The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-16
KILLED ON DUTY.
srwo PuREssES OF COLUMBIA NO. 5
FALL VICTIMS To THEIR ZEAL.
A Terrible Scene at the Fire on Palmyra
Street Last Night-Strong Men
Weep and Women Faint.
sc,Kht Houses ana the Madison schOOl
Fall Before the DevOnrIng Element
last Night-scenea and EmCl-
dents Around the Ruins.

dents AROUND the Ruins.
At n quarter TO Ii o'clock last night an alarm
ri Are sounded from box 1852 gave warning that
4 terrible eoDhagratton was raging In the rear
Of the Third Ward.
The FIRE, the cause of which is unknown.
broke out In the two-story frame house located
at No. a South Pieur street, between Gas1uet
and Palmyra.
This property, as well as all the balance, was
owned by lady who resides In France but
who is represented here.
The house. which was occupied in front by
Charles Gartia and in the rear by Thomas Cas-
gerly. was totally destroyed. The flames from
This building then extended to that mBgnifi-
cent ediflce known rs the Madison School,
located at the corner of Palmyra and
prieur streets and almost totally destroyed
IL, The flames then communicated to the
Two.sToRY FRAME BUILDING
an the left hand side Of the Gartia dwelling and
left it In ashes. This building was occupied
Jointly by Miss X to Gallagher and party
whose name IL was impossible to ascertain.
This building was totally destroyed.
A heavy southwesterly wind blowing urged
the devourin4 element on its reckless course of
destruction. and communicating to the two
story tenement building, No. BS Prieur street,
and left it q bed of ashes. This building was
occupied by Mr. Patrick McGovern and Mr..
me flames then communicated to the two
rtory frame building No. S6 south Prieur street.
This, building met the fats Of the adjoining
as dwelling. At this stage of the fire the scene
was sad one. Men, women and children we're
moving thar every thing that was lost was O.
tOtality as they we're uninsured.
The fire department talthough all the engines
were on the scenel was helpless owing to the
scarcely OF water
MUCH INGENUITY WAS MANIFESTED
by the tearing down of burning buildings but
neverthee' the unqnenchable flames extended
to Mr.. John 2. WARREN 3 residence. on Gasquet
street and totally destroyed the rear portion
of it. This bui ding waslnsured, but for what
amount, or in what company, could not be as
The flames communicated to the lower side
OF Prieur street. but they were promptly extin-
guished b the salvage corps, under command
of Capt. Kallneki. This department. together
with the Baueock under the supervision of
Capt. Grandjean, did noble work in keeping the
Are from spreading across the different streets.
Thousands of dollars were saved by their little
but true streams.
Two Firemen Killed.
at about 1925 O'Clock the pipe of Columbia
No. was nrered up towards the Palmyra
street side Of the Madison school, then wrapped
Second Assistant Jo-e uh W. Harinett and
Mitchell Lehr, were then on the platform of the
stairway, some fifteen fee above the ground,
attempting To tear down the iron railing In
order to Cd spaee for the, engines stream.
At this moment the tall and toIterirg frame
who were looking on. fell upon and buried be-
meath 1t the two gallant men who were so val
Lantly
BATTLING WITH THE FLAMES.
Az coon as the rumble caused by the fall had
ceased q cry went up on the part OF the tremen
nearest the SPOT that two men are under, and
Immediately. as ever the case their gallant breth-
rem rush, d to the rescue of the unfortunates,
Gharred timber after timber was pulled from the
debris. and In few minutes the form of Joe
the burning mass He was at once taken from
the ruins and carried 10 a neighboring house,
grooming in agony and apparently IN d'f'c~to
Search was continued, and a moment after
the hnding, Of Harntets duivering body, that
of Mitchell Iiahr was reached. When taken
from beneath the tim bers his paintiva cries for
his mother, and for some kind friend to cut his
throat. brought teers TO the el es OF many q by
Htander. The flremen. when they saw the forms
of their stricken companions, could not do
enough TO- relieve the poor sufferers. They
hurried this way and that in search of physi-
clans. and at last found DR.. Hunt'r, who
visited the two almost iDanimate forms, to give
such relief as he could, He ordered them taken
at once to the Hotel Dieu; and followed by two
thither and placed on the rear gallery of
the hotel. where the physicians and
SISTERS OF CHARITY
in charge did all they could to assuage the
AT i:so O'clock Hartn1tt received The last
sacraments of the Church and later Lehr also.
Both presented one ofthemost sickening sights
that q reporter has ever seen in @ long eX-
perience. The skin of Lehr peeled from his
body as his garments were removed. and left
exposed the Quivering flesh. REDEEMED and
bloody.
Hartwell appeared to have received more In
ternal injuries than his com uaniOn, and al
though several broad patches across his thighs
and abdomen showed that the fire had done its
work, 1t W evid pt from the sterterous breath
ing that his chest had b en-
CRUSHED IN.
At 10 minutes past O'Clock this morning the
death rattle was heard in the throat Of each Of
these brave men, and the doctors pronounced
that they had but q few minutes to live.
BY the time this reaches the readers eye, both
will have expired, molly sacrificing their lives
for the protection of property and the lives Of
others.
Among those who bravely rushed to the res
cue was Mr.. 7. J. Riley. who, in his endeavors
to save his comrades, Rustained severe burns
ON his right hand and wrist.
CAPT. w. III. Manning, who as ever Is present
In danger, was standing Immediately in front
of the threatening wall. and saved himself only
by q desperate jump. His hat and clothes
were cut by the falling mass. but he himself
sustained no bodily harm.
It is stated that several women tainted when
the sad news was told them, and 1t was some
time before the excitement could be quieted. At
the hour at which we write 1t Is impossible to
go into fuller details.
THE CITY HALL.