Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-03-23

He had not much hope for the latter.
his wife being an invalid and nearly
helpless, and his daughter Fanny too
lame to be able TO do much for her
self.
Mrs. Leland had been rescued from
window on the Forty-seyenth street
side A guest, Fred Becklam, had
| lowered her from the sixth floor with
rope. Mr.. Leland found her on the
sidewalk, fearfully burned and uncon-
scious. Dr. j. W. Decker, an ambu-
lance surgeon from the Flower hos
pital, was bending over her. She was
placed in the ambulance and Mr.. Lee
land accompanied her to the hospital.
Death OF Mrs. Leland.
Mrs. Leland died at 9:15. but not be-
fore word had reached her during
moment OF consciousness that her
| daughters were safe. Mr.. Leland was
with her at the time this news came.
| A little later he left the hospital,
| Charles remaining. He was present
when his mother died. Charles Leland
gave a graphic account of his own
escape, which indicates with what
marvellous rapidit the flames spread.
He said: II was standing in the lob
| by, near the Office. | heard no alarm
of fire. The first knew of anything
being wrong / found myself caught up
in a struggling crowd which swept
down the stairs to the street. When
| | knew what was the matter | wanted
to go to the assistance Of my mother
and sisters, but / was swept out forci-
bly,. 1t was impossible to return from
| the street, even If the police had per-
mitted it"
Death OF Mrs. Kirk.
One of the most pathetic incidents
of the fire was a death-bed parting in
Bellevue hospital of a devoted moth
err and a loving and heroic daughter.
The mother, Mrs. Nancy A. Kirk, wild
ow of James S. Kirk of Chicago, feeble
with seventy-six years and an invalid,
was literally carried from the burning
hotel by her daughter, Mrs. c. G. Has
kin, who bore her burden down the
smoke-charged stair cases from the
fourth floor.
Leaving her mother to the care of
two firemen, who carried the aged
woman to the street, Mrs. Haskin ran
back to her apartments to save some
valuables. She nearly lost her life, for
the flames had spread rapidly, and it
was with difficulty that she managed
to. find her way through the halls back
to the lower floor. She reached the
street, where she sank, half-fainting.
Her hair was singed, her clothing
scorched and her arms badly burned.
She gasped, Where is mother?
Thank God | got her out alive"
The two flremen who had carried
Mrs. Kirk to a place of shelter had
called an ambulance to attend TO the
aged woman, who for years a sufferer
from heart disease, had collapsed
completely. Mrs Kirk was being
placed in the ambulance when her
negro nurse, who had attended her for
years and was devoted to her, dashed
across the street. She, too, had had
a narrow escape from the doomed
hotel
THAT lady is my good mistress"
screamed the girl. Then. as the driver
was about to drive off, she cried, "Tll
go to the hospital with her"
Without further ceremony she
clambered into the seat beside him.
Hurry up! Drive fast! Drive fast"
The driver dashed his horse. The maid
chung to his arm. Mrs. Haskin fol-
| lowed in a cab Her mother, still un-
conscious, was carried at once to a cot
in ward No. IL. Mrs. Haskin. who was
suffering intense pain from the burns
on her arm, would not consent to
treatment until she had seen her
mother.
But all the medical skill of the hos
pital could not save Mrs. Kirk, who
even then was dying, although the
surgeons did not tell her daughter So
| Hyperdermic injections in the hope
that the aged woman's heart might be
stimulated were administered, but the
smoke and the excitement had done
| their work.
A few minutes before she died Mrs
Kirk regained consciousness. Her
daughter knelt at the bedside and took
her mother in her arms. While thus
embraced her gaze rested on her
daughters face. DO you know me-
mother? / am Mary. We are safe
mother. You are getting good care
and you will soon be on your feet
again"
The mother passed away with the
daughters arms around her. An hour
elapsed before Mrs Haskin was suf-
ficiently composed to permit of her
burned arms being treated.