Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-08-01
THE BOY
SAVED
THE BABY
Archie COnlee, at Risk of Life Carries
Baby From Burning Building

hleVen-year-Old Arcn1e COnlee is
the hero of Reservoir Park, says last
nights Telegram. Yesterday after.
noon he rushed into the burning
home of Robert Ryan and snatched
William Ryan, aged 81 months, from
the. flames. The baby's dress and
hair were on fire, but Archie beat
out the blaze with his hands. The
boy, with the baby in his arms.
jumped out of the house just, before
the roof tumbled, in.
AS a result of the fire, Mrs. Ida
Ryan, aged 20 years, died at st.
Vincent's hospital this morning, and
her oldest son, Lester, aged 3 years,
was burned to death as he lay sleep
ing on the bed Young Conlee states
he did not know the other boy was In
the house, and that he heard no 9TH
er cries save those of the baby. The
fatality was caused by Mrs. Ryan
starting a fire with kerosene. It Is
thought she held the can as she
started the kindling. and that the
flames blazed up so high they set
fire to her clothing.
Mrs. Ryan had been visiting
short time yesterday afternoon with
Mrs. II. e. Conlee, who lives but a
short distance away. About 5 O'Clock
the visitor went home to prepare sup
per. A few minutes afterwards, Mrs
Conlee heard a scream, and looking
out of her door saw Mrs. Ryan run
ming toward her with her clothing
and hair ablaze. The neighbor stop
ped her as she was entering the Con-
lee home. Mrs. Conlee attempted to
put out the fire by wrapping n blan-
ket about the woman's body.
This action smothered the fire
that was burning the lower part OF
Mrs. Ryan's body, but did not put
out the blaze that was scorching the
woman's waist and hair. Mrs. Con-
lee then dashed n bucket of water
over Mrs. Ryan's head, and then
picked up tubful of water and
threw IL over the burning woman.
Mrs. Conlee is n small, slender wo-
man, and she now declares she does
not know how she managed to carry
the tub of water as shhe did.
Get, Willie; oh get my baby!"
cried the burning mother.
Hearing these pitiful pleadings.
Archie Conlee made a run for the
burning house, and seeing the baby,
with his clothing on fire, grabbed
him up. beat out the fire, and es-
capped Just before the walls and roof
of the house crumbled.
where's Lester?" asked Mrs.
Conlee,
Hes burned up. know" replied
the crazed mother.
The Ryan home consisted of but
one large room, and Lester was
asleep on bed near the stove. When
the flames shot out the bed clothing
caught fire at the same time Mrs.
Ryan was struck by the blaze. 1t is
thought the 3-year-old boy was dead
before his mother reached the Con-
lee home.
"If I'd heard Lester yell, I'd tried
to get him, too" said young Conlee
this morning, but / didn't know he
was there. Anyhow, I'm mighty glad
got the baby. Mr.. Ryan offered me
$40 this morning, but | wouldn't
take IL, cause he needs that money.
Mrs. Ryan was taken into the Con
lee home, where her body was wrap
ped in dampened -four. A physician
was called at once, and, after a long
run, the Holman ambulance arrived
and took the dying woman to the
hospital. She was able to talk TO her
husband up TO a short time before
she died. She continually asked for
her children. Her daughter, Edith,
aged years. was playing in neigh
boris yard at the time of the fire.