January 5, 1909:
W. L.
Cleveland Overcome by Smoke in Burning Mill and Perishes Before Aid Can Reach Him From Outside.
The surviving wife and little family are wild in their distraction and while friends and neighbors are doing everything to comfort them this awful death of the husband and father has prostrated them and horror is brooding in their breasts.
CLEVELAND was working at one of the gummers about ten feet from the door when the cry of fire was first heard. He had ample time to make his escape but paused to get his toolchest. As he was picking up the box Robert MONROE, an associate filer who worked alongside of CLEVELAND, passed him on his way out. Calling to his friend he asked his aid in getting the chest out. MONROE seized a handle and dashed for the entrance, as he opened the door great volumes of heavy smoke rolled into the room. Both men were instantly overcome.
Realizing the danger MONROE sprang down the stairs. The smoke below was even thicker. Believing that CLEVELAND was close behind, MONROE was almost down the stairs when he turned and found that he was alone. Rushing back to aid the smoke imprisoned man he called to him to jump over the chest and make his escape as the peril was exceedingly great.
Comrade Cannot Save Him.
Again and again he called to CLEVELAND to hasten but he got no answer. After the fifth or sixth word of warning and urging MONROE could stand the smoke no lager and unable to reach CLEVELAND as the toolchest stood between them he turned down the stairs. As he got about half way down he succumbed to suffocation, and letting himself fall rolled to the ground whence he crawled upon his hands and knees into the open air.
The instant he came to his first thought was of CLEVELAND. Running to the back of the shingle mill, the only way the filer could have made his way out he could find no trace of the man and then he knew that his comrade was lost.
Mrs. CLEVELAND came down to the mill with her little boy and asked for her husband, but thinking he might have mingled with some of the groups of men she did not stay long but went home to await the arrival of the bread-winner who will never come.
Doomed Man Knew No Pain.
CLEVELAND first suffocated, became unconscious, and probably died before he was reached by the fire and was cooked to a crisp. His lungs were weak and the smoke overpowered him. Men with stronger chests could not endure what he suffered.
The man was more than 40 years of age, leaves a wife, two children and a stepson. The oldest child is about 12 years old and the stepson is of age.
Among those who had narrow escapes were: Louis BRANDT, who slid by a rope from the roof and badly burned the palms of his hands in the friction of the rope. Fred BERFORD, a knee-bolter, a sawyer named MILL and one other man had narrow escapes. BERFORD and MILL had their eyebrows burned.
Thursday, January 28, 1909:
STONE - Miss Edith T. STONE, aged 17 years, died at the family home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. _. STONE, 404(?) Halleck Street, last evening at 6(?) o'clock, death being due to Bright's disease. The young lady was a student of the Washington School until forced to abandon her studies owing to illness. She is survived by her parents, three brothers and two sisters. The body lies at the reception parlors of W. H. MOCK & Sons in the Maple Block. Funeral arrangements to be announced hereafter.
FUNERALS.
STONE - The funeral of Edith T. STONE, 17-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. STONE, who died at the family residence 404(?) Halleck Street, last evening, will be held at the chapel of W. H. MOCK & Sons, 1056 Elk Street, Thursday forenoon at 10 o'clock, the Rev. Thomas H. CORNISH, pastor of the First Baptist Church, officiating. Interment is to be made in Bay View cemetery.