The Washington times., 1908-06-02
Woman's Shoelace Catches,
Hurting Her Head-hrSt
to Street.
OTHERS MAY DIE
AMONG SIX BURNED
Spectacular Rescues Mark Fire
That Destroys Fashionable New
York Boarding House.

NEW YORK. June Zone woman lost
her life, six persons were seriously
burned, and q dozen others were res
cUed by hremen with their clothing
Hnlaze, following a fire which gutted a
three-story fashionable boarding house
at 3l3 West Thirtieth. street early today.
The IRE started in the basement under
the stairs, and when discovered exit
from the upper stories had been cut of.
Fire patrol No. g. the first TO arrive,
utilized scaling ladders to take the
frightened occupants from the front
windows, while the crews Of two truck
companies rescued Others by means OF
ECpes dropped from the roof.
The dead woman was Mrs. Marie
Belle Crane, aged forty, a Fifth avenue
dressmaker. She fell from the roof 20
the pavement and was instantly killed.
The injured:
May Haggerty, aged thirty. burned
hbOut face, hands, and head, taken un-
conscious to Roosevelt Hospital. may
die.
Mrs. May Mooney. badly burned about
race, hands, and head; may have in
haled flames; serious.
Mrs. Madge Clark. aged twerty-seven,
burned about legs and abdomen; serious.
Miss Mary Ennis, aged tWenty-seVen,
balr burned OF, badly burned about
race ana shoulders.
Mrs George Meilzle. burned about
head, face, hands and body.
George Meikle. thirty-twO; feet severe
" burned.
Stairways Ablaze.
When the inmates were awakened BY
the fire and tried TO make their way to
the street. they found the stairs ablaze
and the Railways filled with smoke,
They rushed 70 the windows. but were
kept from jumping by policemen who
shouted 10 them that help was coming.
Lieutenant O'Neln and Patrolman But
Ter worked their way to the third floor
as soon as they arrived with scaling
ladders. O'Neiu remained there while
Butler went 10 the roof and passed up
seven persons TO Butler who hauled
them 10 the roof adjoining
Captain Sweeney. OF Truck No. u.
used a life line in the rear 70 haul 10
safety seven other persons, getting the
last OF them out just as their clothing
caught fire. While these rescues We're
going on. Mrs Belle Crane tried 10
get through the scuttle 10 the root
but lost her balance and fell 10 the
ground, being killed instantly.
Smoke was discovered issuing from the
house by Thomas Blake as ne was re-
turning to his home. A moment later
an elderly man appeared at a window
on the second floor and several women
screaming for help crowded back or
him.
Look out. I'm going to jumpr' shout
ed the man in the window, and he began
20 climb out on the sill, Blake warned
him 10 wait, rushed in the adjoining
house ran to the second floor. and,
climbing out on the cornice, held him
back.
Escape Cut Of.
Inside the house the flames were gain
Ing headway. Mrs. Clark had aroused
her husband Together they started for
the stairway. They had no time to seize
clothing. When they reached the land
ing a blast of fame and smoke en-
veloped them and. adre they started
down. Mrs. Clark was in the lead. She
sripDed on the second step and fell head
long her sister and her husband falling
after her. They landed in heap on the
marble landing below. Here they would
have been burned TO death had not the
hremen at this moment burst in the
front door.
Snrieks coming from the roof attract
ed the attention of Captain Sweeney, of
Truck No ]. and. followed by Police
men smith, Winn, and Neville, he went
up the LADDERS TO the top.
Peering over the roof he found Mrs.
Meikle leaning from rear window OF
the second floor. Tying a rope about
his waist he was lowered 2 the police
men to the window. Mrs. a eikle seized
him, and ne gave the word To haul up
Her husband, George Meikle, was found
in the hall on the same floor uncon-
scious He had reached the chute, but
could proceed no further.
Mrs. Crane leapad from the rear Of
the house. An unlaced shoe caught in
the shutter as she passed the first floor,
and this turned her so that she struck
headforemOst on the cement paving.
Nav Hsggerty was found under the
bed by Lieutenant Reilly, of Truck
No. J.
He dragged her to the roof and she
was C.-sried down the ladders, Calls
had been sent 10 the hospitals, and the
Roosevelt ambulance had arrived before
the woman reached the street. DIT.
Swan the ambulance surgeon, declared
her condition grave.
The fire. of unknown origin, started IN
q wood bin and burned straight up the
stairway.