The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-04

One OF the most thrilling escapes was tha.
made by John Reumann, foreman Of the upper
four stories. whore eighty men were. under his
charge. engaged in vanishing and other
branches OF finishing piano cases. He was In
sle seventh story when a yell OF Firel reach
ed his oars from below. ana hs at once dashod
down. In the hope Of being able to direct and
aid in checking the connagration. When lie
reached the fourth story however. he found a
wnirlwinl OF flame sursing toward him, AMI
saw IN nm instant that there WIS no hope Of
saving the building. Then. with all the speed
he could command. barely keeping ahead Of the
fire. he ran up to the eighth story. shouting as
he went: Save yourselves" Firel" " Run to
the fro escapes" 1t was on this wild upward
rush that he met old George Greb running
blnily down into the jaws Of death. The
alarm thus given. he thought of saving himself,
and sprang 10 tn" nearest fire escape one ~ the
patent chain apparatuses. ny i ne drseentei
I'm safety To- the ground, and he believes TINT
fity Of his men got down in the same way. Al
he remembers the scene. he says II seems TO
him as il the chain was black with men all the
Paul Lortser was foreman Of twelve varnish-
ers In the top story Of the factory in Thirty
sixth street. On the Sides of the building cN-
tenlins from the three upper stories w,ro bal
comics or drying sheds and on these the men
were working. He heard cry OF Fire and
from the fourth-story windows. He gave the
alarm. and the men started for the stairways.
but these were filled with iire and smoke.
to Ia, ilre ladder In the west side Of the build
Ing. Eight men followed him. He stood at the
top. Kept the excited men back. and waited until
tlr last had descended. He then went down.
hut the two lower stories had be'oin- impassa-
Bile. H. lraped To- the roof OF q warehouse be-
low, and was hauled into the window Of aneigh-
boring house. Whom he got into the street he
looked W and saw N leas, eight men crying Tor
h"lp from the windows Oi the story lie had Just
1hollorc S,ool1ee n hoy residing Mt 332 West
Thirty. aAth street was rmpioyei in the piano
mnnUiuctpry a. a yarnieher. He wHH a. work
in the top story. H. and his fellow workmen
ran toward the main stairway, but some Of
ins the stairway they found their passage har
rrd 10y the iiame. They then went t. "A ladder
OF the windows would preclude tlieir descent.
they went to a patent chain ilre escape w!iioh
dr5 ended to th' main yard. They Had diiil.
culty in getting down because the chain caught
in the pulley, and they had to lower themselves
hand over hand. In the room with him there
Were four Cthers. one OF them an old man nam
Hed.i not SEQ this man got out. md he thinks
he must 4aye pershed IN the building he
suw him last when hc went back tO get ms
Clothes. The foreman oi the varnish room. Mr.
HnWeil. vita several others, got down ly an
other llro cz aye into tho back yard and iney
made their es 'ape by breaklng through the
basrmrnt windows in TEirty-hiih street
:, Kobrr, Bort r,sfued an infant from N9' 5M32 M
West Thirty tn street. Learning That mo
child wa- III the house. he eentered and found i
lying asleep in a bed. Tho house was filled
with smoke, and he hardly had time to seize II
and make his way 10 the street before the walls
fc His appearance with the child In his arms
was hRilrd with enthusiastic cheers.
Ameil Werner was n tnisher in tho first story
with slAtenn other men. He heard the alarm
Of nru. aud ran out. but went back for his coat.
and was forced 10 jump from the second story.
The mon in the upper storles did not appear To
know uf tue fire and he called out to warn them.
The fire. may have been discovered first by
| Elias Anderson Of 526 West Thirty-seventh
! street. who worked in the second story ~ II fly
nnisher lie says he started for the thrd story
! to Lro"ure Tyre. That story was used for the
! mhnuih'turo Of ling boards. IN the cen
! trr Of tho large room in the Old building was n
| slov". IN which lire was kept burning. The
! stovrplpn ran up through large box suspend
cd lronl tho calling. In this box tho bell boards
were driei. Anders9n says he saw that THIS
h,m, nohH mhs on Hff' ana f,onmuni'atinG wi'n lhe
ethirs warning the men below. He jumped
from n snroud-siary window. He says thrr,
we're $40 pianos bong manufactured and 5OL
| finished.