New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-09-01
stt1 0rleaus 9aiIp qresttrt,
The Story of a Hero.
By GEORGE MANv11LE FEM.
[FroE, Che london Morning stnt.1

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question. Here we are living about as exciting a
life as en- can lead always on duty, and ready
at a moment to have set-to with the worst fire
that ever broke out: mol shall never get to
take it as matter of course; for it's all dark,
rush and excitement; and love it, sir. Flash
comes the news to us by telegraph, most likely
out come the horses; there's light put to the
ready trimmed fire; and, then, with train of
sparks flying out Behind u.s. as the fire roars, and
The steam's getting up, away gallop the horses.
Ay, its " Hi hoi! hello!" and they clear the
road for US. and away we go full gallop down the
streets, with the horses hoofs striking fire, the
crowd shouting, and the running mob increasing
at every step. There's something in it as warns
ones blood and as to the danger--well of course
it's dangerous, but when we feel that we're doing
our duty, and know what's before US. why, some,
now we don't remember the danger, but go at 1t
In earnest. ttls17 s8
Now, there was only last week, sitting as Twas
waiting for eallthere it was at last, late on in
the night, when the streets were clear; and away
We tore at something like pace. Oxford street,
Holborn, down the Hill, up Skinner street, and
Ss%gate street-whoop and away in gslh,i3p
out till it's hard to say whether they didn't make
more sparks than the fire under the boiler. We
wanted no more instructions, for there was the
red glow ahead and as we got nearer we
could almost see the sparks; and at last we did
see them come pouring and rolling along with the
smoke, and being heavy hot night, hanging
like thick starspangled cloud just over our
heads.
Two engines were there, and as it happened SO
late there were not SO many people as might have
been expected; but as soon as got there / saw
as something particular was the matter, and this
is what it was-the fire was in quite narrow
court, where they couldn't get the escapes, and
there, were people burning to death while above
the shouting Of the mob and clanking Of the en-
gine hard at work you could hear their awful cries
for help. fr -. 4.
l. Now, don't you suppose that l am proud of
all this I'm going to tell you, because I'm not
Now, if you were to dash in and save any ones
yyhV M pFnU
because you would have done it out of true com
passion fora suffering fellow creature; but, then,
with me it's quite different. I'm paid so much a
week to save life and property from fire, conse-
Quently only do what's my duty to do.
runs up the court, axe in hand, and soon sees
The state of affairs. One house was in o blaze
from top to bottom, and the flames had worked
through into the next, and were attacking the one
opposite, while, with their escape regularly cut
off, there were about "a half dozen people
atthe upper windows of the second house, and no
way Of getting to them. There was no back
door to the place, being in one of those crowded
City places, while the door in front and staircase
were now fast getting into q state of glow, off
which the water sputtered and steamed without
making any impression. l'itH a.
There was no time for ladders or anything else
but the sheets, and them we got stretched out for
che people to jump into, but, poor things, they
dared not, aud what to do could not tell There
was the fire blazing up higher and higher, and
lighting up two of them old city churches that
you lost down those old courts, and looking as
they d been put up there out o, the way, because
people didn't have any use for them now. There
they were Lit up and glowing and the pigeons that
lived up there scared and flying round and round
the fire: there was the rush and roar Of the wind
along the court as it set towards the fire and
Ghere were the flames leaping up, the clouds of
Eparhs rising, the clouds of smoke rolling away,
and the cracking sputter of the states as they flew
with lie heat, and then slid rafting of into the
C0ur. beneath, smash upon the pavement. Every
now and then came louder roar and crash as o
gaftes or beam fell in and sent the sparks up in
Rhr, " ind. And there all that time were those
poor creatures uttering the widest piercing
shriehs forhelp you ever heard. Now, I've heard
30 much of that sort of thing that you'd expect /
Shouldn't mind it; but do though; and as said
about fires, don't think eyer shall get to take it
as matter of course; for there is something very
awful in seeing fellow-creatures strong and hearty,
and yet dying before your eyes, and you not able
Eossave them.
But wasn't idle all this ti1ne-not a bit of it,
for every minute is worth something at a fire, and
II you give 1t too much time ii will beat you.
Under the circumstances the first thing was to save
life, and whilst themas had the branches did their
best 70 keep the fire back from. them at the third
door window. / got hold of rope, went in at the
house. opposite, and made my way upstairs to the
third hoog, which, like the rest of the place was
used ASIA warehouse and. qcrammed. full Of
Being a strange house, it wasn't. easy TO find
your way out, but got up at last, and opposite
TO the room where the poor things were all now
huddled togetherat one window, for the fire was
helped theyWQuldn't want it. .- "a 3D.
Crash! crashL Didn't l let my little axe play
f0und the sashes of that window, and soon have
clearance, for it was nailed up and then when the
poor things heard me, and saw the ghtshinng or
my helmet, how they did Shrek for help.
just then IplOoked down at the depth, and
caught sight of the fellow standing below with q
short adderin his hand, which might have been
OF use if the poor things had been in the first
floor; and then ] made ready to throw my rope
across, when just as was going to let go, ant
then going to try and catch it, thought struck
me, and let the coil of rope fall down into the
court, all but one end as kept hold Of, and ther
when the poor things saw it let down they
Ehrieked again, and one OF them fell back iron
the window.
you come up;n and one of my mates soon tied the
rome to one of the rounds, and then with twt
or three more run into the house, while haulet
away till got hold Of the bottom of the ladder
for fhey sent the heaviest end up first, and thel
dragged it in at the window, and balancing the
other end up continued to push it across and int
the window Of the other house across the court
and so made sort Of bridge, only it was al
askeW for the houses were not quite opposite l
just as I'd done this in comes my mate wit
two more men, and 1 sets them to work to hol
the ladder while I took hold of the rope, an
then made ready to crawl across on the IN
bridge I'd rugged up. 1t was for life and dealt
or wouldn't have ventured on the slight, benC
ing wood for though a ladder set nearly uprigt
may be strong enough IL inahes ~ d uenl " NJ
to lay it down level and then go and crawl alon
it. knew how it would be, though so Lifted tn
rope round my body, and made my mate hitc
fhe otter end round a big hook in the wall. use
for pulley, so that in the event of fall, i Il
rope Held good shouldn't have gone all u
way. They tied one end of the ladder, too, #
to keep it steady, and then there was scrar
bling across with the ladder bending and quive
ing, and the crowd underneath hufrahing al
clapping their hands just as if was doing a /
of Bon1in to please them.
How that ladder did bend; so that thought
must give way, and me go crash into the cour
butt didn't; and in the next moment was in Il
window Of the burning house with the trembil
women clnging tome
q Now, them I says, to one man, "you CT
creep across, . and pointed tothe ladder. d,
cantleaye my wife, y he says, holding HI
Painting woman against the window, where
smoke wasntquite so dense.
90 You're trump, yOuare," l thinks; and tn
/ hauls more of the rope ever, and makes it fl
round the poor woman's waist; and then we Ia
her on the ladder, and the three on the other 81
hauled, and we held on to the rope this end,
Bowe got her half across, when she slipped off I
ladder, and hung right over the court, while the
arose regular shrek of horror. But there "
people you see at each end of the rope, and
Iooseued as the others hauled, and SO they so
S1ad her in the other window though the rope "