Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-02-22
JUST KEEP COOL.
WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD DO IN A
BURNING BUILDING.
Chat with - Veteran Fireman-Whas
Ninety-Nine Out of = Hundred
Are Likely to DO-Ths
Proper Course.
Chicago Tribune.l

Chicago Tribune
The terrible death of James Carr at q re-
sent north side fire CHANGED to be mentioned
tn. other day during conversation between
a veteran fireman attached to one OF the
down town engine companies and reporter.
1T is too bad" said the reporter, that 50
brave fellow should have lost his life after
ha wing done so much for his fellow-work-
men
Yes. it is too bad, = assented the fireman.
as he gazed rehectively al tbs ceiling; but
do You know that there was really no reason
in the world why he should have died as he
didF'
How do you figure it out"
well, it's just ike this: Most people
never give any thought TO what they would
do in case they were caught in burning
building and there is probably not one in a
thousand who would have known how to
save himlelf if he hal been placed where
Carr was at that fire Now, supposing you
were unfortunate enough to be in a building
that was fire and were obliged to look TO a
window OF the third or fourth story as your
only means Of escape. What would You
dor
3Why, suppose would climb out on the
window-ledge and howl for a ladder, or a
rope, or something"
YES, l suppose you would. And If the
smoke got too thick for you, or it should be-
come hot enough to make You think You
were being slowly roasted to death, and
there was no immediate PROJECT of a ladder
teing raised to you, what would you do
them
In such case suppose would jump and
take my chances
"An1 that is just what ninety-nine out Of
l. -.
The hundredth man would keep his head,
and,,. after getting on the ledge, be would
close tie window behind him. That would
of course cut of the smoke that was sutfo-
eating him, and, in case there was
much heat behind him, it would cut
that of too. He would then have a CON-
paratively cool place where he could remain
for fifteen or twenty minutes longer than he
would have been able TO do if the window
had been left open. By that time, in this
city anyway, ladder would have been
raised to him AMI he would have easy
descent TO the ground"
But if they could not get ladder to him,
what them
IN any case they would be able TO get a
rope to him. either from the roof of the adj
joining building or from tho street"
True; but they got rope to Carr, and it
| didn't do him any good"
That was only because he didn't know
how to use il to the best advantage.
What he did was simply to take the
end OF the rops in his hands and
Jump 1t is no wonder that when no got to
the end of the slack the sudden jar
broke his hold and ne fell. Now, if he had
Just tied n knot in the end OF the rope and
shut the win low down on it, he would have
had means of escape that would have been
comparatively safe and easy"
Yes, but would tina simple shutting down
Of the window on the rope hold it! Wouldn't
| the strain caused by the mans weight pull
the whole thing out and drop him to the
street,
NO, not il the window was rs heavy as
the ordinary sash is in the down town build
ings II there is any doubt about it, though,
it would be comparatively easy matter To
kick hole through the glass near the bot
tom of the window and give the rope turn
around the bottom OF the sash. Then it
would surely hold. But if people who are
caught in such a tight place would only
| think of that simple little scheme of shutting
the window behind them I'll guarantee that
that there will lie fewer lives lost at fires.
Every House Burglar Proof.
New York Nail and Express.l
Among the latest uses to which electricity
is applied with remark able success is in burg
lar alarms, through means of an invisible
mating. Every opening in large building
can have an invisible mat, which upon the
least touch will start bell ringing that will
not stop until the occupant awakes and turns
it off IL desired the gas can be turned on
simultaneously with the alarm, thus fully
exposing the burglar. The mating is placed
under the carpet. and, by means of a wire at
tached, sends off the alarm The very sverv-
ants in the house do not know where the mats
are situated, and cannot cut the CON
Meeting wires. Any sized mat can be had to
fit any opening, or they can be placed near
safe or any place where valuables are kept.
Placed under the table or desk, an almost
inpercepti 70 pressure OF the foot calls the
servant or attendant, the waiter in the
kitchen, the butler and coachman, respect
lively, from the pantry and stable.
No sneak-thief can enter building with
out starting an alarm Immediately. a man
coming home late at night steps on the mat;
the gas is Lit instantly down stairs and up
stairs He goes to his bedroom, presses a
mat there and the gas down stairs goes out.
leaving that in his room lit The surface of
the carpet is not made uneven, nor does it
wear the carpet in the least. The system has
met with wonderful success, and many large
dwellings on Fifth avenue supplied with 1t
are as difficult TO enter undetected us blowing
up safe when the cashier is present AT
the dinner table the lady OF the house calls
servant by pressure OF the foot without
sounding gong. 1t takes only few hours
to equip any building. The plant costs from
$3.50 TO 500.