Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-07-27
I'll T. NEW YORK FIRE.
a Thrilling Episode.

"a hhriiiihs hpIsOues
Our tclegraphic dispatches have already
given our readers an account of the fire in the
great building of George Munro, the New
York publisher. OF an exciting episode, the
New York HeraM gives the following &c.
count
At half-past one the fire was mostly in the
fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth floors on the
Nandewatcr street side and had not vet en-
tended through to Rose street. 1t was
thought it would do 50, however, and to
check the advance of the flames Chief Gle
quel sent fourteen members of Engine Com
piny No. and Hook and Ladder Company
NO. upstairs with line of hose and their
axes. The men were only able to get to the
fifth floor Here what is called a back
draft suddenly filed the room they were in
| with smoke. 1t came 50 fast and in such vol
uine that the tirtmen 10 save their lives threw
| themselves flat on the floor. Some distance
away. overlooking Il courtyard, were two
windows. Toward these windows the suf-
locating tiremcn crawlud They were cut of
from the stails 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 imprisoned men, Tuite
and U Brlen, OF the engine company, tainted
and were apparently III dying condition.
| Their companions ges,icuiated out OF the
windows and uttered frantic cries The
| racket made by the puffing engines drowned
| their cries, and the word was passed one to
another 10 jump-into certain death, it seem.
| ed-whcn some one below looked up. With
renewed rope the twelve imperilled men, re-
peated their cries for help, but TO their hor-
| ror their request WAS misunderstood. 1t was
| thought they wanted another line of hose,
| and no haste was being nude to get it to
Them when Chief Gicquers attention was
| called to the spot by seeing the men below
getting the hose ready. lie shouted up,
| "Whnt is wanted p
"We are cut off. Hurry up or we must
jump" came buck the answer.
Its lite line they want" shouted Chief
| Gicquel to those above him, who for some
| reason had not been able to hear the thrilling
reply to his question.
Fourteen Firemen Saved by "a String.
All was excitement at once. A forty-fvt
| foot extension ladder was quickly brough,
and placed in position. 1t was too short by
| twenty feet. Out On the window stills were
two of the pcrishing ii,emen ready to throw
| themselves down. Chief Gicquel motoned
to them to 60 back, and they obeyed. He
then by signs found that they had piece of
| string, which, however, would not reach the
| top Of the ladder. This he directed them to
| lower. Then two fircmen went up the lad
der aud with difficulty tied the end of the
string to small rope, by which larger one
was Immediately drawn up. No time was
lost in making it fast above.
| Assistant Foreman lleeney, of the truck
| company, started to come down frs, as he
was very FAINT and the most exhausted OF
all. He began lowering himself hand under
hand when his strength gave out and he
slipped fully sixty feet tearing the skin
| from both his hands. Fortunately a fireman
| caught him when he struck the ground and
prevented more serious injury. An en-
ploye IN the building was the next one
down, and then came Taite, O'Brien, Bor-
land, O'Shaughnessy, Sloan, Pilger, Dono-
van and Kent, of engine No Z, and Nc
Claim, Breen, Mccain and McCarty, of the
truck company. AS the last man left the
window sill flames burst from it out ovei
the courtyard. The exciting scene was wit
messed by II spellbound throng that cheered
loudly at its successful completion.