The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-24
Peculiar


front rooms were erowding TO the windows.
making the most pateous appeals for help,
The rseaoae below shouted 70 them not 70
irryan but Alice Williams disreSarde1
their warnings and with ar appalling
shrek, sprang from the fourth story WIN
dow struck the stone steps Fuh upon aer
forehead srsetnrins her skull ana sais-
raining a.ss~ IN t1~ses from which she VIII
die An attempt was made 10 saccor the
other unfortunafes by means OF aoor-
way on Charles street. but when a ponce
man burst il in they were met oy soch q
volume OF smoke and fame that they were
driven hack.
In the rear room on the second noor Wers
Eleanor and Virginia. the unmarried
daughters OF Mr. Arnsger. They were
partially dressed. but 50 rapid was the
spread of the flames THAI they had no ane
to escape by the stairway. In their SN-
trernity they leaned far ont OF the rear
window and cried for help. a neighoor
came to their aid. and under his cool
headed directions. Miss Virginia lowered
her younger sister with a sheet ana
throwing a mattress out OF the window,
leaned to the yard below. She alighted m
safety and beyond the shock and n slight
injury TO her ankle. escaped unhurt.
BY this time the fireman had reached the
scene and in a twfnkling had reared long
ladders up 20 the windows. both front and
rear Up these they swarmed, and in
few minutes the remaining inmates or the
doomed house were carried out. On the
stairway leading from the second to the
third floor was found the body Of MIR. Ar
niger, with that OF his little grandson,
Richard Riley. clasped tightly in his arms.
showing that the old man had made a gal
liant attempt 70 rescue the boy at the cost
OF his own life. In the front room on the
third floor was found the corpse OF Mr..
Manuel. He, too, had the body of a child
in his arms. telling another story or unre-
Quilted heroisn-
In the rear room, on the third floor. "
ing on the bed the firemen found the dead
body of MIR. Riley. by his side lay his wife
breathing family. She was hurried into the
omen air in time to save her life, and al
though she is badly burned about the face
and arms and half crazed by her terrible
loss. she will recover. In another room
were the bodies OF Mrs. Chaplin and her
3-year-old son, while upon the upper fioor
the firemen found Ida Whiting, the coiored
servant, unconscious from smoke, but not
seriously hurt
The injured were taken TO the homes OF
neighbors with the exception of the ser
wants, who were conveyed TO the city hos
pitai The dead were carried across the
street to the residence or DIR. X. b. Batehe-
lor.
The fire. although a fierce one, was con-
fined to the Armiger residence. which was
COMPLETELY Quilted. No estimate has as yet
been made OF the loss, but 1t is thought tho
contents were worth at least $4,000 The
house is insured for 100. which will fully
cover the damage.
The news of the disaster spread with won
derful rapidity all over the city, and in an
hour a tremendous crowd had gathered in
front of the house. Prayers for the dead
and afflicted were lifted up in almost every
church in the city. and expressions OF sin
cere sympathy and regret were uttered
from every pulpit and repeated In the
households OF the many friends and ac-
auaintances OF the unfortunate family.