The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-07-25

Two women trapped in small bedrooms
by fire at 1871 Ninth street northwest
last night chose different methods Of saw
lag their lives, one succeeding. the other
falling
Miss Grace owens, thirty-two years old.
feared to pass through aamed-fled han.
remaining in her room and fighting for
her life with n mattress. She was fatally
burned.
Mrs. Emma Coppersmith. fifty years
old. braved the flames, ran through the
hall and then. frenzied by agony. jumped
or fell down flight OF steps. iniuring
herself seriously. While her condition IS
critical It Is believed she has a chance
for life.
shut Out Planes.
Mrs. L. Gascoigne. forty-fve years old.
and her daughter, Miss Grace Gagcoigne
twenty-four years old. shut out the flames
from their rooms by closing a door to
the hall They were rescued by hremen
when nearly sufocated by smoke.
The origin OF the blaze and the start
ling rapidity OF the flames has mystihed
the fremen and policemen alike. In less
than a minute after It was discovered the
fire ran the length OF a long hall, en-
tering two rooms and filling the house
with smoke Of strange stupefyiHg proper
ties.
The house IS a two-story brick structure
rented by Mrs. Coppersmith from eiar-
ence Norment through the Washington
Loan and Trust Company. Mrs. Copper
smith rented the two front rooms on the
second floor to Mrs Gascolgne and her
daughter. Mrs Coppersmith occupied the
middle room. while Miss owens occupied
the rear room. Z. 1. Crum. hts wife and
baby occupied the first floor.
II was about 11.iO O'Clock when Miss
Owens awoke and saw the flames in the
hall leading from the stairway 20 her
room. She screamed, jumped from the
bed and started 20 run through the hall
but the flames seemed TO leap at her.
and she retreated. The woman started
10 jump AEOlN ANf rear MAitNNWr NAN NAAF
distance 10 the ground appalled, her. and
she decided TO take chances with the
flames Already they were I'm her room.
consuming iimsy clothing on the back OF
the door and reaching toward the bed
clothing, which had fallenRto the floor
Miss Owens pulled the mattress from
the bed. and started TO fight the fire.
Ii surrounded her. and her night gown
went up IN q burst OF fame Her hair
burned from her head and she smeIled
her flesh burning. Frantic with pain. the
woman welded the mattress with super
human strength. striking here and there
at the fire, screaming for help ike mad.
Hot as n Furnace.
The room became as hot as a furnace.
and finally she fell 10 the floor uncon-
scious. Her screams had awakened Mrs
Coppersmith. who had left her bed and
opened a door leading from her room TO
the hall. Almost instantly the fire.
drawn by the draft through the open
door. swept into the room. Mrs. Cop
persmith saw one chance Of escape. and
took il. Covering her face with her
hands. she ran for the stairway. Reach
ing the head OF the flight, she fell or
jumped. and. landing In a heap az the
bottom, hUddled up on the floor appa-
rently ufeless.
Crum had just taken his wife and baby
from the house and believed other occu-
pants had escaped. Some one had sent
in an alarm from box 262 and the clang
Of fire bells was heard Policemen Geier
and Garrett, Of the Eighth precinct; Fire
man Newton, of No. Engine Company:
Fireman Mckay, Of No. Z. and Assistant
Engineer Nesline. OF No. "A. reached the
front entrance OF the house at almost
the same moment
They stumbled across something at the
foot Of the stairs and found il was a
woman. While she was being carried
TO the street Geier. Newton. and Mckay
ran up the steps Covering their faces
with heavy coats they forced through
the flames In the middle room they
found no one. but in the rear room they
found Miss Owens on the floor. Flames
leaped about the body. and one Of the
men stepped on hand before he realized
the room was occupied
Miss Owens was lifted from the floor
and the men started for the street Their
hair was singed and the hames burned
their clothing. but they succeeded in get
ting their burden TO fresh air. Women
were heard screaming while the men were
In the house, but the cries subsidized be-
fore they reached the street.
ladder was raised to the window OF
the front room on the second floor and
Assistant Engineer Nesting ran up He
found Mrs. Gascoigne unconscious be-
meath the bed and the form OF her daugb-
ter lying in doorway between the two
rooms. One by one. taking the mother
first, Nesling handed the women through
the window. Fireman Easily and Lieut..
Steele were at the window and several
companions We're on the ladder beneath.
Carried to Street.
The women were carried to the street
They were taken into a house near bv
and revived, having been sufrocated by
smoke
Mrs. Coppersmith and Miss owens were
removed TO Freedmen's Hospital. Miss
Owens cannot live through to-day. ac-
cording 10 physicians. Her body was
burned from head to foot. Miss Copper
smith was badly burned and probably
internally injured by falling or jumping
down the steps.
Engine companies Z. Q, and 12 and
Truck company No. 4, under direction OF
Acting Chief Beers. subdued the flames
after a hard fight The loss Is about