The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-10-27
KELLGrTvILLEs MFUL FIRE.
Three Persons Burned to Death and
Several others Injured. The
Brooklyn Hotel aud Dwelling
House Consumed


occurred on Sunday morning last at Kel-
lettville, on Tionesta creek. fifteen miles |
east of this place, when the Brooklyn |
House, wo-and-a-half-story building, |
burned and with it three human beings. |
The dead arc
MISS KATIE NJ. MILLER, aged q
years, of Kellettville.
ANDREW SALSGIVER, aged about
2S years, mail carrier between Tionesta
and KellettVille.
PROF. HENRY TUCKER, aged 65
years, travelling magician, residence
Cincinnati.
Those more or less injured by burns
and by jumping out of the windows are
Miss Emma Kiser, who is teacher in
one of the schools and boarded at the
hotel. She was severely burned about
the face and hands, though not thought
to be dangerously so. She, with Miss
Bannett, daughter of the hotel rroprie-
tor, jumped out of the second story win
dow, and was first reported to be injured
by the fall, but that was incorrect. Her
left hand is the most severely burned,
but her physicians feel confident she will
come out of her trouble in good condi-
tion, and very few marks of the fire will
be left.
Seven men were asleep on the third
floor or attic, besides Salsgiver, all of
whom had to jump distance of 20 feet
to save their lives. Among them were,
Glenn Berlin, arms cut and burned
Mark Wilson, burned and ankle
sprained; Horton Albaugh, left hand
burned; Frank Weston severely burned;
Wayne Kelly, burned and nose badly
bruised in falling; a travelling watch
maker from Warren, ankle hurt. None
of these are seriously injured, and all
will recover without much difficulty.
When the fire was first discovered, the
hall on the second floor, where it is sup
posed to have started, was one mass of
flames, cutting off every avenue of es-
cape from both the second and third
floors, except through the windows. The
building was of rongh lumber, double
boarded and burnt like tinder. Chas.
Bankhead, who had been stopping there
for some weeks, was first to waken, and
he lost no time in giving the alarm. He
opened his door, but was obliged to close
it instantly, which be did with difficulty,
the flames bursting in and creating a
heavy draft. His cries and pounding on
the walls of his room aroused others
who in turn awakened their comrades, sc
that all except the three doomed victims
there being 10 persons in the house at the
time, escaped alive. But for Mr.. Bank
heads thoughtful, prompt and persisten
efforts doubtless all on the second ant
third floor would have perished in th,
flames.
: SUPPOSED ORIGIN OF FIRE.
Very few theories have been advanced
: as the origin of the fire, and these ar
mere conjectures. At first it was though
y the flames were started by the explosion
of lamp in the room occupied by th
old gentleman, Tucker, who was sal
y to haye been suffering with toothach
d and was using hot applications, but thi
Q it seems was night or two previous, AN
u it is said he went to bed on Saturda
b night feeling we'll. His was the onl
u sleeping apartment from which never
q sound or demonstration was heard
% come. Another conjecture is that lam
II in the hallway exploded, but all WI
; seem to know anything about it unite
!, saying the hall lamp was not lit whe
q the last of the guests retired. A lighte
/ match thoughtlessly thrown on the ha
l. carpet may have smouldered for tin
and then burst into flames. Still all
conjecture, and the real origin may new,
% be known.
II 1t is not known whether Mr.. Tuck
was awake when the fire enveloped hin
l. His remains, a mere handful of bone
10 burned almost to ashes, together wit
l. those of Andrew Salsgiver, in the san
r, condition. were found in the small e.
a cavation under the building used as
IL cellar. They were taken out and place
10 in small paper shoe boxes for the tin
W being, to await proper burial.
o. The body of Miss Kate Miller WI
le found in the ruins when the fire had su
Id ficiently died away to admit of scare
1t was conveyed to the house of a neig
=, Dor and prepared for burial. The low
8. limbs were entirely burned off and Il
40 trunk was burned in two at the waist.
rk Miss Kiser, Miss Bennett and Mi
IS, Miller were sleeping in the same rool
H. the two former occupying the same be
lie Miss Kiser says she don't know how S
ed was awakened but succeeded in awake
lel ing Miss Bennett and then, supposi
es. the only way of escape was through t
be hall, opened the door and before S
al could close it, was burned as indicate
BY this time Miss Bennett had succeed
lie, i'm getting the window open, but th
fl could not arouse Miss Miller, and w
MS, obliged to leap for their lives. It
ng doubtful whether she awakened, a
got probably never realized her awful fate
go. Andrew Salsgiver was sleeping in
RS third story in the same room with Ma
ac- Wilson, who says they both awaker
1ly and got out of their beds about the sa
ied time. Wilson leaped out of the wind
ess and told Andy to follow him. WheI
ms small boy, Andy was accidentally s.
on from the effects of which he was partia
paralyzed. He came to the window a
ias called for ladder. One was finally p
ur- cured but il was too late, the room he
es- cupied being by this time entirely enN
vas oped in flame. But in the meantime