Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1873-01-07

thing was thrown into the creates
excitement. Women and girls
rushed through the building
screaming fearfully, while others
became unconscious aud swooned
away. The first impulse of the
telTor-Stricken women was to rush
down the stairway, but scarcely had
they descended a dozen steps bc
fore they were forced back 10y vol
umcs of thick smoke. Those who
were down on the lower steps at
tempted to turn back, but behind
them was an army of employees.
who, in their great haste t. escape,
threw themselves bodily down the
stairs, and thus compelled those be-
meath them to rush
nEApLoNG THROUGH THE SMOKE
Or remain in their peri.ous position
10 be roasted alive. Some who
were more daring risked the only
chance placed before them, and,
covering their. faces with their
aprons, rushed through the smoky
pas>age-way and finally reached the
stairway almost suli,ocated. As
they arrived at the third floor the
flames could be seen Kissing
through the creviccs of the doors
and walls. The girls who had gone
thus far in their eagcrness TO es-
cape from the flames threw them
selves down the stairway, alighting
all in q heap at the bottom. At
this place men were stationed, who,
as soon as the affiighted girls land
cd on the second floor, picked them
up almost bodily in their arms and
rushed down the stairway to the
street. Many of them had tainted
away. The flames had by this time
envcloped the third, fourth, aud
part of the fifth floor. The stair
way, which was believed to be the
only means of escape, was q sheet
of fire, and the remaining twenty
two girls, who were known to be
inside of the building, were given
up for lost. While some of the
girls escaped in the manner already
mentioned, the remaining portion,
who were compelled to turn back,
rushed to the fifth and sixth floors
and attempted to reach the roof
This was found to be impossible,
and many Of them gave mp in des-
pair and sat down upon their stools
awaiting their terrible doom A.; 9TH
ers rushed from window to window
frantically crying for help, while
the rest passed the short time lett
them in prayer. Every moment
added to their danger, and inch by
inch the fire approached nearer to
them. Just as the flames were in
a few feet of them, one of the men,
named John Brandt, who was OF
the same floor,
CRIED ~ \ LOUD VOICE,
'Girls, save yourselves | have fix
ed the Gre-escape." The sentence
gave hope to the poor victims, and
simultaneously with the utterance
of his last word rush was made.
and in few seconds three girls
were already clambering down the
ron ladder. Many of them was
ltraid to risk their lives on the
'icekty concern, and seemed disin-
lined to make any effort, but as
hey cast backward look at the |
lanes they took courage and fol-
owed the others. Those who were
most afraid John Brandt assisted .
Town as best he could, and when
hey were safe he assembled for the
,thers. When he last went up six
we're on the floor, three of whom
anne down with him. lie then
tarted for the others, but thu
Iames from one of the other floors
'urst out, and he was compelled to
urn back. What became of the
hree reminding girls is not known,
'ut they no doubt persisted in the
lanes.