The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-17
SAVED FROM THE FLAMES
CLOSE CALL FOR OCCUPANTS AT 429
NORTH PENNSYLVANIA STREET.
Lifted Down on Shutters-PubIic
School Building at Irving
ton Destroyed.

Three fires in quick succession early yes
terday morning kept the fire department
moving brislly. The most sensational fire
was at Mrs. N. r. Duzan's boarding house,
No 429 North Pennsylvania street, but the
greatest loss was incurred in the burning
of the Irvington school building. The last
fire was at the home of w. ]. Freaney, No.
529 North Alabama street. 1t occurred at
4:30 o'clock.
The furnace in Mrs. Duzan's house be-
came overheated and, just before o'clock.
started blaze in the cellar. The people in
the house were all sleeping soundly. The
smoke from the fire went through the build
ing and the blaze was beginning to eat
through the floor before any of the people
were awakened. Those who were first
aroused by the heat or the smoke dashed
out of the house in their night clothing,
but several were not SO fortunate and, for
time, they were in danger. Mrs. Van
Malta and her ten-year-old daughter occu-
pied a room on the second floor, on the east
side of the house. Mrs. Van Malta was
awakened by the heat and a sense of suffo-
cation. She stepped out of bed and felt that
the floor was hot. Then she noticed that
smoke was arising from the carpet-it was
passing through the cracks in the 1oor-and
was entering the room from under the door.
The door of her room led into the hall and
she threw it Open A puff of flame and
smoke met her and drove her back. Her lit
tie daughter had also Weakened and the
sight of the flame and smoke so excited her
that she lost her presence of mind and ran
out into the hall. The mother followed her
and dragged her back into the room, shut
ting the door after her. Thus penned in,
the mother and daughter turned to the win
dow as their only escape from the fire. Mrs.
Van Malta threw up the window and
screamed for help.
George Elliott, one Of the Tomlinson Hall
janitors was on his way home and was
among the first who reached the house. He
heard Mrs. Van Natta's cries and ran
around to the side of the house. He saw her
standing at the window with her daughter.
He lifted shutter off first-hoor window
and thrust it up to the window at which the
mother and daughter stood. Mrs Van Natv
Ia helped her daughter out of the window
and the girl clasped the shutter. Elliott then
let her down to the ground. Again ne
pushed the shutter up and Mrs Van Malta
clambered out and grasped 1t. she also
reached the ground safely and, with her
daughter, was taken into q neighbor
house.
Other boarders living in the front OF the
house also found escape cut off except
porch on the front of the house and the
| people in their night clothing climbed out
on the roof of the porch. They were safe
| from fire. because the flames had not
! reached the front of the house. The fire de-
| partment arrived and the shiverers on the
| roof of the porch climbed down the ladders
/ placed for them. The fire found its way
| through the center of the house and burned
| the bed in which Mrs. Van Malta and her
daughter had been sleeping. The damage to
| the house is about $500 and much OF the
| furniture was ruined.