Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-28
Inmates Jumped From Burning
House This Morning.
SENSATIONAL FIRE IN THE DIVISION
No Danger, But the Women
Panic Stricken.
PARI or AND BABY SAVED

o'clock this morning in the rear building
of the house numbered 412 18th street as a
result Of which one and possibly two, wo-
men may die. This house is In charge of
Mrs. Nellie La Rue. and is a famous re-
sort. 1t stands Immediately behind the
great office now occupied by the Southern
Railway Company. and it's balconies and
pretty yard have long been landmarks In
this part of town. The fire broke out in
what Is known the wine room of the
house, which is curiously built Running
west from the main structure is a narrow
addition. connecting with an 81" running
south. across a brick-paved sidewalk There
is a wide entrance to the court from 18th
street. also paved with brick. Into this
passageway all of the inmates of the house
leaped when they were aroused from their
matu final slumbers by the cry Of fire and
three Of them were badly hurt. Belle Ad-
olson, the housekeeper. is the most seri-
ously injured, having fractured her skull
and collar bone. Flora Preston has broken
her spine. and Minnie Moore sprssasd her
back and hip and sustained sevsss AsulssA,
1t is rather a mystery how the blaze
started. There was a hot fire in the la
trobe in the wine room, and the keeper OF
the house insists that this overheated the
fues and so set the blaze going which
smouldered for half an hour. The house.
however, Is fairly entangled with electric
wires. and there is a strong belief that
these became crossed in some way and SO
gave a spark to some of the draperies that
were recently placed for the winter.
However this may be, the entire rear
part of the house is gutted. and a damage
OF several thousand dollars has been
caused, mainly to the furniture. The house
is owned by Annie Miller. who formerly
lived there She has insurance to the
amount of $4,000 on the house, and Mrs.
La Rue has a policy Of $1,000 on her fur
niture. which more than covers the loss.
No Real Danger.
There was no necessity for the women to
jump, for q heavy door leading from the
main hall into the wine room was closed
and SO kept the flames from entering the
main part of the house. But, as in many
other cases. the occupants of the building
became panic -stric ken and sprang to the
outer air on the first alarm. Belle Addi-
son occupied a room on the upper floor In
the main building When the alarm rang
through the house she rushed to the win
dow. and. crawling out on the ledge.
her nightdress. After hanging for a mo-
ment by her fingers on the ledge, she lot
go and fell into the court yard, about forty
feet below. She struck the roof OF a small
wooden shed that is built in the passage
way as a coal house, and so tumbled to the
ground.
She had Just strength to rouse herself to
the attention of some men In the crowd
that had collected in a remarkably short
time after the alarm had been turned in.
They ran into the area, end some one
oharitabiy covered the suffering woman
with his overcoat. 1t was seen at once
that she was seriously injured, and she
was lifted and carried across the street 10
house known as the Gilmore house.
Others Jumped.
But the other women had been jumping
k,,tA tha orI xr-sfh oraf1
that the rescuers had their hands full.
Grace Smith broke the window OF her
room, which is on the second story In the
rear. and jumped She was probably the
first to get out of the house. Her hands
and feet were cut by the glass, and her
leg was bruised, but she was not severely
hurt. Dolly Herbert followed her from the
second story back room, and she, too. suf-
fered from the glass, which cut her hands
and feet. Pansy Morgan had In the mean
time heard the cries of fire, and hearing
the sounds OF the breaking glass, followed
them through the smoke to the back room
and Jumped to the ground. She was not
hurt.
Minnie Moore had a room on the third
story, and without measuring the distance
to the ground, she sprang out into the
side court. Her back and hip. were
wrenched, and her head and eye were bad
ly bruised. Flora Preston seems to have
jumped from the same window. She land
hurt that she had to be taken into one OF
the neighboring houses in the arms of her
rescuers. All the other women, except
Minnie Moore and Belle Addison, were
able to walk.
The Parrot Saved.
Mrs La Rue herself escaped without in
jury. She occupied a room in the front Of
the house. on the second story. and was
aroused by the smell OF smoke and the
cries of fire that were given by the SER
wants, who were occupied in the IL" pre-
pairing breakfast, which is served at IL
o'clock. Her first thought was for her poll
parrot, which, she stated excitedly after
ward. cost her $50. Grasping the alge she
ran out OF the balcony that crosses the
front of the house, clad in a red wrapper.
She was about to jump from the balcony
into the yard, but was restrained by the
cries of the crowd. which surged in the
yard and swsrmed under the windows. A
young man had run into the house and up
stairs. Getting out on the balcony, he
forcibly held Mrs. La Rue until the firemen
she was SO excited that she ran back and
forth with the parrot cage, and was about
TO put It back IN the house when q voice
from below cried to her to drop It,
"No, nor she sobbed. 1T win he killed"
But she was finally persuaded 10 drop
the cage, which was caught by some one
in the crowd. and taken into the next
house. The parrot was struck dumb by the
quite forgot its profane vocabulary, which
has made 1t a great tavorite.
Also the Baby.
Mrs, La Rue, with the smoke rolling
about her In volumes, was then halped
across the railing and down the ladder. By
the time sho reached the ground che was
historical, and was led between two sturdy
policemen to the house Of Madeline st.
Clair. next door. Her feet were bare but
this did not detor her from running out
doors immediately and trying 10 climb over
the fenco to hor own yard again. a strong
hand tried to pull her back, but abe was
determined. There was quite struggle
on tho porch, which ended by compro-
mise, Mira. La Ruo was persuaded to 20
back and borrow some slippers before go
ing out again, and soon she emerged with
her feet covered. Sho got ovoc tho fence
ro,nohuw and started to ~uda through tho
water that fioodod the sidc court Two or
;hrpe uoiorru men,servents IN her housa
surrounded her ard tried 10 dissnHda her
from guina furthlr,
II want my bully, Whore n my Sabyr'
abe cried, with Aobs.
Tho words rang above tho hoarsc calls
of tho arcnan and the orders Of tho police.
Thay Sent q chill along The marrows of ths