Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-10-31
LPORTE PMNA THURSDAY OCTOBER ST. 1901.

| was compelled TO WORK tighting the
| fire or protecting the surrounding
| property, and every minute of time
| threatened many other thousands of
dollars worth of property on all sides
of the principal building in which the
| blaze started.
BY noon the fire was under control
and at 2 o'clock in the afternoon
| force of men ordered by the depart
ment of public safety began the work
of clearing away the debris for the
purpose of recovering the bodies of
the victims buried in the ruins
Small buildings in the rear of the
furniture building and also to the
west of the burned area were crushed
by the falling walls. The fronts of
the stores on the south side of Mar
ket street opposite the fire were all
more or less damaged by the heat.
The firemen were greatly hampered
sn the work of rescue by the great
volume of smoke, which enveloped
the building. The unfortunates who
appeared at the upper windows were
unable to see the life nets. and the
fremen were unable to place them in
a position to do effective work.
Woman's Awful Death.
The dramatic incident of the fire
was the appearance at the seventh
story window of the woman who
jumped to her death. 1t was only
several minutes after the conflagra-
tion had broken out but already huge
volumes of smoke were pouring out
from open windows, and here and
there a lurid flame licked over the
stills. The woman had probably tried
every way of escape on the inside,
and at last was driven terror-stricken
to the window.
The crowd on the pavement below
and the faces at the windows of the
houses across the street caught sight
of her in moment. Piercing shrieks
rent the air again and again, but no
one lifted hand to aid, for they could
not. The firemen arrived, and still
she stood, lone figure at the window
1t was impossible to reach the fire
escape, down which another woman
and several men were slowly cropping
their way. almost blinded and stupe.
fed by the intense smoke. Now and
again her form also would be hidden
behind the dark clouds, but always
she kept up that heart-rending wall.
The fremen yelled to her through
trumpets TO stay where she was and
not to jump yet. They tried to run a
ladder up to her. but it was impossible
to reach as high up as the seventh
floor, even If it had been possible for
rescuer to ascend. The only way
was to jump, and the firemen pre-
pared for this.
Bringing out huge net dozen or
more willing hands seized its edge
and formed circle just below the
windows, 1t was dangerous work, not
to mention the hardships of the in
tense heat. but no one shrank back
when volunteers were called for.
The big net was pulled taut, and
then the word was given. Jump!
jump into the nett" called the firemen,
and the spectators took up the cry.
The woman probably never heard
above the roar of the flames behind
her but she saw that it was intend
ed for her and jumped.
Her dive was fatal, however She
swung way beyond the net, and, COM
ing down like a cannon ball, struck
the heavy awning supports. 1t broke
her fall, but it also killed her. Her
body was almost di5embowcled on the
tough iron, which bulged about ten
inches from it's position. The poor,
torn bit of humanity hung there for
a second and then dropped to the
pavement below. an inanimate mass,
bruised and broken. The firemen
tried to run their net under the avn
ing ere she fell the remaining short
distance, but were too late. When
they bent over her body and picked
her up she was dead.
The Property Loss.
The loss last night was estimated
at half a million dollars. most of
which will fall on Hunt, Wilkinson &
Co., whose loss is estimated at $780,
900. Henry G. Lea's loss on the
building is about $i50,000. William
f. Potts & Son suffered loss of $780,
600, while other occupants of the Potts
building and surrounding property
owners suffered losses aggregating
about $4,000.
Iron River, Wis, Oct. 2S.-Informa-
tiop inst hroupht in from RaaChWOod