The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-17
BRAVE KATE CARNEY.
The Heroine of Yesterdays Fire is
Safe and Unhurt


Chicago, March 17-Katherine Car
ney, the forewOman of the National
Music company, who was thought to
have been burned to death in the big
! fire of yesterday, left the building by
the means of the fire escape. She re-
| lates her experience as follows:
Il did all I could" she said, ito get
\ the girls into the elevator, and then,
| when I started to get in myself, there
/ was no room for me. 1 did not think
I there was so great danger at the time,
| but in a. few minutes after the elevator
! had gone down, I saw the flames were
! spreading so rapidly that I must run
for my life. just hurried to a window
/ which was near the fire escape, climbed
/ through it and came down to the
| ground. A man at the bottom of the
escape was holding ladder, and he
helped me and a number of others to
get out. I had not minute to spare,
as the flames burned my face and hair
when left the building, and it was so
hot that the rungs on the fire escape
scOrched my hands. All my girls got
away alive, although one or two are
bruised up a little
Miss Carney was a true heroine. AL
| though at the outset she had opportu-
nifty to escape with the other women,
she seemed to feel it her duty to stay
and help the escape of the girls over
whom she had charge. Her voice could
be heard above the ShriekS of the panic
order and reassuring them again and
again. She stood near the stairway
and attempted to seize the foremost
women as they dashed down to the next
floor, but she was thrown aside.
When she saw there was no hope OF
stopping the panic, she darted to the
elevator cage to calm the others. AS
the elevator assembled, Miss Carney or
dered the conductor to stop. Then she
turned and helped her frightened
charges into the cage. During all the
excitement she remained calm, and IS
sued orders as though directing the WO-
men at work As the elevator started
to descend without Miss Carney, one of
the girls cried to the conductor to stop,
but the brave woman, though staring
death in the face, shouted for them not
to mind her, that she would take care
of herself.
The girls she sent down the elevator
escaped unframed. Two of those who
bOlted headlOng down the narrow STAIR
way, Josie and Annie Baxter, made their
way to the second floor, but were cut
off by the flames and forced TO jump
from a window. They were both lnJur-
ed but at the hospital their greatest
anxiety and sorrow was regarding
FOreWOman Kate Carney.
Those reported missing and whose
bodies are believed to be in the ruins
are the following:
w. A. Olmstead, president of the w.
A Olmstead Scientific company, rushed
through the sixth floor notifying his
toward the rear of the building and was
not seen to leave.
c. H. Arms, secretary of w. A. Ohm
stead Scientific company
Mrs. M E. Harris, widow, AZ years
old, employed as bookkeeper for w. A
Olmstead Scientific company.
Unknown woman, seen at window
on the sixth floor shortly after Miles
Smith leaped to his death
@. T. Anderson, employed by Sweet,
Wallach & co.
Tony - last name unknown, office
boy for Sweet, Wallach & Co., jumped
from the sixth floor in the rear; fell
into the ruins.
Fred Hamill vaudeville singer; en-
ployed by the National Music company.
c. A. Price, cashier for w. A. Ohm
stead Scientific company.
Solomon Grollman, jr., western agent
for Henry Hoffman of Columbus, o.
Solomon GrOllman, ST., with Solo
mon Grollman, jr, thought to have met
his sons fate.
Music company.
II. r Nelson, seen with Samuel A.
Clark, who was killed, and thought to
have been burned to death.
William Marvin. shipping clerk for
Presbyterian board of publications.
William Boss, errand boy for Presby-
terrain board of publication.
w. J. Wilcox, partner of w. A. OlTn~
stead.
Charles A. Price, cashier for Ohm
stead company.
William A. Marvin, employed by the
Presbyterian publishing company.
The following are among the seriously
injured:
Paul c. Snyder, employed by Sweet,
Wallach & Co., severely burned about
head and body; may die.
Emil Bresserman, dropped from the
third floor to street, hip broken and
spine injured; may die.
F. E Mccullough, jumped from third
floor; right hip and shoulder broken
and internally injured; may die.
Mary Lapere, fell from fire escape on
second floor to ground and sustained
internal injuries; may die.
w S. Lamley, cOlOred waiter at H. H.
Kohlsaat & Cos. restaurant, became
frightened and jumped from second
floor of restaurant; right leg broken
Phillip Farley, piano mover for Con-
over Piano company, right leg broken
in jumping from second story window.
Josie Baxter, right ankle broken in
jumping from second story window.
Annie Baxter, jumped with her sister,
from second floor; severely bruised.
David Schaefer, arm broken trying to
catch A. z. Mccullough VINO jumped
from the third floor
Jacob Kerichner, letter carrier,
Jumped from second story; back in
jured and ankle sprained.
Conover Piano company; jumped from
shoulder.
MRS. HENROTIN OPPOSED.
She is Against a National University