The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-20
A NARROW ESCAPE.
a wichita Girls Pluck in Escaping from 4
Raging Ere.

Night before last the large Dearborn
building on the corner of Eleventh and
Main street, kansas City. caught fire and
made the biggest blaze that has been seen
in Kansas City for long time. The en-
tire fire department turned out to quell 1t
but they could not subdue the flames I'M
til over 500, e01 worth of property was dss-
troyed Only few people slept IN the
building and these few were principally
ladies. Among them was Miss MadSe
Oyerstreet. formerly OF this city and a
sister of Mrs. B. L. keenan,. who had her
art studio in the upper story OF
the building. The fire occurred
at night A Mrs. Carpenter who
occupied Il room on the floor directly
under Miss Overstreet, smelled some
thing burning, and opening her window,
she observed that the building was almost
enveloped in flames. With the utmost
presence Of mind. she literally few up the
flight of stairs that led to Miss Over
streets rooms and found that youus lady
reading. She i'm mediately told her about
the fire. and with the greatest herolsm
Miss Oyerstreet ran to the fire escape and
climbed down within 4 short distance OF
the flames, which were rapidly coming
that way The iron rounds of the ladder
were, Of course, very cold, and Miss Over
street suffered intense pain, for when she
would grasp each round in her hand
it would absolutely stick 10 the flesh
and in conse quence the flesh in the young
lady's soft hands was literally torn and
the blood flowed freely but nevertheless
she made heroic effort TO save her life
and succeeded 20 the great admiration Of
the immenses crowd of people who observ-
Ell the the young lady's pluck. While she
saved her life she was not so fortunate
with her property which was valued at
s, 600. not insured aud ali completely lost
in the flames. In speaking TO a Kansas
City Journal reporter about the matter
Miss Carpenter said:
Il am positive that the fire originated in
I the floor below me. which is occupied by
Moses Benjamin. | was sitting in my
room at the time-I judge it was about
g o'elock-reading, when l imagined per-
ceived an odor of smoke arising. | paid
but little attention 20 the matter, and in
deed / had not much time, until my atten-
tlou was again attracted TO the matter by
a cracking noise from the vicinity of the
window casing.
Then, really anxious, l stepped up to
the window which led into the hallway
and threw it open. Instantly dense vol
ume of smoke poured in and almost suffo-
Gated me- Then, thoroughly realizing the
situation. / rushed back TO where my
cloak hung seized it and then ran through
the hallway screaming at the top of my
voice to arouse Miss Oyerstreet, who
knew was on the floor above me, and
thence into the street below When I ar
rived found a policeman calmly gazing
at the smoke which was coming from the
windows Of the jeweiry store. l asked
him If an alarm had been turned in. He
replied that he guessed it had"
The paper then continues: Miss Over
street was thoroughly unuerved by her ex-
perience, and the pain inflicted on her by
her torn hands served to make her the
more nervous. She knew but little Of the
FIRE beyound the fact that she was sitting
| in her studio reading when she heard Mrs.
Carpenters cry of fire Opening her door
she was greeted with cloud of smoke, and
she lost no time in making for the window
which led TO an iron standpipe fire escape.
| 1t was while making her way down this
| pipe shat Miss Overstreet lacerated her
hands, the flesh freezing to the cold iron
! pipe every time she grasped it.