The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-09-07
PETTIss HOUSE ON GRAMMONT
STREET DESTROYED.
JUMPED FROM WINDOWS
Several Occupants More or Less In
iured-There Were Several NorraW
Escapes-The Origin of the Fire Can
Not Be Ascertained.

Monroe News Star September o:
In an early morning fire at the
Pettiss boarding house situated on
Grammont street today SIX people
were more or less seriously IN
iured and a number of others barely
escaped. Nearly all were compelled to
Jump from the windows in their night
clothes, which in many instances were
all. that were saved.
The injured are:
Mrs. S. Barrow, burned about body,
face and arms, back sprained in Jump
from second story window.
S. Barrow, manager Texas Oil Com
pany, burned about hands; back hurt
in lump from window with a six-year-
old sin in his arms, The boy was slight
" burned, but otherwise uninjured.
E. p. Cudd, salesman Keller Grocery
Company, hand burned and back badly
injured from jump.
Miss Belle Brashear, stenographer tor
Hudson, Pats & Bernstein, burned and
ankle hurt from jump.
Tom Butler, salesman for Waters
Pierce Oil Company, back wrenched IN
Jump from window.
George Buckner, with Cudahy Pack
ing Company, slightly burned on neck.
Dr.. Newton lost all of his wearing
apparel, escaping down an outside stair
way at the rear in his night clothes He
saved his watch and a trunk containing
Miss Iris Newton's school clothes.
Following is list of the others who
were boarders or visitors besides Mr.
and Mrs. w. K. Pettiss, who conducted
the house: S. L. Sco1a, Clarence Bra
shear, Joe Edwards, Lamar Myatt, Bob
Myatt, w. w. Stewart, father Of Mrs.
Pettiss. Mrs. R. l. Hamilton of New
Orleans and Mrs. Alice Stewart, sisters
of Mrs. Pettiss.
The origin of the fire is mystery
but there are several things that lead
many to believe the house was set on
FIRE by some one. The fire originated
in the bath room where the floor was
covered with linooleum, and there was
| nothing save bath and toilet fxtures
A negro passing along the street d1scoV
cred the fire and gave the alarm to Mr
IPettiss. He rushed to the bath room
and found the door locked and the key
gone. When he broke in the door tn
flames drove him back and soon envel
ooed the hall, thus cutting off all mean
of escape except through the windows
| The whole of the upper part OF tn
Ihouse was almost enveloped in hame
before the alarm was sent in.
! The house and its furnishings wer
| the property of Mr.. and Mrs. A.
Herring, and their loss will be tull
$Ioooo with only partial insurance
Mr.. Herring is in Illinois and Mrs. Hei
ring did not know the exact amount Q
insurance that was carried, but she sal
it would be far short of the real loss
Mr.. and Mrs. Pettiss place their loss
between $500 and $500 with no insul
ance, The loss falls very heavily upo
them, as only recently they were burne
out at Bastrop and later at Collinsto
and in each instance lost heavily.
The fire at the Pettiss boarding hou
this morning rendered Mr.. and MI
Pettiss almost penniless. Their clothir
and everything they had was complete
8 destroyed without dollars worth
insurance. Several merchants and OF
g lers volunteered assistance, but enoul
: has not been contributed to relieve t
il immediate situation. All who can a
Y urged to contribute something Rev.
: R. Carson will take charge OF all don
Io Itions and see that Mr.. and Mrs. Pett
,o receive them. Mr.. Pettiss IS OF
armed man.
- A