Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-06
FLEEING FOR THEIR LIVES.
Inmates CT i enement Make a Harrow Is.
cape.

The New York Times OF yesterday says:
A thin column Of smoke streamed up
through the front grating OF the tenement
house at No. 81 Charlton street jus. after .
O'Clock yesterday morning. A colored
man saw it, and, pounding on the door
with all his strength. shouted " Fire "
Patrolman Melers. OF the Eighth precinct.
beard the cries and ran TO the house. With
out de .ay he sent out q suH mons for the
frtmcn from the box at the corner OF Va
rick and King streets. The response was
prompt. Engine Company No. 30, STA
toned in Spring street, near Varick, was
the first TO arrive. The flames, which had
evidently originated in the cellar, where
the tenants store their wood and coal, had
travelled with extraordinary speed from
the cellar through on open doorway to the
stairway, the only means by which the
tenants could leave the building. There
were no fire-escapes. Most OF the tenants,
awakened from sleep, had rushed down
stairs in their night-clothes, aud had made
their escape. The tardy ones bad their es-
cape cut of by the stairs taking fire.
Tho building is a fouy-stOry brick strue-
ture. facing on Charlton street. On the
first floor Is the grocery-store OF Bernard
j. Woltering. Adjoining 10 s similar str,Ic-
ture. fronting on vsrick street. Both
buildings stand on the same lot and have
but one entrance and stairway TO the upper
noors. II Is an ordinary wooden stair
case, the suits OF apartments opening out
from 1t on each floor east and wet. The
6rst floor OF the Varick-street house IL 0c-
cupied - a hQuor-store by j. hcKenra.
Tho floors above sre occupied by Thomas
Belden and bis family, Mrs. Lizzie Mo
Gloln and her two nslces, Rose Clark and
Ida Dixon, and Mrs. Morrison, a bOardsr,
and on the fourth floor were John MUIR
ply, his wife and three daughters. Mrs.
Murphy is an invalid. Belden and his
wife wero away from home at the outbreak
OF tho Ere, and their rooms uero occupied
by Miss Emma Beiden and her friend Miss
Minnie Ayres. The floor over Wolterlng's
greccry-store was occupied by Mrs. Mary
Ladd, her son John. and her sister, Mrs.
Cordela Warner. Pstrolmsn Patrick Wha-
len, OF the Eighth precinct, aud his family
lived on the same floor. 'fbe officer was
on duty at the Princo-Street police-station
when the fire broke out. The top floor Is
occupied by Edward Perks and his wife
and daughters. Wotering and his brother
slept in the grocery.store. Fortunately
there were no young children in tho house.
Upon their arrival Captain Hugh Golden.
OF Engine Company No. 30, and bis men
carried line OF hose no the burning stair.
way and held the Il ,mes in check. \ dense
smoke tllled the hall and stairway. Then
Hook-and.Ladder Truck No. dashed up
In front Of the house, and the fremen lost
no time in throwing up ladders TO the WIN
dows on both the Cbarlton-street and the
Narick-sireet front. Miss Emma Belden
and Miss Ayres were taken from win
dow OF the Vsrick-street house by
the members OF ilook-Snd Ladder Com
pany No. ), and were brought 10 the
ground unbarued. Mrs. Lizzie McGloin,
who bad made her way TO the roof and had
then foOlishly reIurned to her rooms 10
save some property, was seen hanging ous
OF third-story window appealing for
help. She was told to keep quiet and she
would be saved. Private William Belly.
OF Engine Company No. "a, saw her peril
and FASTENED 10 her assistance. He clam
bered up the awning posts in 'front.' OF Nc
Kenna's iquor-store, and made his way by
means Of the shutters TO the window from
which tho woman was banging. He told
her TO drop into his arms. She dropped,
and he caught her and then lowered her to
the awning. She was then taken safely to
the street on short ladder.
The men Of Hook Company
No. had meanwhile raised ladder 70 The
fourth.Hoor window OF the Charton-street
house, and Mrs. Perks and her daughter
were brought safely to the street by As
sistant-Foreman Nesdhsm and Private
REYNOLDS, OF that company. Al those in
peril having been rescued, the fremen
turned their attention to ext.ngulsaing the
flames A second alarm was sent out. but
before the reserve engines arrived the fire
wus under control.