Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1900-06-22

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which almost totally destroyed tenemen
house at 81 Jackson street. The official lis
of the dead is:
William Cotter, forty years old.
Mrs. Kate Cotter, thirty-eight years old.
Joseph Cotter. twelve years old.
Kate Cotter, nine years old.
Elsie Marion, six years old.
John Cotter, three years cd.
William Cotter, one year DID,
Louis Marion, forty years old.
Mary Marion, thirty-seven years old.
Mamie Cotter, thirteen years old.
The injured are:
Albert Marion, nineteen years old.
Mamie Marion, eighteen years old.
Margaret Marion, fourteen years old.
Frank Marion, twelve years old.
Emma Marion, two years old.
Antoinette Marion, infant
Patrick Burns, twenty-three years old
Of these Burns will surely die, 1t is said.
The others suffered from inhaling smoke,
but are not In serious condition.
Inc fire appears to have started In the rear
OF the hallway on the second floor. 1t had
gained great Roadway before the people in
the house were awakened to their peril.
The Cotter family lived on the fourth floor.
Cotter was laborer, and In addition to the
children who lost their lives he had a son
George, four months old.
The Marion family lived on the top floor.
Patrick Burns appears to have been the
nrsr person In the house who was apprised
OF the fire. He was awakened by smoke
and he gave the alarm to the others in Miss
Jordans apartments, where he boarded. All
escaped except Burns, who was severely IL
iured by flames.
Policeman Knowles, after assisting the
Hartigan family to escape from the third
door OF the building, mounted one flight
higher. Flames shot out OF the windows
and set fire to his coat. He LOOKED into the
windows of the Cotter apartments, but could
see no signs OF life there. The family had
moved into the rooms only few days before
and the furniture was 80 banked up in front
OF the windows that the view was obscured.
The brave policeman, half suffocated by the
smoke, continued to climb the fire escape
TIL he reached the top floor. He heard
screams coming from the Mulhearn apart
ments and, locating them, assisted the dazed
people down the fire escapes.
When Officer Knowles reached the Marion
apartments confusion of flame and smoke
burst into his face. In the midst Of 1t all.
with n1ghtgowns ablaze and their hair blaz-
ing, four of the children were tearing about
the room shrieking in terrible agony.
Mrs. Marion huddled near the window.
With her bare arms wrapped about her
baby, she was gasping for air.
ohaox 4 A. a 4
the terrified woman, and Margery, Frank |
and Mamie were brought to Knowles after |
he had taken the baby. The blisters and |
scars were swelling on his hands and arms, |
but he conquered his agony and finished his
work on the floor by finally carrying the
fainting form of the courageous mother
DOWN the fire escape.
few moments afterward the woman
lied. She had literally sacrificed herself
or her babies.
Louis Marion was killed by jumping from
! window. When the f1remen reached the
lpartments of the family three OF the family
we're dead on the floor and the others IN
onscious.
In the Cotter rooms were found Mrs Cot
er, while few feet away lay the body OF
1r. Cotter, with dead child under him.
n other parts OF the rooms were found the
members Of the family. Only
wo Of them, Mamie and George, the latter
our months old, were alive
Policeman Peter Purified, who had fol-
owed the other officers TO the fire. had
cached the top of the Arst flight OF stairs ,
hen Patrick Burns, one OF Miss Jordan's ,
oarders, with his night shirt ablazing.
lmped over the banisters within few feet
the officers. He fell in heap at the bot
I'M OF the stairs. Purified carried him to
le street and tore his blazing garment from
i'm. Burns was blackened all over by the
re and appeared to be delirious. He broke !
ON the policeman crying, IL want to save '
y pants" and rushed back into the burn t
g house. Purified overlook him and
ought him out again, and the man then n
nix from pain and exhaustion on the side 8
ak. Purfeld re-entered the house and 1
ade his way to the rear Of the hallway on P
q first floor. Just as he was about to 20 II
to the yard Marion jumped from the fifth "
DOR and fell at his feet. a
Mamie Cotter died as soon as she arrived Il
the hospital. I
The monetary loss caused by the fire ia b
timated at from 5000 to 81. OOO