The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-01-18


New York, Especial. )-The handsome resi-
dence OF Joseph Pulitzer. publisher Of the
New York World, at 1912 East Flfty-nfth
street, was destroyed by Gre, and two women
servants were suffocated or burned to death.
The total loss Is estimated at about $500, 900.
The insurance Is $3.50, 900.
The victims OF tho fire were Mrs Morgan
Jellett, the housekeeper, and Miss Elizabeth
Montgomery, n governess.
The dwelling was u four-story building, OF
stone aud brick, with carved entrance. The
dining-room was famous for its handsome
fittings. There was conservatory adjoin.
Ing, and here the fire originated. The origin
of the fire is variously ascribed to electric
wires, the steam heater and an open fire. 1t
started about 7.30 A. NJ, while Mrs. Pulitzer,
her daughters Constance and Edith, twelve
and fourteen years OF age, respectively, and
Herbert, boy OF three years and the house
keeper aud governess were asleep. Mr.. Pul-
itzer and his son, Joseph, Jr., were at Lake
wood. There were sixteen servants In the
house.
The servants in the house and passers-by
discovered the fire about the same time.
There was not much smoke, but the flames
spread rapidly and were soon beyond con.
troll. Mrs. Pulitzer got her children together,
and with the aid OF their nurses got them
safely to the street and then to an adjoining
dwelling. Several OF the servants had mar
row escapes, one of them making his way
out OF the building by way OF tho roof.
He said that he saw Mrs. Jellett on the
roof and that she went back to get bag
containing Christmas presents. When the
tiremen found the body OF the housekeeper
on the top floor the bag was in her hand. 1t
contained a number OF silver trlnkets and
fancy articles. The woman's body was part
ly burned.
The body OF the governess, Miss Montgom
cry, was discovered after several hours. 1t
was found in the ruins on the third floor
The woman had only had time to put on
shirt and bath robe, with pair OF slippers,
before she was overcome. Her body was
not badly burned, showing that she had
probably been sufrocated.
While the fremen OF engine 40, in charge
of Lieutenant Harry Hauck, were ut work
on the third floor utter the fire was out AZ
quarter after ten, the flooring gave way and
let them all-about a dozen men-fal to the
second floor. All but Hauck escaped in
jury. and he sustained laceration of one
leg.
The fire spread rapidly after its start. The
flremen sent In a second and then third
alarm, bringing great number Of engines
and other apparatus to the scene. Reserves
of police were called out to keep In order the
big crowd which had come to see the flames,
which were spectacular, because of the wind
tanning them fiercely.
Mrs. Pulitzer, who is a niece OF Jefferson
Davis, had number OF jewels In safe In
the house, which was buried In the ruins
She said that everybody had time to get out
OF the house after the fire started, rs there
was smoke only for some minutes before tho
flames.
The building was completely gutted by
fire, none OF the stairway being left and the
rooms being burned out. The contents were
an entire loss. and those alone, 1t was esti-
mated, were worth $15),t00.