Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-25
LITTLE GIRL SUFFOCATED
IN EARLY MORNING FIRE
Ola McGrnw, Three Years Old, Dies
After Thrilling Rescue From
Flames.
DEATH VISITS DEsoLATE HOME
Mother Of Little Girl Had Lost Her
Husband n Month Ago-House
and All Effects Arc Completely
Destroyed.

Although heroic efforts were mads
by ne!ghbors to rescue her before she
was overcome by smoke Ola McGraw.
the three-year-old daughter Of Mrs.
Minnie McGraw. OF 252S Ba!nbridge
street. Swansboro. persisted in fire
which early yesterday morning de-
stroEed the home of her parents.
The lttle girl. who was slumberinE
IN her cot upstairs. was awakened BIZ
tho cracking flames. After W. l..
Heath. proprietor OF store near the
McGraw home. had made strenuous e.-
| forts TO save her life, Thomas Branch.
ncighbor. climbed the front porch
and carried the child. then sunocateh
and unconscious. to her mother Ills
work was unavail!ng. however. and de-
spite treatment by Il city ambulance
physician. the little girl died a few
minutes later.
Mrs. McGraw was gricr-strickcn by
the accident This Is the second
tragedy which has visited her home
recently. her husband having died sud
denly month ago. All her furni-
turc was lost IN the nre and also her
jewelry, including two diamond rings
valued at sl75. Only small Insurance
IL was said. was carried on her home
FIRE STARTED FROM
STOVE: IN GIRLS ROOM
The occupants OF the house were
caught unawarcs by the flames which
started suddenly and spread quickly
Mrs. McGraw said she thought the fro
started from a stove In the girls room
She was cooking breakfast when as
She opened the kitchen door. a volume
OF dense smoke burst down the back
stairs.
The mother tried frantically TO rush
driven back by the binding fumes and
sparks. She ran for assistance to
iieath's grocery. but be could accom-
plish little more. Heath called Branch
who. after a desperate effort reached
the girls room. She WAS already over
come by the smoke and badly burned.
Two other persons were upstairs at
the time. an older daughter. Lillian
McGraw. and another girl, her guest
They escaped by rushing through the
smoke-hlled hallway. clad only in their
night clothes
DISTANCE TO PLUG
DELAYS FIRE FIGHTERS
In response 70 an alarm. Engine Com
pany No 10 and Chemical Company
No. arrived on the scene about s
o'clock. owing to the distance to the
nearest plug. |; was some time before
a stream could be brought into play
and the names. famed by n breeze
gained great Roadway. The house was
burned completely to the ground The
80 '''.''' 7u'Nec"cu' Hp"eNc'' III saving
the home OF J. r. Fowler. next door,
which caught and was slightly dam
@:cd
citizens In tho neiEhhorhood fought
tn" flames before the arrival OF the
Fir" department with tho aid OF a
chemical wagon, which they secured
from the Tolcr Manufa curing Com
pany The amateur Aremcn worked
faithfully. but they accomplished little
Inc McGraw home was owned by
Thomas Carroll. OF Swnnsboro, and tho
total loss amounted 10 about $1,000.
Damage to the extent OF about $500 was
sustained by the Fowler home, owned
by Miss Minnie Toler.
Funeral services for the little Nc
Graw girl will be held this afternoon
at o'clock from the homo OF her
grandmother Mrs. Lane, % West
Thirtieth Street. The burial will he
In Maury Cemetery