Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-08-08
Mr.. and Mrs. ]. c. Staley
Compelled to Jump From
Second Story Of Home
When Trapped by Flames
HUSBAND INJURED
BY STRIKING PORCH

TRAN But Husband Does
| Not Fare So Well.
| Awakened By smothering smoke and
sitting heat to find their home q
seething mass of flames, with the
stairs, their only avenue OF escape
burned away, Mr.. and Mrs. J. c.
Staley, 324 West Fifth street, came
dangerously near losing their lives
about 1 o'clock last night. They
escaped by jumping through a second
story window onto the porch Of their
home and then to the ground Mrs.
Staley was caught in the arms of
George A. Letson, travelling sales
man from Cedar Rapids, who was at.
tracted by her screams. Mr.. Staley
leaped for safety only to strike on the
balustrade Of the porch. Two ribs
were fractured and he received a pain
full abrasion on the head. He is now
in the hospital and, despite his in
juries, feels glad that he and his wife
escaped with their lives Mrs. Staley
escaped practically uninjured, but the
shock to her nervous system made her
somewhat hysterical last night. AL
though in state Of nervousness today
she is at the bedside of her husband
in the hospital
When the fire department reached
the scene three houses were on fire
and the conhagration threatened the
|neighborhcod. Equipped with but
two streams Of water, the small force
LOT firemen put up valiant battle
with the flames, and although the
Staley home was practically destroy
ed, the James Beatty residence, ad-
Joining the Staley house on the west,
and the vacant house of Mrs. Fannie
Merrill on the east, were saved from
ruin. One side Of the Beatty home
was burned away and water damage
makes the total reach about $1,000,
fully insured. About $500 will cover
the loss to the Merrill house, the side
next to the Staley home being badly
damaged
Although the walls of the Staley
residence are still standing, the flames
Quilted its interior so that practically
all is lost. The place is owned by
w. T. Archer. who figures the loss at
$4,000, covered by $4,000 insurance.
The furniture and property Of Mr..
Staley will aggregate loss OF over
$1,000, insured.
Awakened BY Heat and Smoke.
The house was seething furnace
when Mr.. Staley was awakened. The
smoke and heat was beginning to
suffocate him. Discovering the flames
he quickly awakened his wife. They
ran to the rear windows but the dis
lance was too great to risk Jump.
Struggling back through the ever
thickening smoke, Mr. Staley reached
a window over the front porch. 1t
took but moment to tear the screen
away. Neither Mr.. nor Mrs. /Staley
had time to put on street clothing.
Mrs. Staley stood on the top Of the
porch screaming for help A block
away. George Letson, a travelling
salesman. was returning to the
Ballingal hotel. The womans screams
brought him back in hurry. He
caught her as she jumped and thus
saved her from injury. Mr.. Staley
tried to get back in the smoke filled
home to save some Of his belongings.
Failing, returned and leaped. disre-
garding in his excitement, the pres
ence Of the balustrade around the
porch. He struck with great force on
the railing and thus fractured two
ribs and at the same time struck on
his head His condition was thought
very serious for time. neighbors
taking him to place Of safety The
ambulance was summoned, but no
driver made it necessary for one of
those on the scene Of the fire to
hurry to the police station after it.
After an hours delay, Mr.. and Mrs.
Staley were rushed to the hospital.
Discovered BY Miss Beatty.
Miss Nellie Beatty was the first Of
It was first thought that the crack
ling of the fire was the scratching of
the Beatty cat upon the screen door.
But when window pane burst and
showered its glass upon the stone
walk, Miss Beatty rushed from her
room to find that her home was
burning and that the Stalev house
was a mass Of flames. Rushing out
to nearby house she sent in the
alarm to the fire station. Not long
after four more alarms were received
at the Central station. Mr.. Staley
awoke about the same time Miss
Beatty discovered the fire. for when
the latter reached the Staley home
Mrs. Sta1ey had Just reached the
porch roof Soon the whole neighbor-
hood was aroused and pandemonuim
reigned.
With three homes on fire, the adj
joining residents began to look to the
saving Of their household goods, for
they believed the fire department
would be unable to cope with the
flames. Today they speak in admira-
ton of the effective work OF the Ave
fireboys. Many feared that when