The San Francisco call., 1906-11-10
PARENTS RESCUED ;
CHILD LOST.

OAKLAND, Nov. e.-That the father
and mother of ten-year-old Grace r.
Poulson. the daughter of J. P Poulson,
who was burned TO death shortly after
midnight this morning in the fire
which destroyed the Poulson home, 2916
East Sixteenth street, in Fruityale, did
not share the awful fate Of their only
child. was due to the heroic efforts of
a party of young people, well known in
Oakland society, who were on the way
10 San Leandro in an automobile, and
who were attracted by the glare of the
flames and reached the blazing dwell
ing just in time TO drag Poulson and
his wife from the burning place before
the structure collapsed. In their fran
tic search for their daughter Mr.. and
Mrs. Pouison had been overcome by
smoke and were unconscious when car
ried from the house.
The members of the party to whom
Poulson and his wife owe their lives
were Miss Elva Reed, daughter OF At
torney George ". Reed, Miss Caro- Mills.
Joseph Ghirardelli, son of the late well
known San Francisco manufacturer,
and William Grosskirk, all well known
in this city. In rescuing Mr.. and Mrs.
Poulson from their burning home, both
GhirardelH and Grosskirk were so pain
fully burned that after seeing the res
cued husband and wife safe under the
selves compelled TO seek the services of
doctor.
GhirardelIi and his companions had
just reached the corner Of East Four
teenth street and Prospect avenue
when their attention was attracted by
sudden burst of flames from the
Poulson home, two blocks distant The
auto was at once turned in the direc-
tion Of the fire. and reaching the
house Ghirardeln and Grosskirk at
once entered to discover II any one
was in the burning house. On reach
ing the door they were Mortified TO
see Poulson and his wife lying help
less in the hallway, surrounded by fire.
Both men at once plunged into the
binding smoke, and at the expense Of
number OF painful burns succeeded
in dragging the imperiled pair from
the house. Poulson soon recovered
consciousness, and then his rescuers
learned for the first time that little
Grace was still inside the burning
house Before an effort could be made
to rescue her. however, the roof of the
dwelling fell, and the structure col
lapeed in a mass of flaming ruins, at
once ending all hope OF rescue.
Assuaging the frantic grief Of the
bereaYed father and mother as best
they could, Miss Reed and Miss Mills
at last induced them to turn away
from the ruins OF LutlI Tie IQitcI
al pyre OF their only child, and seek
treatment for their own injuries. A
quick run was made to Oakland, and
Poulson and his wife were taken to
the Receiving Hospital, where their
| injuries were dressed
The fire, which at one blow robbed
PouIson and his wife Of their only
child and their home, was the tragic
end Of an evening of enjoyment. Poul-
son had been entertaining party of
friends at his home, and the parlor was
Illuminated by a large hanging lamp.
shortly after the last of the guests
had departed, while Mrs. Poulson was
in the kitchen of the house and her
husband was IN the barn at the rear,
this lamp exploded, and In a moment
the parlor was in flames.
Being slightly deaf, Mrs. Poulson
did not hear the noise of the explosion
and her first realization that the house
was IN flames came when she opened
the kitchen door to return to the front
| of the house. AS she opened the door
a binding cloud of smoke poured into
the room, and a glance showed the
frightened woman that all nope OF saw
ing the house was gone.
1 Screaming to her husband for help
Mrs Poulson ran upstairs to save her
sleeping daughter. She reached the
room of the little one, and, picking the
child up, started TO escape, Wnen at the
top of the stairs she was met by q
sitting blast OF fame and smoke. Stag
gering back the mother released the
frightened child from her arms, and ir
a moment the girl had fed from hel
mothers side in an effort to escape
Thoroughly confused, Mrs. Poulsor
started to search for her daughter. but
missing her footing. fell and rolled
down the stairs.
IT hot n
started up to aid his wife in saving
their daughter. and in falling. Mrs
Poulson also carried him with her II
the bottom of the stairs. Pouison must
have been momentarily stunned by the
fall, and the thick clouds of smoke
quickly did the rest, for husband ane
wife were lying together at the foo
of the stairs when found by Grosskirl
and Ghirardelli. The dwelling was {
total loss.