The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-01-22
Head of Mt. Holly Clay
Works Is Seriously
Injured and May Not
Recover
HIS SON LEAPS
FROM WINDOW
Cook and Her Two Children Escape
Aquarium Containing Fish Valued
at $1,000 Destroyed-Danger in
Exploding Chemicals
Especial to the star-Independent.)

Especial to the Star-Indep endent.)
Carlisle, Pa, Jan. 22.-W. S. Russell,
head of the Mt. Holly clay works and
regarded as one of the wealthiest resi-
dents of the Cumberland Valley, was
seriously burned, and his son, Richard,
escaped with his life by jumping from
second story window in his night
clothes, when the handsome Russell
home near the mountain, about mile
south of Mt. Holly, was totally destroy
ed by fire which started at 12.45
O'Clock this morning. The elder Rus
sell may not recover from his injuries,
but the son, student in the Carlisle
High school, is unhurt. The only other
persons in the house, woman cook and
her two children, escaped unharmed.
After his escape from his burning
home, the older Russell was removed
to the Mt. Holly Inn. Attending ply
sicians say he inhaled flames and that
his condition is very serious, although
they entertain some hope of saving his
life. Mrs. Russell, who was visiting
relatives here last night, went to her
husbands bedside this morning, max
ing the trip in an automobile.
Mrs. Mary Thurman, cook in the
Russell home, and her two children.
were sleeping on the first floor when the
fire broke out and they all escaped
after snatching up small amount of
wearing apparel. With the home, a
handsome frame structure, all of the
furniture, save piano, was ruined. An
aquarium, containing many fish and rep
tiles, and also hot house, were de-
stroyed.
One Fish Worth $1,000 Is Lost
One of the fish in the aquarium was
valued by Mr.. Russell at $1,000. The
total loss will amount to at least
$4,000. 1t is partly covered by insur-
ance.
An overheated furnace is believed to
have been the cause of the fire. The
explosion of chemicals, with which
young Russell experimental in a min
1ature laboratory on the ground floor,
awakened those in the house.
BY that time the fire had gained
much headway and the son found it
necessary to escape from the building
by Jumping from second-story win
dow. He first dropped mattress out
of the window. Then he snatched his
clothing and jumped.
The elder Russell made a dash down
the stairway from the second floor, but.
it is said, afterward ran back to get
some valuable papers which he kept in
a box in his sleeping room. On his
second rush from the house he was en-
veloped by the flames. He was ex-
hausted by the time he got outside.
Persons attracted to the scene of the
fire by the blowing of the whistle at
the clay works by George Starner, the
night watchman, threw an overcoat
about Russell and rushed him to the inn.
Nearby Buildings Saved
A bucket brigade was formed by
neighbors and the fifty employees of the
clay works, and in that way the barn,
located nearby, in which were stabbed
many horses, was saved.
Russell takes keen interest in collect.
ing different kinds of reptiles and fish,
and his aquarium, situated within few
feet of the house, was quite large. This
was totally destroyed and the fish
were boiled and burned when the flames
attacked the aquarium. A hot house. in
which Russell had many rare plants,
also was ruined
Russell figured in the newspapers re-
Gently when he began a civil suit in the
Dauphin county court against Congress-
man Arthur R. Ripley, of Carlisle, max
ing claim for 5000 on an 81. o. U."I
which he alleges was given to him by
Ripley.