The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-09
Miss Ada Johnson Jumps Into Street. FAMILY'S NARROW ESCAPE
 FROM TERRIBLE DEATH Early Morning Fire Wreeks Resi- dence on Avenue. old Norton Place Occupied by L. m. Johnson Is Destroyed--Loss Is About so.ooo Partially
 Insured--0rigin
 Unknown.

Hemmed in by a wall Of fire surginn up the stairway. the ceiling falling about them and the rooms dense with smoke, the occupants of the home of Mrs. L. M. Johnson. 321 Madison Ave- nue. found themselves at 1:30 o'clock this morning facing death. The crash ing ring of the fire alarm bell was still sounding when the apparatus of the Fire Department from half the sts- tions of the city came hurtitng and iurching to the scene and not a mo- ment too soon. From the windows of the upper floor and through the board walls dense oily smoke was making breathing impossible.
 Taking a desperate chance, Miss Ada Johnson sprang from a second story window. suffering broken arm and internal injuries from the fall. Tha others tried to hold her bus she tump- ed before they could clutch her garments. A moment later the break ing of door let In a pillow of flame and smoke. and Miss Ethel Johnson. Mir. and Mrs. chumley and Mrs. l.. M. Johnson's aged mother, were almost caught in a death trap.
 Smashing lock on door leading into back room they fought their way to the rear and succeeded in getting on the roof, where they were slowly sue- locating in the smoke, the noise of the Ire drowning their cries for aid. whom it chanced they were seen from the street ladder was placed and the rescue accomplished.
 Reaching the ground a count wns taken and Is was found that Mrs. John son was missing. The young ladies' would have dashed back into the .frrn- ace of the lower floor but were held. A gust of wind blew aside the smoke from the front of the building and Hrs Johnson was seen at window. With difficulty ladder was placed and two firemen brought her down to safety.
 In accomplishing the rescue the fire- men were so busy that the flames gain. ed too great headway to save the building and as the rafters of the roof and second story crashed in, sending n pyramid of sparks and flame and smoke upward, the fire fighters were moment driven back. Four streams were set playing into the furnace of the second floor but all that could be done was save the adjoining property The contents of the building were lost in toto. not so much as a handkerchief being saved. The total loss of building and contents is roughly estimated at ss.0OO.
 Neighbors took in the homeless oc. cupants. and Miss Ada Johnson was taken to the home of B. NJ. Washburn acros the street. where medical aid was sent to her relief. Others of the occupants Of the i'll fated house suf- fered minor bruises and slight burns. but the young lady who jumped bore the brunt of the injuries sustained.
 The house has been known for years as the Norton place. having been oc- cupied for long time by the late Ju- Illus Norton, of the Montgomery firm, Lee & Norton. It was a two-story frame structure, semi-colonial in ars chitecture and was built of wood. It was originally built by Conrad Webb, an ante-bellum resident of the city.
 How the fire started the occupants are at los to learn. Their first warn ing came when the coughing of one of the occupants in the smoke arous- ed the others. They had not time to put on scarcely a garment before the flames were felt in the rooms. the fire. 1t seems having originated on the sec ond floor near the stairway. Mir. and Mrs. Chumley have rooms on the low CT floor. but in spite of the danger ran up the back way to arouse the others, whom they thought still asleep. and were brought down to safety with the others who were on the roof.