-
I'll late In tho afternoon. Tho president
suggested that the secretary be removed TO
the White House. but the physicians. 3D.
vised against any disturbance for forty.
eight houn. They thought he would be
strong enough for removal BY that time.
The president alscsnsgesfed r. sAs Aedlas