Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1922-06-01
THRILLING FIRE AT
OLD HOSPITAL
Daughter of FaIilily Injured by Fall
From Second Story Window Thru
Bursting Flames.

With the rear part of the building
a mass of flames occupants of the
Old hospital building at Nifth and
Main streets east escaped by luck and
chance with their live, at half past
one Wednesday night Miss Alice
Fletcher, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
Ed Fletcher, owners of the building,
was slightly burned and considerably
bruised. The building has recently
been used as rooming house but
luckily there were only a few occu.
pants this night. They were Mrs. T.
F.. Wheelock and three children who
were temporary occupants before
joining Mr.. Wheelock at Ell Paso,
Texas. Winifred, the oldest daughter
was in Caldwell visiting relatives
The others were Mrs. Rachel Strange
and her twelve year old son, Mrs.
Fletcher, son Clarence, and daugh-
ter Alice. Mr. Fletcher and another
son were at Payette.
Mrs. Wheelock and children were
on the second floor at the front of
the building. Miss Alice on the
second floor at the rear, the others
on the first floor.
Mrs. Fletcher was awakened nv
the smell of smoke and called to her
son and then to Mrs. Strange and
those upstairs. By this time the
smoke was dense in the downstairs
room from which the stairway leads
so she directed them to get out on
the porch roof and come down a lad
DER which was kept there. AS the
daughter, Alice, did not appear with
the rest Mrs. Fletcher ran to the rear
of the side of the building to call her
and reached there just in time to see
her come tumbling out of the window
fifteen feet above.
The girl had awakened as the
alarm was given and attempted to
go into the hall but smoke and
flames were shooting up the back
stairway from where the fire had eyi-
IDENTIFY started. Clicked with smoke
she fought her way to the window
ana succeeded in tearing away the
screen, but whether she threw her.
SCH out or tainted and luckily fell
out she does not know. In a semi
conscious state she was taken to a
nearby house and medical aid i'm,
medlately secured. 1t was found
that her burns were not serious thou
she had breathed considerable smoke
and was suffering from shock and
bruises of the fall. By Thursday
morning she was feeling quite well
ana any serious results seemed I'M
likely. -"
Places were quickly found for the
others, all of whom escaped in scantv
clothing.
Inc lire company was soon on the
JoD and two lines of hose kent the
lire well under control but it was NOT
exungulshed until all but a couple of
front rooms on the ground floor
were blackened and burned shells
Inc roof is entirely gone.
Eariy arrivals saved the piano and
portlon OF the furniture.
IL Is reported that there was in
surance of $4,000 on building and
: l,OOO on contents. The yaiue Of |
buildings and contents on a renlsce-
ment value was probobly around
fifteen thousand dollars.
Mr. FLETCHER traded for the pro-
perry som months ago with DR.. Dud-
icy and Mrs. j. A. Young of Caldwell.
~ nad until year ago been used for
many years as hospital Weiser
"o''ei
Inc Fletcher family were former
fayette residents moving to Weiser
snort time ago. 1t will also he
remembered that several wears ago
Mr. Fletcher lost his right hand bv
an accident while working in the
Payette Feed Mill.