Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 192, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1913 — A. FENDIG AND FAMILY IN DISASTROUS FIRE [ARTICLE]

A. FENDIG AND FAMILY IN DISASTROUS FIRE

Lost Trunks and Clothing When Blue Mountain House Burned Near Baltimore, Md.

Mr. and Mrs. Albert Fendig and their three children, of Brunswick, Ga., had a close call for their, lives and lost their trunks and clothing when the Blue Mountain House, a summer resort near Baltimore, Md., was destroyed by fire' several days ago. Mr. and Mrs. Fendig and children had arrived at the the evening before the fire and were aroused the next morning by pistol shots and the scurrying of guests of the hotel. They rushed out into the corridor to find that flames were coming up the elevator shafts and also the stairway surrounding the elevator. They thought for a moment that there was no way of escape but a porter told them of a rear stairway and Mrs.- Fendig rushed back to her room for her jewel bag and secured Mr. Fendig’s coat and a coat for one of the children. They made their escape from the burning building, lightly clothed and without any of their baggage. They lost 4 large baggage trunks, 2 hat trunks, 4-hand bags and 2 suit cases and most of the clothing which they had removed upon retiring. Even their shoes and stockings were left in thein room when they made their hasty exit. There is no town nearby and a special train was made up and took the hotel guests to New York, all barefooted and bareheaded. A Baltimore paper gave ail extended illustrated article about the fire and Albert sent a copy to his brothers, B E. and Samuel. Had the fire occurred an hour earlier, it is Albert’s opinion that all would have lost their lives.

The Birdsall-Webb anti-alien land bill, of California, which aroused the nation because it threatened to become a stumbling block to peace between the United States and Japan, Monday became a law.