The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-24
SEVEN DIE IN FIRE AND SMOKE.
oxr OF BALTIMORE's FAsHIONA-
RLE HOMES SCENE OF THE
BLAZE.

while the Family Was still
,sIeep-The Wife of the Owner of
the House Saved by the Heroic
work of a Fire Chfef-Au the Vic
inns Met Death in Horrible Ag-
ony.
baltimore. Nd, Feb. pa Sunday
-,,-nfns- fire in the fashionable district of
north Baltimore was the cause of seven
deaths and sent a feeling of horror into
hundreds Of homes into the city, where
most of the unfortunate victims were well
known and highly respected.
Not many of the inhabitants of the res
licences on North Charles street between
LAFAYETTE and North avenues were awake
his morning when fire engines came
flashing up and down the fashionable
tboroughfare shortly after 8 o'clock. The
call had been sent in from the corner of
North avenue and Charles street when
/ danes were seen breaking from the base
ment of 1906 North Charles, the residence
Of James r. Armiger, one of the best
known men in the city.
Ion Whiting, a colored servant, who
WAS employed next door to the Armiger
residence. first discovered the flames and
eaining an entrance over the rear fence,
he dashed through the building, arOusing
the inmates, most of whom were still in
their beds. But quick as was his action
the flames were more rapid and egress by
the stair cases was cut off before half of
the sixteen occupants of the building had
left their rooms. With all possibility to
escaDe by the stairs cut off owing to the
flames and smoke which then filled the
passageways, Mr.. Armiger and other
members of his family rushed to the'win-
dows Of their apartments seeking relief
in front from what appeared certain death
in the back The servants on the fourth
floor rushed down stairs but could get no
lower than the second story, where they
were driven into the sleeping rooms OF
the other inmates of the house.
There were then penned up in the build
ing fourteen persons crying or shrieking
for assistance whereby to get out oil the
death-trap.
As soon as the fire department arrived,
nets were stretched beneath the windows,
and the firemen called to the terror strtck-
el people at the windows to jump:
The crowd in the street, not realizing the
extent of the fire and smoke within the
house. yelled: Don't jump" The beWil-
dered inmates held back and some of them
disappeared from tine windows. Apparently
they went back for clothing, or perhaps
for some treasured valuable possession.
1t was fatal move, and in most instances
cost a life. The fremen had by this time
and District Chief McAfee climbed up to
the second story window, where Mrs. Ar
niger Was crying fog help. The ladder did
not quite reach the window and there was
the widest excitement in the audience be-
low as AlcAfee stood on the upper round
Of the ladder and grasped the window sill
for support. He encouraged Mrs. Armiger
70 swing herself out of the window As the
.hef grasped her with one arm he
steadied himself with the other and had
taken one step down the ladder when 1t
one arm and with the other holding to the
window frame, dangled in the air. A cry
of horror went up from the crowd as IT
saw the peril of the daring fireman and
his human burden. Fortunately for them,
McAfee caught the top round of the lad
der on his toe and pulling it back into po-
sition, released his hold upon the window
and quickly descended with the woman TO
the sidewalk A great cheer went up as
rescued and rescuer reached terra nrma,
Meantime the smoke poured from the
open windows and the crowd around the
building had increased to hundreds. AT
one of the third story windows appeared
the face of a man wearing a look OF agony.
He raised the window and reaching out
his hands shouted to the multitude below.
II sent him back an encouraging shout
and he. moment later, before q ladder
could be run up, disappeared. When the
tremen reached the window the body of
the man was found lying beneath 1t, Suf-
located and badly burned. 1t was Harold
Manuel, New York stock broker and
banker.
Alice J. Williams, one of the colored ser
wants leaped from fourth story window.
she was dreadfully injured, but is still
AVlng al the city hospital.
Another colored servant, Mary White,
was rescued from a window by the fire
men IN semi-conscious condition.
hle these scene of excitement and
bravery were being enacted in the front
OF the burning residence, other acts
in the rear. Mr.. Armigers
Two daughters, Virginia. aged
%, and Eleanor, aged IA. occupied the sec
onu onu story back room, With the greatest
presence of mind, Miss Virginia, assisted
py her young sister, made a rope of their
bed linen. With this Eleanor was lower
tI 10 the ground. Fearing to trust her
Welsht upon the slender cord, Miss Vir-
6Inla dashed back to the bed grasped the
mattress, pushed it through the window
70 the ground, twenty feet below. She
!!leh Jumped and landed thereupon, unin-
JuTSd with the exception of a slight shock.
me only other person of the sixteen
WHO were in the Inflated house to be res
SSued was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
+f4hger Mrs Letitia Riley. She was car
iiea down ladder by firemen, having
Dgfn overcome by the smoke.
men the fire had been gotten under
tfoHlrol and the 1iremen made search Of
f me ruined residence, Mr.. Armiger was
Eashed up stairs with the alarm of fire,
NJ. Armlger left his wife in the care OF
@ @o1e colored man and went UP stairs to
IIT"dhen ~ the other inmates of the house.
~ az had been overcome by the smoke and
names and breathed his last as he was
CdITled into the open air.
~ William Liam B. Riley, a son-in-law of Mr..
ana Glo Mrs. Armiger, was found dead near
y. he, with his wife and two children,
aaad been seen at the third story win
Vow, and Mrs. Riley had been taken out
Dy the fremen. But before the rescuers
Uouid return to the window Mr.. Riley,
Win ms two children claSped in his arms,
succumbed to the smoke and flames. Their
OoQaes We're removed to DIR. Bachelors
On the floor above were found the bodies
9l Mrs. Marion Chamblin, a widowed
laughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Armiger, and
her S-year-old child James.
me last person to be found in the wreck
sa building was Harold Manuel, aged
yA a guest who arrived from New York
iidst Thursday. He was a member of the
rDIoKerage firm of Turner & Manuel of So
W " all street, New York, and lived at $40
west F'ifty-sixth street in that city
This completed the list of the dead
which is as follows:
James r. Armiger, So years of age.
% " llllam B. Riley, his son-in-law aged
Richard b Riley, a child, aged f.
darlan Riley, a child, aged 215.
games Chamblin, aged g.
mrs. Marian Chamblin, aged 80.
51arold Manuel, aged 80.
ne nj Armiger was native of Baltimore,
81 i the highest standing in business cir
- He was an Importer of diamonds and