Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-10-10
Fatality Attends a Disastrous Fire at
the Delaware Orphan Home and
Industrial School, Early
Tuesday Morning.
ALL OF THE CHILDREN RESCUED
But Had a Narrow Escape From
SuffoCation.
FIRE THE WORK OF AN lNCENnlARy

dlmOsC cOn1pl6tbly ueSLfOy6u Gu6 puliu-
ings owned and occupied by the Della
ware Orphan Home and Industrial
School, a colored inatitution, at, Nos.
.l121 and 1923 Walnut street. early
Tuesday, but all5of the occupants, w.
o. Ellis, one OF the managers, and 20
children, escaped With their lives. The
children, whose ages range from u to
9 years, were rescued by Mr.. Ellis,
Policemen Moore, Solomon, Kelley aud
Burchinal and several neighbora, and
son, oolored, No. ll20 Elizabeth street,
and Mrs Julia A. White, colored, 1922
Elizabeth street, in the rear Of the
home. where they will he cared for
until place can be provided for them
by the management OF the home.
At about O'CLOCK. a Mr.. Burris,
who lives nearby. happened to look out
of his bedloom window and saw a FIRE
in the rear of the home. He dressed
hurriedly and ran to the house and
made an effort to awaken the occupants.
In the meantime the fire had been dis
covered by Polioeman Kelley, hilary
Robinette and companion, the two
last named being bakers IN the employ
Of M. It. Dannenberg, Twelfth and
Walnut streets. Officer Kelley immedi-
ately turned In an alarm Of fire from
box No. 6, at Tenth and Walnut streets,
and the district companies responded
and we're soon ia service. The firemen
did good work. When they arrived the
home buildings were q mass of flames,
but the blaze was not permitted TO
spread to nearby buildings although b
the adjoining house ia frame. The
maj jor portion of the home buildings
we're also frame but the tiremen kept
the blaze pretty well in the rear and
had it extinguished soon after they
got into SERVICE which is considered a
remarkable piece of work. In addition
to the frame dwelling adjoining on the
north side thers is also frame stable
IN the rear yard, neither of which was
burned. sSs
Soon after the fire ,1roks out Charles
Loud. who lived ACROSS the street, at
l120 Walnut street, had been aroused by
his wife, and he ran aoross to the home
and began kicking on the door to arouse
the occupants. He was successful, but
his efforts were disastrous for HIM, He
exerted himself to such an extent that
after he had kicked the door a time or
two he fell backward to the street. BY
this time crowd of people had gath
cred and he was carried to bis home,
where he expired, almost Immediately.
Death evidently resulted from heart
trouble. He had been complaining OF
nervousness for some time. Mr.. Loud
Was highly respected colored man. He
had been employed by the Charles
Warner Co. for some time ae a foreman
at the south side yard. He was about As
years of age aud leaves widow.
The noise caused by Mr.. Loud and
several others aroused Mr.. Ellis, who
discovered Immediately upon awsking
that the house was filled with smoke.
| He realized that no time was to be lost
or some OF the children would be suffo
Gated. The policemen, whose names
are men TONED above had gained an
| entrance to the house by this time and,
with the assistance OF Mr.. Ellis and
several others, they carried the chill.
dren to the Elizabeth street houses.
None of the occupants of the house
we're affected by the smoke, butif the
| fire had not been discovered when il
was it is likely that all would have
been burned to death.
Mr.. Ellis says the fire started In a
corner in tho rear yard, and he has
every reason to believe that the place
was set on fire. but cannot assign any
cause for the act, neither does he sus-
! pect nyboey. There was no stove near
where the fire started. and all OF the
lamps were in the second story.
The children in tue hume at the
time were John. W. Robinson, Ernest
Derricksun, Ernest Jones, Harry Will
son, Elwood Moore, Lettie Gooding,
Viola Gooding, Samuel Williams. Julius
Oarty, anna May, Aurella Williams,
Joshua Gooding. Enooh Laws, Asmelia
Hill, George Williams, Charles vii.
liams, Howard Derrickson. EIwood
johnson, William H. Driver and another
whose name could not be recalled this
morning by Mr.. Ellis.
The Buildings. which are owned by
the home corporation, were worth about
| 50, 500, and were insured with com
panies represented by Gilpin Il Co. and
| A. r. Van Trump. for 81, 500, and she
contents were insured for 54o0 with the
Homs Insurance Co. OF New York. The
institution was started by Mr.. and Mrs.
Ellis eight years ago and year age
last April was incorporated under The
laws of this State. Its object is to care
for orphans and educate them. The
managers are Mr.. and Mrs. Ellis,
! A. "a. Gillis, Mrs. Sarah Loud,
the Rev. Jesse j. Evans and several
other vell.known colored people. Mr..
and Mrs. Ellis and Mrs. Alice Griffin
are the Instructors.
Anumber of the children are talented
and seven OF them returned on Satur :
day from New England. where they
made tour which covered period oi
five weeks. during which they gave
entertainments in Boston, Providence,
Newport, West Newton, Cambridge,
Westmoreland and other places. While
in Boston they had the pleasure oil
meeting Gov. William NJ. Crane, who
made a donation TO the home. The
party was in charge of Mr.. Ellis and
the trip was decided success. The
children who give the entertainments
| nra callad tho Sauan Gnnn nf Dalamare