The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-06-24
DEATH rs MERCIFUL.
Amanda Hildebrandt's Suffer
ings at an End.
THE BRAVE GIRLS LAST WORDS
rffffuI Termination OF Ussfui s1d
Promising LIfe-Detaifs OF the
Fatal Accident

anodvnes she was saved from any great
suffering consequent on her burns, and
vet was able 20 retain consciousness dur
ing her last hours and proved Der heroic
character 20 the last by giving her
thoughts TO her pupils and family. Her
funeral will be attended By her fellow
teachers and her pupils ard By her CON-
rades IN church work, among whom she
was deeply loved.
Even ct the Inoment when the fatal
flames were wrapping her around, Miss
Hildebrandt's thoughts were Eurned 20 the
safety OF her young charges rather than
70 the preservation Of her own lie. She
had lust dismissed the school by saying,
This ends our evenings entertainment,
and lifted the tall piano lamp 10 carry It
In front Of the piano and set IL against the
blackboard on the wall st right angles to
that which the piano stood. 30 that It
might be out of the chiIdren's way
as they left the room. As she did
so she struck the top OF the lamp
against q wire In front Of the black
board, which had been strung there
to hang curtain, and the existence OF
which she had forgotten. The burning
oil ran down her dress and the hames
crept mp about her clothes and burned her
body. The children were running toward
her when she lifted the lamp and, not
knowing of the wire which knocked the
lamp down, she thought they had struck
the foot Of IL aud caused 10 TO be upset.
Isaac n. Zeeke. the janitor. stood at she
door opposite which the accident hap
pened and saw the whole occurrence.
While the flames were creeping over her
BODY. her first thought was of the children
aud she ran out into tho hall and down
the stairs TO avoid their coming in ontact
with the flames. Prot. w. ID. Gerard. the
principal, heard the commotion from his
room on the ground door and. running
out, met her at the foot OF the stairs and
saw the flames rising fully three feet above
her head and eight feet from the floor.
somebody had thrown Q cotton shawl
over her and Mr.. Gerard saw that IL. TOO,
had caught fire and he tore il oil and
threw n coat over her, but At that moment
she sank exhausted. Every step she took
was marked by her footprints. The other
circumstances of the sad affair were sub
stantially as stated In yesterdays PosT-
IETKLLIaEscKa
Miss Hildebrandt had no suffering dur
ing her last hours, for the administration of
snodynes gave her physical relief. but she
retained consciousness to the end and gave
intelligent answers to all questions. DIR.
y. III. Coe, who attended her, asked her IL
she would like some milk, but she de-
clined IT, and, In answer 20 repeated IN
Quiries, said she did not suffer at all. As
the fire Was gradually eating her life away
she thought only of others and asked;
"Are any Of the others hurt7'
She was told: mo" and asked: fare
you sure7" Only then did she think OF
herself and asked:
''Is there any hope OF my recovery"
and, being told there was not, said:
Then keep Ii from my mother"
As she felt her life fast leaving its NOR
tai abode. abe saids "Tell the folks not TO
worry; I'll be all right after O while"
Then she sank into q sleep which pain
could NOT disturb.
While her daughters life was thus being
eaten away by the fire which had taken
possession of her, Mrs. Hildehrandt
needed the physicians care almost as
much, for she was we'll nigh distracted
with grief at the terrible event. and she
tossed on her bed all day and night IN
such mental pain that anestheties
brought only temporary relief
at The Dalles. and would have been %
years old II she had lived till October 81.
Che attended the Wasco independent
academy, of which Prof T. NJ. Catch was
principal, until she was Is years old, and
after Studying In other schools came to Sc
attic four years ago. She was first en-
ployed here as n teacher OF the second
grade in the Rainier school, and after a
where she remained TO the time of her
death. Her father. mother. Two brothers
and q sister survive her. She WAS making
. special study of music, and showed
Ersat industry in perfecting herself in
that art for she took two lessons a
week aud practiced for four or five
hours day. She was a general favorite
among both teachers and pupils. for she
had in peculiar degree tho faculty OF
winning che regard Of old aud young. Her
fellow teachers speak Of her as an ideal
teacher. and certainly no person was
more beloved by her young charges, for
the care for them. which Was the indirect
cause of her death, was the ruling prln-
ciple of her school lite. She was men,
Der Of the Plymouth Congregational
church and a teacher In the Sunday
school of that body. and was also an ac-
tive member Of the Christian Endeayor
eoeiety.
The funeral services will he held at
two o'clock tomorrow. Rev. Wallace Nut
ting officiating. and the remains will he
interred Ia LAkeview cemetery. The Y.
+. :. G. + will decorate the church for the
occasion. aud Will furnish the ushers and
rail-baArers, aud ell the teachers and
pupils OF the Rainier. and many of those
from the other schools, will attend.
Ats meeting Of the board OF school d.
seeioFs. specially called yesterday for the
purpose. the following resolutions we're
adopted:
wHKRKAs, At 9 school exhibition held at
the Rainier school on the evening of June
- Miss Amanda ]. Hildehrands was IA.
tally burned By the overturning Of
lamps and
WHKExAs. The injuries received by Miss
HadehrAnds we're due 10 her courage and
high sense Of duty In endeavoring 20 save
other lives and the property Of the school
district; be 10
Rssassei, That this hoard tender their
heartfelt sympathy 90 the parents and re-
lations Of she deceased teacher; that the
schces district has lost an invaluable
teacher. and the community q worthy
member. whose loss viii be long deplored
That as mark OF our appreciation OF
the heroisEn Of Miss Htidehrands We re-
guest the privilege OF placing Q suitable
monuments to her memory properly in
serthed: be IL further
kesosced, That the board attend IN.
funeral as body. aud that the resolutions
he placed upon the minutes Of the beard
and that an engrcs~eG c3py he tPnn.nast-