The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-01-17


was necessary to keep the anxious
inquirers in line. Mrs. John Gill
bert's body was positively identified.
1t was a touching scene to see the
bride Of a night uDon the cold mar
BILE floor, charred and bruised, with
a look of anguish depicted on her
delicate features. 1t is said she was
a Miss Sutton, of Chicago, before she
marrid Gilbert, who is inconsola-
bic.
WORK OF THE FIREMEN.
The fire department called for as
sistance from the Soldiers Home {;
but General Sharp refused to send
the engine, at which there is general
indignation. The firemen made SUI
perhuman efforts, and eleven waiter
girls were brought safely across the
frall ladders stretched across the
alley from the sixth story of the ho-
tel to the roofof the adjoining bank
building. The "jumping-cloth" did
little service. About a dozen unfor-
tunates attempted to jump, but re-
boupded from the telegraph wires,
a perfect mass of which surrounded
the two fronts of the building. The
appeals for aid were plteous, but lit
tie could be done.
HOW GENERAL AND MRS. THUMB Is
CAPPED.
Tom Thumb got out through the
front entrance, and his wife was
brought down the fire escape by a
fireman. w. H. Crompton, the Misses
Herbert and Dunlap and w. T. La
velle, of the Madison Square Com
pany, arrived by the midnight ex
press, and the whole party, only
partially dressed, were saved by the
fire escape. The building has long
been known as a death-trap, and it
only required half an hours time to
completely envelop it in flames.
Ben Hall, a fireman, was crushed
under the large, heavy cornice, but
was quickly got out from under the
red hot plates of galvanized iron, Sc
riously, but not fatally, hurt. Ia the
American Express Office Allan
Johnson aud wife lay stretched on
the hard floor, evidently diving
both since dead They were forced
to jump from a window on the third
floor.
DISTRESSING FATE OF MISS cHALLIs.
Long after the flames had taken
possession of the interior, Miss Chal-
lis, head dressH,aker at T. A. Chap
man u Co.'S, was seen at a window
on the fourth floor. She was recog-
nized by friends below, and implored
to leap upon the canvas; but she re-
manned standing at the window OF
her burning room until the flames
enveloped her and she sank back, to
be seen no more. la three quarters
of an hour from the discovery of the
fire the building was a total loss. A
deed OF heroism was recorded worthy
of unqualified praise. Ed. Rymer
and Herman Strauss, of truck No,
!, appeared on the roof Of the bank
building az q critical juncture, d.
rectly opposite the servants quarter,
ladder in hand. For a moment the
nnwieldy ladder was poised in mid
air, and then descended with a crash
through "a window of the hotel. 1t
formed . bridge aorass the alley, and
before it became steady in position,
men had crossed into the hotel.
Then amid the cheers of the multi
tude below, they dragged the help
less creatures across the slender
bridge until fully a dozen were res
cued. All were in their night
clothes, and many were badly frozen
before reaching shelter. A woman
in a dead faint was dragged across
in satisfy, bqt at one time the whole
OF her body hung over clear of the
ladder. while a brave man held her
by n ankle, The crowd below held
their breath in suspense, expecting
every minute to e the ladder turn
over aud break beneath the terrible
strain The man, however, was
equal to the emergency. BY a her
calean effort he pulled her upon the
slender bridge. and finally placed
her out of danger, while the crowd,
which had endured the most painful
suspense for several minutes, burst
forth round after round Of applause.
Twelve waiter-girls were rescued By
these brave men. The two brothers