Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-03-05

awful power, but my hands and arms
were at liberty; while my head hang
ing down backwards, enabled me to
see the flames creeping along faster
and faster, as I saw them reversed.
snd calculated how long it would be
before they would reach me and end
my misery.
Ali at once, when nearly fainting,
my hand came in contact with an iron
bar used to lengthen the handle of
TIL pump, to force IN the water with
more ease when a greater power was
required; and then my heart gave a
leap as thought [ might be able to
strike the handle of the tap and let
out the water.
To grasp the bar was but the work
Of "a moment, and then began swing
ing it about slowly to try and strike
the tap; but In vain, for l could do
nothing with it from only being able
to swing it at random. Nearer came
the flames, louder rose the shouts; and
as I looked along the warehouse L
could see that all escape was cut off by
the stairs, even if [ had been at hber
ty; and now, completely overcome
with the pressure ard the horror of
my position, I groaned heavily, aud
the bar fell from my grasp.
The last hope gone, | thought; when
at the moment familiar sound struck
ny ear, for III falling the bar hsd
allen upon the tap, when there came
the fierce gush of the compressed wa
ter, and the ram began slowly to de-
scerd until ] was able 20 crawl out. to
fall faintiDg on the floor.
But I was mp again directly, for
their was fierce glow in the place;
and now / could see Wood busily at
work tearing out wool to feed thu
flames, and dashing every thing else
ne could lay his hands upon into the
tire, which seemed at times to SINCE
him.
| looked around, for he took 10
notice of me; aud AS l had before seen
there was 10 escape by tie door, so,
running to the open door by the crane,
| caught hold OF the rope and began
lowering it down as fast US possible,
with the light shining fui upon NJ,
and the people below either groaning
with horror, or cheering me- on as L
tore at the stout rope. and sent he
crane hnnute spiunlpg round and
round.
Snou,s, cries, and tie nD7t4 Of hurry
ing feet; and Wood stood ~ the giare
OF light, looking irst one way ard then
a3.uthes, as # c0lifus,d. ior be had
quilted tie pump IN in, first noise T..
shouting. All at o,.ce h" darted away:
snt l;,,f fn.EyIng aud euffncatlng witt
the Pc ssnie, | could a. nothing buf
G, oan feebIy, after struggling IA little
to ind every effort vain; aid then with
shari eu,d senses gaze at the flames:
{ licking the roof of the floor [ was on
and escaped up the sides Of wool bales
and The more lntiammable goo =, that
were in the warehouse. The smoke
I soon became binding and the heat
sitting: and for me there seemed TO be
10 hope, since | was sure no one
would be able to penetrate 10 where It
was; when again | gave struggle and
street :hed down my hand backwards to
try ~ reach the tap, which would let
off the water and Let me at liberty, or
at least place EIe Ill a position to try
and escape the horrible death that
seemed to await We.
But there was silence again direct Y,
and looking back as / reached the
middle, / could see that [ WAS not
pursued; when, fearing chat with all q
madman's cunning, he had goue round
to try and trap me at the other end, l
stopped once more where | was, men
/ tally praying for aid. as [ strained eI es
aud ears to catch sight OF or hear nv
( enemy
/ 4 quarter of an hour must have
passed without a sound meeting my
ears, and L was hopefully calculating
np0u aid soon coming, when slight
rust!lng noise seemed to have beer;
made close by me, and L started ard
looked eagerly towards the dark and
then towards the GSht end of he mar
row passage | Was ii.
Nothing to be seen; and the minutes
again passed slowly on. when ali at
! once came the most horribly unearthly
yell | ever heard from Just above my
head, and then, overcome with terror
! as | shrunk to the floor, I looked up
and knew that Wood had crawled over
the top of the wool; and, as the thought
flashed through my mind, he bounded
! down upon me and had me by the
4 throat.
! I struggl, d for few moments, and
then lights seemed dancing before my
( eyes, blood rushing TO my head; and
/ then, IN a half insensible state, l have
some recollection of being dragged
along the floor into the gaslight, and
then pulled aud thrust about for few
mom ents, when there came the regular
thud -thud of the little pump clos, by,
and | could feel myself moving up
wards. But all seemed So calm. and
such desire for sleep was upon me,
that it was not till fearful sense OF
that | awok. to the consciousness that
the wretch had forced me OF to the
traveller of the hydraulic press, and
was now forcing III the water beneath
the ram.
Ihud thud ,thud-thud went the pump
and the pressure was awful; while at
the same time, as [ vainly writhed and
tried to press down the heavy plate
that was crushing me. l was conscious
of a great light which sbone around
me, and which l thought was can ed
by the flushing sensation in my eyes;
but no, for directly there came the
noise of shouting, louder every mo-
ment; and then | made ont, ringing up
from the yard, these horrid words,
Fire, fire. ana then | knew that
Wood must have fired the warehouse.
oOu''i 4 bbAe SOo 1pt C out 'pt
fore Woods attention was taken, |
felt safe, for | knew that | could side
down easily enough; but, as l dreaded
he caught sight OF me, and leaving his
fiery task, he rushed towards the
door; when, with yell of terror l
ieaped from the flooring, cllnging
tightly to the rope, which began to
run swiftly out as / swung TO and fro
till it was all out, when the jerk nearly
dashed me off. But, after sliding
down some little way, l recovered my
self, and letting the rope glide slowly
through my hands, [ went lower aud
lower, with my eyes fixed on the
blazing floor above me.
Al at once ] felt the rope ierked
aud swung about, and I could see the
figure of Wood at it; and then again
was being drawn up, and l knew he
must be busy at the crane handle; but
the next minute he mnst have loosentd
h G hold whap tho bap3I.. flow ro,,,,1