The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-07-28
SAVED BY A STRING.
Thirteen Men Narrowly Escape Being
Burnt to Death.

At 80 o clock the fire was mostly in
the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth floors
on the Nandewater street side, and had
not vet extended through to Rose street.
1t was thought it would do SO, however,
and to check the advence of the flames
Chief Gicquel sent fourteen members of
Engine Company No. : and Hook and
Ladder Company No. upstairs with a
line of hose and their axes. The men
were only able to get to the fifth floor.
Here what is called {. back-draft' sud
denly filled the room they We're in with
smoke. 1t came so fast and in such vol
ume that the tiremen, to save their lives
threw themselves flat on the floor. Some
distance away, overlooking a courtyard,
were two windows. Toward these win
dows the suifocating iremen crawled.
They were cut off from the stairs and
from the only fire escape in the building
by the smoke. Their only hope lay in
getting aid from the outside through the
windows. They shouted for help, but
the men below, busy with the fire, did
not hear them. Suddenly two Of the i'm
prisoned men, Tuite and o. Brien, of the
engine company, tainted and were APP
parently in a dying condition. Their
companions gesticulated out OF the Win
dows and uttered frantic cries. The
racket made by the putting engines
drowned their cries, and the word was
passed one to another to .ump-into GER
tain death, it seemed-when some one
below looked up. With renewed hope
the imperiled men repeated their cries
for help, but to their horror their request
was misunderstood. 1t was thought
they wanted another line of hose, and no
haste was being made to get it to them
when Chief Gicquels attention was call
ed to the spot by seeing the men below
getting the hose ready. lie shouted up.
What is wanted ~
1--WE are cut off. Hurry up, or we
must jump" came back the answer.
Its the life line they want, shouted
Chief Gicluel to those about him, who,
for some reason, had not been able to
hear the thrilling reply to his question.
All was excitement at once. forty
five foot extention ladder was quickly
brought and placed in position. 1t was
too short by twenty feet. Out on the
window sills were two of the perishing
tircmcn ready to throw themselves down.
Chief Gicquel motioned to them to go
back, and they obeycd. lie then by signs
found that they had a piece of string,
which, however, would not reach the top
of the ladder. This he directed them to
lower. Then two hremen went up the
ladder and with difficulty tied the end OF
the string to small rope, lay which a
larger one was immediately drawn up.
No time was lost i'll making it fast above.
Assistant Foreman lleeney, of the truck
company, started to come down first, as
he was very faint, and the most exhaust
ed of all. He began lowering himself
hand over hand, when his strength gave
out and hc slipped fully sixty feet, tear
ing the skin from both his hands. For
tunatcly, Il fireman caught him when he
struck the ground, and prevented more
serious injury. An employc in the build
ing was the next one down, aud then
came Tuite, O'Brien, Roriand, Q'Shaugh
messy, Sloan, IiIGer, Donovan and Kent,
Of No. :, and Mccain, Breen, McClaiu
and McUarty, of the truck company. AS
the last man left the window sill flames
burst from it out 'er the courtyard
| Tho exciting scene was witnessed by q
spellbound throng that cheered loudly al
its successful complotion.-N lorL
! WtraR.