NAME: Dutcher, Tressie Mae (m. Pearl William "Pud" Powell)

OBIT: Fort Dodge Messenger (Iowa) 14 Oct 1912

BRAVE WOMAN AT DAYTON DIES FROM INJURIES Dayton, Ia., Oct. 14
 Special: Mrs. Pearl Powell died as a result of the burns she received recently when she poured kerosene on the fire. For some time hopes were entertained for her recovery but the length of time before she received medical attention and the strain on her nerves when she fought the fire in the house after hse herself was burned so badly is thought to be responsible for her death. The shock of the cold water into whcih she jumped, and her subsequent exposure affected her.
 Mrs. Powell was a twenty-year-old bride. She had started a fire in the stove when kerosene which she was using exploded. Her clothes a mass of flames, the brave woman ran to a water tank on the outside and plunged in. The flames in her clothing were quenched. Although her body was badly burned she at once set about to extinguish the fire in the house. This she accomplished before she sought aid for herself by walking to a neighbor's forty rods from her own home.

OBIT: Fort Dodge Messenger (Iowa) 12 Oct 1912 pg. 1

CLOTHING AFIRE;
WOMAN JUMPS IN BIG WATER TANK -- MRS. PEARL POWELL SHOWS RARE HEROISM -- THEN FIGHTS HOUSE FIRE -- Dayton, Oct., 12
 Special: Mrs. Pearl Powell, a twenty year old bride, displayed great presence of mind and subsequently much courage and heroism, when at her home, she was the victim of a kerosene explosion which also set her home ablaze. Although her clothing was burned practically off and she was burned badly it is not believed she will recover.
 Mrs. Powell was alone in her farm home at the time of the explosion of fire. She was attempting to start a fire in her kitchen stove and to hurry it , poured keosene into the stove coals in the bottom of the grate that looked like ashes, ignited the kerosene at once and it flared up. Immediately her clothing was ablaze and the jug from which she was pouring oil crashed to the floor where the oil spread and burned.
 Without hesitancy, Mrs. Powell ran at great speed from the house and to a spring water tank where she immersed herself in water. This put a factual stop to her own danger though she was severly burned before she reached the tank.
 Drenched with water, suffering with burns, clothing in rags, Mrs. Powell turned at once to the house where she fought singlehanded, the blaze which was slowly spreading in the kitchen. Fortunately a quantity of rainwater was at hand which she could use to dowse the fire. Her efforts to fight it were successful after a time and she ceased her work almost exhausted.
 Then, as no one had arrived to assist her, Mrs. Powell was compelled to turn her attention to her own injuries. Getting dry clothing on as best she could, she proceeded to walk to the nearest house, John Moore's, about forty rods away. To reach there she had to climb a long steep hill. When her neighbors discovered her plight they hastily telephoned for a physician who is now doing every thing possible to relieve her suffering and heal her burns. In twenty-four hours she was taken back to her home.
 Mrs. Powell was formerly Miss Dutcher, daughter of Richard Dutcher, a prosperous farmer of Yell township.

OBIT: Lehigh Valley Argus (Iowa) 17 Oct 1912

TERRIBLE DEATH OF MRS. POWELL -- Uses Kerosene to Light Fire When Can Explodes -- FRIGHTFULLY BURNED --
 Mrs. Frank Powell, eighteen yers old, was frightully burned last Thursday and death resulted twentyfour hours later. Mrs. Powell had been out of the house part of the day and on returning to the house built a fire in the kitchen stove. The fire did not burn well and she got the two gallon kerosene can, which was possibly half full of kerosene, and poured it on the burning fire. The gas in the can was ignited and an explosion occurred, which blew out the - - - of the can, saturating her clothes with the oil and in an instant she was all ablaze. She ran to a large water tank which stood near the barn several yards from the house and jumped in to the tank. When she got out of the tank her clothing which had been nearly burned off dropped from her. She returned to the house and found the kitchen in flames. Instead of attending to her own suffering she went out to the corner of the house and carried a large tub of water into the kitchen, and put out the fire. After this Mrs. Powell went upstairs, dressed and walked three quarters of a mile to John Moore's where she told them what had happened. A doctor from Stratford was sent for but it was three hours before he arrived. Mrs. Powell was given the best attention possible, but she only lived thru that night and the next day.
 The deceased was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rich Dutcher, and a year ago was united in marriage to Frank* Powell. The funeral was held Sunday in the church near that place. The relatives have the sympathy of all in the untimely death of this young woman.