, 1879-01-05

inc, Which Was stor1 lower 1uss IN tlme' W
prevent serious accident aud loss OF LIE, IS Tue
roof went tumollng In just alter the LAST man
got across the bridge.
In front OF the building, on Dearborn street,
several nozzles were directed to the upper por-
ton, but all except one-that Of one OF the new
steamers-failed to reach the roof, and only
covered the first four or five stories with ice and
flooded the street. There never was such
waste of water at fire, and it was hard to see
why it was done. for at this time all the trout
windows we're intact and closed. -
ON THE STREETS.
Within fifteen minutes after the outbreak OF
the fire, Dearborn street from Madison to the
Custom House was scene OF confusion snch
as one might imagine in the event o1 volcano
suddenly bursting through the crust Engines
belching forth their black vomt, and ntteFin"
their eas-ptcrcing shrieks for help; the heavens
darkcncd with the dense volumes OF smoke
from the burning building; the mad rush Of the
multitude to the scene Of the, disaster; the
scampering Of afrighted horses tied 10 hitch1ng
posts; the terror, the fascination that draws
men and women alike to behold an alarming
thing,-all this and more was to be seen III the
vast gathering that ran to one point to assist :"
at the burning up of the Fost-0aice. Crowds
oi this kind certainly do assist the element OF
destruction, hindcring the work OF the Fire De
partment, and setting at defiance the Efforts OF
the police. Tie street WAS for long timea
scene Of the widest disorder, and the best
efforts Of the police were powerlcss to control
the multitude. The people we're half-bhnded
by the smoke, and more thaa half. terrified by
the poiscs and the sense OF impending calamity,
which was presently intensified BY cries that
men and women were being roasted alive in the
unner stories,
From the windows OF the first door men we're
seen throwing into the street at random pack
gees. ,uaps, books, bundles, anything that came
to hand. while the firemen were striving with all
their might to direct their streams upward to
the Nansard emiuence whence the red flames
were lust beginning to flicker through the
smoke. "D-d these Mansard roofs" was the
exclamation heard from several 1ips In chorus; ];
4. mere fire-traps and ttnder-boxcs."
Then wild hurrah yas heard from the ecrowd,
and looking through the alley one could see
climbing down the iron ladder brave little
wnn,on ] vho hai, iust escaned from the mail-hap+
room On the miner floor. She reached tho
Ground in safetr- hnt; With evident sfens of ey-
fonstton aftcr so desnerate an escane. For q
.;.,o II u.e s,nnosed tb,t, +here ware in +hcso
nancr rooms several unfortunates who we're en-
,o,rn+crin0 !, f,err fotn= and the widest excite
ment nrevailcd. until a rome Was lowered frum
10 -onf hr which five men we're enabled to
aescenn. one hvlone. like threaded sniacrs. from
,he TIM foor to the street. twas then ascer-
+,;ned that there wos 1ittle l,ke1ihood Of there
ta;no INV onc burned in The roofns ohore
present,v tbe. clumsy and nnwie]dr machine
<o1,oa :. 1;fa-soy;nv anna1atns IN. lnooed tn
~, front If +ha hnrninp hnt13;np. md the fire.
49,, IA +he;r utmost ~ nate II available. If
-ta ,,,a-, ,vbo ella down tho ronn ho waited for
th;s 1nethod ~ salvation thew wonld nnones-
+Ionan,v have hccn rc1uced to cini1ers. It re-
on,red q 1onorr t;mc than II wo,,ld take to burn
a|.na,; -, r1a,t +h;e ,nror,tps IN the rennired
-oett1,,, r. !front ~ the. hni1d,no. Then II
,,aoaed so n,ch 1onper time n shoot the e1-
to,s;on ladder nnward. Then It came in cop-
+.c+ ,;th the tr1crranh wires. which
had IN le cnt And then after al, the
1,e,, ,ra,o ,,nah1e tn force the ton of It within
+ua1+. f.a+ NJ onv of the windows The men
,.ho-oa n.frf,11., mn +bnee hard stairs with the
rres7iro 1,ose-nines Il, their hands. and eycntu-
ally ATTAINED an e'e'atlo" Afoua WHICH u NY
stream couid ne poured upon tne Hlansa1a ROOF
but oE ILLS LILLE @ue Aaneaio " as e1"nno'tbe
into reu ruin, and 1al!lnG IN burning masses