Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-16
GASOLINE BURNS
FATAL TO GIRL
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER VIC
TINS OF EXPLOSION
Every Inch of Flesh on the Young
Woman's Body Scared 10 Crisp.
older Woman Seriously
injured u

| Mary Smith, 16 years of age, died at
! the county hospital at $40 last night
as result of the frightful burns she
received by the explosion of gasoline
at her home, 24419 East First street,
yesterday afternoon.
| Her mother Mrs. j. A. Trumble, who
was also severely burned in the ex-
plosion, is still at the county hospital.
| Mrs. Trumble became a mother at IL 80
o'clock last night. She passed through
the ordeal without being greatly weak
ened, despite the pain she suffered
from her burns. The baby was born
dead.
| Miss Smith and her mother are said
| to have been mopping the floor of a
small room with gasoline to kill vermin
when suddenly there was an explosion.
The two women were behind q bed
when the flames filled the room. They
rushed for the door through the scorch-
ing flames, and the girl, who is only 16
years of age, fled to the street, Shrek
ing and running madly.
| A butcher rushed out of his shop with
a big tarpaulin and threw it around
her to smother the flames. The fire
smoldered around the girls body ane
kept burning her until water was
brought. All of her clothing was de
stroyed and the doctors say that ther
is not square inch of flesh on the
girl which was not burned badly.
Probably Will Die
Mrs. Trumble was not so badly burned
as her daughter, but she is in Sc
rious condition. Both arms, her face
and legs were burned frightfully. Her
arms were one mass of charred skin
and flesh when she was taken to the
cried constantly for her Darling, Oh,
my darling"
| Police Surgeons Bonynge, Quint and
Garrett worked hard on the two wo-
men and were assisted by the matron
of the Jail, but it was long time be-
fore the last burned patch of flesh was
swathed in bandages. There was NO
oil In the hospital and the moaning
women were compelled to wait while a
trusty went after the oils which were
used to soothe the burns.
| Mrs. Trumble is the wife of J. A.
| Tumble, who until very recently was
a lineman in the employ of the Home
Telephone company. He is Mary
| Smiths stepfather.
Mother at Bedside
Mrs. Trumbles mother-in-law was
summoned from Santa Ana and was
soon at her bedside. The Trumble fam
| lily Is said to have come here from
| Denver, Colo, some time ago. Mrs.
Trumble was conducting 8 lodging
house at 2441R East First street, where
the fire occurred. She was cleaning
out one of the rooms vacated by a
lodger when the accident occurred.
1t was only by prompt work by the
fire department that bad property
loss was averted. The flames from the
gasoline rapidly filled the halls of the
establishment, but the quick work of
the firemen stopped the flames before
they had more than singed the cur
tains and carpets.
Almost as exciting as the explosion
and consequent burning of the two wo-
men was the trip the patrol wagon
made the first time to the station with
the burning girl inside. 1t was in
charge of Driver F. w. Polisky, one
of the best men in that line on the
| force. He was headed up First street
and was going at top speed when a
| fire engine started down the First
street hill at terrific rate. Between
Spring and Broadway there was a
street car standing motionless on the
north track. Next to the street car
was big yellow delivery wagon with
barely enough space for wagon to
pass between it and the car.
Await Collision
The steaming engine pounded down
| ONCI tuC IoIOdQWdy ITdChS, TuSnlnR
straight for the speeding patrol wagon
with it's human freight. Pedestrians
stood still from fright, expecting ev-
cry second to see an awful crash when
the patrol and the tons of steel in the
engine came together. In vain the en-
gine driver tried to turn out or to stop
his horses. Quick as a flash Polisky
took in the situation.
| When almost on top of the street
car he pulled his horses to the right
with great effort and by the greatest
chance went between the car and the
delivery wagon without so much as
scraping the paint from his wheels.
The spectators gave a sigh OF relief
and some cheered as the plucky driver
kept on his way to the receiving hos
pital.
1t is not often that the patrol wagon
gets into such close quarters and it is
also not often that 1t gets out so cas-
| lily. Great credit is due Polisky for
his rapid work in getting the injured
girl to the station.
A Malign Wife