MAN BURNED TO DEATH.
Four Young Women Injured in Escaping from Fire in Home.
St. Louis, Dec. 4.—One man was burned to death and four young women nurses were severely Injured by jumping from windows and In running through the flames while escaping from the Nurses' Home, of the Missouri Baptist Sanitarium, which was partly destroyed by fire yesterday. The sanitarium itself was not touched by the flames.
The dead man is Frank Roberts, a fire-man employed in the sanitarium, who lost his life in attempting to save the nurses. Of the injured nurses the most seriously hurt are Miss Ella Morgan, of Ray County, Mo., and Miss Charity Laubender, of Massillon, Ohio. Miss Morgan's ankles were broken; her back was hurt, and she probably suffered internal injuries Miss Laubender has a sprained back and a badly bruised body. Both girls jumped from third-story windows Miss Ella Rock, of Michigan, was badly burned in escaping down a blazing stairway.
[The Washington Post, Dec. 5, 1904 (Washington, D.C.) Submitted by Barb Z.]

Chicago- January 07- An American Press special from St. Louis says: The lives of twenty six young women were lost at the burning of the Convent of the Immaculate Conception at Bellville Illinois, twelve miles from this city Saturday night. The flames originated in a furnace in the southwest corner of the the basement, and when discovered the floors immediately above the furnace were already ablaze and volumes of smoke were pouring through the stairways, corridors and halls. By the time the sleeping nuns and other inmates were aroused, all avenues of escape were filled with suffocative smoke. Then a frightful panic ensued. The bitter cold necessarily retarded the work of the firemen, and even if they could have reached the scene without delay, they could have been of little service in rescuing the victims, for the firemen had no ladders and there was no provision for such a deplorable emergency. The poor girls were powerless to help themselves,and the horrified spectators of this holocaust could do nothing to save them. The first relay of firemen broke in the convent doors and made for the third story of the building which is used as a dormitory. Above the crackling of the fire could be heard the screams of the children and sisters, but the dormitory doors were locked from the inside and the keys could not be found. Iron bars from a neighboring blacksmith shop were brought and used as battering-rams, but even before these the doors would not give way. The smoke booming through the corridors soon drove out the firemen and the girls were told to escape from the windows, the sills of which were fifty feet from the ground. These were instantly crowded with the fair victims, clad only in their night clothes. There remained but one alternative---a leap for life. Volumes of smoke were soon seen to spread throughout the building, followed by loud explosions. Then a few took the desperate chance of hurling themselves from the window. Mary Campbell was the first to leap. She was picked up cruelly crushed, and after a few gasps, expired. Daisy Eberman clung with desperate energy to the arch over the main doorway, whither she managed to crawl. The flame and smoke finally compelled her to drop. She was caught and saved from death by those beneath. Brother Emil J Kohl was the first to render practical aid to the imperiled sisters. He procured a long ladder and did gallant service in rescuing many lives. The sister moderator about this time was lying upon the south side of the building quite dead. Two unfortunates having jumped from one of the rear windows were picked up much hurt and nearly frozen to death. Amid all the excitement it was not known how many had perished, but it is now known tht twenty six are missing. Nineteen bodies were recovered from the ruins during the day. They could only be identified by their scanty clothing, which having been saturated with water had escaped the flames. The remains themselves were horribly charred. --THE DEAD-- Among those positively identified were Misses Susie W Eiman; Martha Mauntel, Gertrude Strunck, of Germany; May Manning, Virginia Heinselman, Lizzie Isch, Mamie Pulse. Among the missing are Mary Bartels, of Missouri; Josephine Prondre, daughter of the County Commissioner Prondre, Centerville station; Lotta Pierson, of St. Louis; Emma Stark, of Carbondale; Mamie Scaling, of 951 Clark avenue, St. Louis; Agnes Scaling, her sister; Laura Thompson, Chester Ill.; Minnie Bailey, Bellville; Hilda Hammel, Trenton; Emily Leonhardt, Trenton, Kitty Urbana, Vandailia Ill' Mary Bien, Belleville, Sister Supervisor Mary Jerome and Sisters Agenlia and Edwina. Agnes Scaling had been in the convent only two days and was taking lessons in painting. Laura Thompson was the daughter of the haplain of the Cester penitentiary. Virginia Heinzelman was the daughter of a well known carriage dealer of this city. Sister Jerome was known in the world as Barbara Heil, and was born in Pittsburg. Her sister moderator was Jennie Riley, born near Milwaukee. Sister Agnelia was Margaret Shannahan of New Orleans. Miss Mauntell was the daughter of the cashier of the Merchants' National bank of St. Louis. The building was the property of the Sisters of Notre Dame and cost $80,000. It was insured for $26,000.
SOURCE: January 07, 1884 Elkart Daily Review, page 1. Submitted by Des Rodcay

St. Louis Missouri, January 07-- Fire broke out Saturday evening in the Burrell-Comstock Furniture company on Fourth, near Locust Street, and at once spread over the block. This company had the largest stock of fine furniture in the city. The house was completely deluged with fire and badly damaged by fire and smoke. This is the principal block in the retail section and is occupied by Merrick, Walsh & Phelps, Jewelers; Goodyear Rubber company, F.W. Rosenthal carpet, and the St. Bernard Dollar store. The fire was gotten under control at 2 a.m. It did not reach Rosenthal's or the Dollar store, but completely burned out Burrell, Comstock & Co., and damaged the stocks of Charles E Lewis, Baxter & Co., H.P. Fabrow, and the buildings. The cost is $230,000; partly insured. H.C. Sexton, chief of the fire department after spending nearly 40 hours in the cold, was overcome by smoke, and had to be taken home. One hundred extra firemen have been engaged. Telegrams were sent to the Chicago and Cincinnati departments asking for the loan of engines and hose but neither could be spared.
SOURCE: January 07, 1884 Elkart Daily Review, page 1. Submitted by Des Rodcay.