The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-04-21
FIRE THAT TOTALLY DESTROYS
FARM HOUSE CAUSES occu.
PANTS TO JUMP.
THREE PERSONS ARE HURT
and John StahI Are Injured in
Escaping From Blaze That Ruins
Country Home OF George Stahl, in
the Orchard Homes.

Three persons were injured by
jumping from a second-story window
in the farm residence OF George StahL
two miles southwest of Mssoula in
orchard Homes, on the river road, TO
avoid fire that totally destroyed the
building. The injured:
Mrs. Elizabeth Stahl, both hands cut
and bruised about head
Richard Garlach. injured internally
and cut about head.
John Stahl slightly cut.
Inmates Forced to Jump.
There were four persons asleep in
the upper story of the Stahl home
when the fire broke out, about mid
night. The building a frame struc-
ture, burned rapidly, and by the time
the occupants of the upper rooms
were awakened all escape by the stair
way was cut off. All were forced to
jump, including Mrs. Stahl, who is
women well past middle age. So close
were the flames to her that when she
leaped a part of her back hair was
burned off. Her hands were cut the
left one being especially badly injured.
Aside from the loss of blood and the
shock of her experience, Mrs. Stabl
will probably suffer no serious incoD-
venience from her jump.
Rather more serious are the injuries
sustained by her grandson, Richard
Garlach, IA years old 1t is feared
| that he is injured internally. After
jumping he complained of severe pains
in
| the head and face by contact with the
| frozen ground Mrs. Stahls cuts were
| received from the jagged edges Of the
glass in the window from which she
| jumped. John Stahl was the least
badly hurt of the three. Walter Stahl.
the fourth occupant of the second
story, escaped injury.
Brought to Missoula.
All of the four people in the ruined
farm house escaped with only theiT
night clothes. In the house everything
was destroyed, furniture, papers.
money; not a single article of the
| contents was saved. The shivering
| four found a bundle of old clothing
| in a shed on the farm and were
| brought to Missoula by carriage be-
| longing to the Bates G. Rogers con-
| struction camp, which is located
| short distance farther out than the
place where the Stahl home formerly
stood. The carriage was returning
from Missoula, and passed the house
just after the inmates had jumped to
| save their lives. The rescued ones
| were brought to the city home OF
| Mrs Stahl, at the corner of Main
| and Pattee streets, where the Misses
| Emma and Johanna Stahl are in
| charge. Surgical attention was given
| to the injured ones. The full extent
! of the hurts of Richard Garlach could
not be determined, although his youth
| gives promise OF recovery.
At l O'Clock Mrs. Stahl described the
| fire to a Missoulian reporter: I'VE
were all asleep upstairs, and when we
| found out about the fire it was too
| late to get out any way except
| through the window. The stairs were
| all burning up and we had to jump.
| We had nothing but our night clothes
| and we didn't save thing out OF the
house. Even a pocketbook of mine
with some money in it was burned
There was no insurance on the house
and the loss is big. I think the fire
| started from an incubator l had in
the lower part OF the house. 1t may
be that the heating stove mad some
thing to do with il, as we had a
pretty hot fire there in the evening,
as the night was chilly. The loss is
bad. but, maybe, We're lucky TO escape
at all. l can't give any estimate OF
the loss tonight"