New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-05
INCIDENTS MD EXPERIENCES.

Fx-Assenblyman Thomas f. Grady, who occupies
the second floor of the front building, the win
dow of which looks ont upon the alley into which
the rear tenement-housc opens said yesterday, III
speaking Of the fire:
Il was aroused abont o'clock this morning by
hearing cries OF alarm, and looked out of the rear
window, but, not seeing anything there. supposed
that there was fire across the street. At tais mo-
ment Mary Sheridan raped at the door and said
that her mother was sick in bed aad was being suf-
focatcd by smoke. | ran to the roof Of my house.
crossed to that of tho rear budng, and
WAS surprised to fud that flames were
already coming out of the scuttle. Of course It
utter folly to think of attempting a descent
under the circumstances again descended TO the
third floor of my house. and aided by mo brother,
attempted to save those who were in the binding,
and who had made their appearance at the windows
and on the ire-eScapcs, shreklng for help. OIe
man, John Eagan, who occupied n room on the thrd
floor was on the irc-escape front OF his window.
Bat ne couid not g,t down the IRON lallor leading
TO the balcony below, because the fameS were al
ready leaping from the windows opening from
the hallway on each floor. and cnveloplng
the ladders We call d to him to jump
and catch the wIndow-sill, at winch
we were standing. He did so and drew him in
unnured.
"The boy Charlie McKenna, was brave little
fellow His mother IN th yard, sweeping.
when the fire broke Oul. She attempted to go up
the stairs her Children but found the star
case III flames. and that It was impossible TO AZ
cend that way. She then called TO Charlie, who had
made his appearance at the window. 10 throw the
children ont. This he did and then lcaDed himself
None Of them was seriously injured.
The spread CT the flames very rapid. II did not
seem more than three minutes from the time first
l.. s.,fx r,~(f fl.n
building was in flames. There has never been, so
far as know, any accident Of any Kind IN the
building before and it seems amazing that at an
hour when nearly everyone is astir there should
have been such a loss Of life. Assistance came very
soon, and many of the chilnren were cInght IN the
arms of men. Otherwise they would have been
killed or MANNED by the fall"
CHARLES M'KENNAs BRAVERY.
Charles McKenna gave TRIBUNE reporter the
following account Of what happened 80 far as he
concerned;
"My mother, who was housckeepcr here, was
down cleaning out the yard, and l was upstairs
with my two brothers and baby sister AT break last
One of nv brothers smeIcd wood smoke first, and !
went to the door aud looked down the Stars, ana
saw that they were all OIL lire near the bottom, and
that the flames coming up rapidly. ran Lack
into the room and picked up my niue sister ana
started to 90 down stairs but the smoke came M 81
thick that couldn't see, and had To 20 BACK. lbcn
| ran to the window to SEQ abont getting down by
the fire escape, Dit III was aIl i'll IL DidHe lh 10
another window and shouted 10 the people below.
There was man standing OH the top OF Il
sned. and l called to, hnn to catch the
baby. He SAID that he would. !
wrapped her in a blanket ard threw her out and thc
man caught her. Ny little brother Hugh, three md
a half years Old rau away from me when tIlcd 10
catch him. | caught him, however, aud dragged
HIM over TO the window. He struggled great deal
and cond hardly get him out but did get him
out and he was caught by somebody III the yard.
My brother James. seven years old, i managed u
get down with the iESt fire escape his hair
and eyebrows were sOmewhdt ScOrchcd as we'll az my
own when we got far climbed down the
shutters and dropped TO the ground The fire escape
was half burned when We were Oh It. In minute
or two after got down. We found mother. She
was almost crazy before she found that we were
out all right"
Charles McKenna, who IS AN exceedingly bright
little fellow. has beena pupil at st. Jamess school,
and 10 anxious 10 obtain employment.
Mrs. McKenna told the following story:
was down in the yard, sweeping and cleaning up
the place, when, noticing the smell OF something
halfway | ran to go up the stairs but they were
ali on tire and did not dare try to go further: Ihe
flames seemedto be cOminRup out OF the cellar. L
shouted fire. as loud as ] could and ran into AS
senblyman Grady's hOuso and went mp 10 the roof.
Frnm there got to the root oil our house, Dut
could not get down through the trap door as L
expccted for by that time the smoke was coming
mn in great volumes, aud could SOC the
dames down below. / was almost crazy
then" did not know what TO do; was afraid my
ci,iidren were burning l do not know how got
down again iuto the street. but when got there the
en1nes had arrived and pretty soon afterward my
baby was brought to Inc, ana Dot long al'er 'no
bows turned up" 1T -. ~. OK