The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1895-03-01
A FIERY VISITATION.

Twenty Eight buildings burned In uso.
Springs. Ark Three Women Perish IN
the Ilamrs Hundreds of Visiting lso.ra-
ers Driven from Their Homes Los, I,.r
Life la Trying TO save Her Jewels m.
Losses.
Hor SPRINGS, Ark, Feb. 23.-At A..
o clock yesterday morning a fire brox,.
ont in the Ledgrrwood bakery on Qua
chita avenue. in the southern part ~
the city, where boarding houses
abound. and in an hour three women
had been burned 10 death. six board
ing houses. several store houses ana
fifteen cottages. all worth sloO, 900 had
been swept away The dead are:
Mrs. Laura Scammon.
Mrs. Henry j. Mcleod.
Austinc Stivcttc. a colorcd woman
Mr.. and Mrs. q. II. Brownson. Of Ma.
con. Mo: Mrs. Peacock and Others
were injured, though none danger.
| ously.
There was "A strong wind from the
north which famed the flames. but
prevented them from moving in the di-
rection of the principal business part
| of the city. where the big hotels ana
lighthouses are located. The streets
covered by the fire are Ouachiia. where
it originated; Sealey, Malvern Wood.
bine and Orange.
| The Ledgerwood bakery was a frame
building, in the second story of which
Mrs. scammon had furnished apart
mcnts To let.
| Charles Ledgcrwood first saw the
flames. and in his efforts to extinguish
them neglected To warn people in the
neighborhood.
Nothing was heard of Mrs. Scamrnon
until the fire was over. when her bones
were found in the ashes of her house.
Mrs. Mcleod was "A guest of the La
clede boarding house. She was
aroused and with her husband started
out of the house, but before reaching
the door, remembered some jeweiry
she had failed TO save. and returned
for il, against the advise OF her hus-
band. Her husband tried To reach her
and almost lost his life in the unsuc-
cessful effort. She underworld 10 rush
through the flames. but fell down in
their midst and persisted.
The body of the colored woman was
found in partiy-sayed room in the
| same house.
Mr.. and Mrs. bronson. of Missouri,
had thrilling escape. They lived on
the third iloor Of the Ouachiti board
ing house, and when aroused found the
house wrapped in fire and all prospect
OF escaping by the stairway cut off.
They rushed to the widows and cried
| IN N. fAr b..f, Inns.
none could be given them. She
tied several sheets and blankets
together, making rope long enough
TO reach down To the window below.
She went down first. entered the Sec
ond-iloor window and escaped by a
back stairway. When her husband
reached the second floor the stairway
was blocked by the fire, and hc had TO
jump. lie received severe bruises. and
the woman was badly lace rated in
sliding down the rope.
The buildings burned are twenty
eight in number. There are fifteen
cottages of an aggregate value Of s.5.-
900. The boarding houses destroyed
are the Ouachita. Illinois, Laclede,
Missouri and bloomington. Each
of these was worth about $4,000.
with the contents. The other
losses are the l.. Randolph residence.
worth $4,000; the Tennessee stables at
the West house. the latter worth $4,000;
Il. Joplin's grocery. $1,000; X. T. VIII
liams' store and building. si@,oOD. T.
NJ. lludgins' residence. $4,000.
There are at least 800 men. women
and children driven to other quarters
for lodging by the destruction Of the
boarding houses. and most of thea
lost all their clothing.