Jan 17, 1860

FIRE AT THE WESTERN FEMALE COLLEGE, OXFORD, OHIO. – The “Cincinnati Commercial” of this date gives an account of the burning of the Female College at Oxford. The institution was totally consumed, the fire breaking out at twelve o’clock at night. There were one hundred and seventy-five young ladies in the college, and only one man on the premises. The ladies gave the alarm, formed a line, and passed water buckets until there was no hope of saving the property. The escape of one of them is thus mentioned:
The escape of Miss Sallie E. Moore from the college is unparalleled for daring, and seems almost miraculous. She roomed in the fifth story, and returned the second time to her room for some books. On opening her door she discovered that the hall was dense with smoke and the stairway was in flames, and all means of exit in that direction hopeless. Closing her door, she deliberately tore the bed-clothing in strips, knotted them firmly together, and, tying them to her bedpost, she hopefully stepped from her window, and made a successful descent to the ground, a distance of forty-five feet. We could hardly believe, when we saw this spare, young girl, that she was capable of such a heroic action; but she thought it was not “so wonderful, after all.”

Vincent’s Semi- Annual United States Register, Jan-Jun 1860, page 47
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Transcribed by Jenni Lanham. Thank you, Jenni!