The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-01-18
A Thrilling Scene-NarrOw Escape from
Death by Fire.

NEW YoRK, January 2.
A fire broke out in the five-story brick tene-
ment at No. 86 Hester street at an early hour
this morning, which was accompanied with
heartrending scenes. Tho building is tenanted
by eighteen families. Last night ali the ten
ants of the place except three families resid-
ing on the top floor were at Il wedding. short
ly after twelve o'clock Mr.. Marks, residing on
the top floor returned home with his wife from
the wedding. Before retiring for tho night
his wife looked out of her door into the hail. to
see If everything was right. The sight which
met her gaze st.rtIed her and caused her 20 cry
out with alright. Flames were issuing from
the door OF a rear room on the south sido OF tho
second floor, occupied by Mr.. LOWS SRlskow-
ski. Her husband, who heard her shrek, hur~
ried out into the hall. Seeing the place was on
fire he ran to the doors of the rooms occupied
by the other families, and. pounding thereon'
awoke them from their sleep. There were
on tho floor at the time four mon fifteen chill
dren and five women, one Of whom, aged
eighty years, lay very ill., An with thc OK
cepiOu Of the sick woman, ran into she halt
in their night-olothes. The men, seeing that
the lives Of all depended on them, hurried
downstairs through the binding and suhocat-
ing smoke, which was rapidly filling the place
They could not get further than tho hOoF he-
low. Here their further progress was barred
by wall OF flame, which was issuing from
Salskowskfs room and eat ng away tho stair
The men, find ng that they could not escape
this way. hurried upstairs to whore the wom-
en- ana children were shricking and running
| about in a half-CraZcd condition. They went
| into the rear rooms and opcned the window
| to go out on the tire-cscape. As they did so
| mass of flame shot up from below. Finding
! that there was no chance of reach ng the yard
/ below by this means, the mon took the women
! and children and hurried them up onto tho
| roof. They then took out the old woman
! on her bed and carried her UP. Here tho
| situation was terrible I'm the extreme. They
were on the roof of n Ayc-story tenement,
! many feet above the low buildings ON either
side of them. Below them the fire wns raging
| without hindrauce. For moment even tho
! men became excited, and the seen was heart
/ rending. They soon rcgained their presence
! of mind, and looked about for n means OF cs-
| cape from their perilous pos ton. The house
| at No. 20 Essex street, the rear of which Hbut-
! ted on to the yard behind the burning build
ing, and which was the same height rs tho
| latter, seemed TO them to be their only means
| of escape. A space OF twelve feet was be-
| tween them and it. One of the men Thought
of some planks that were laid over the roof
| Quick as thought they were torn up and
| thrown across the space. A shnlcy bridge was
thus hurriedly conBtru ted. The four women
| crawled over on their hands ana knees. inc
| men picked up the sick woman and carried
| her over. When the women WCre IN sdl'ly'
| the men made four Journeys TO the burning
| building for the children.