The Portland daily press., 1885-01-27
A PLUCKY WIFE.
She Gathers Her Children About Her nt
the Upper Window of "a Burning Build
ing, and CeOiIy Waits for she Fireu,en
TO Raise a Ladder.

New YORK, Dan. 26.-When Truck II, OF
the f1te departme at, dashed headlong into Sew
entn street, near Avenue @, yesterday morn
ing, with Fireman Thomas r. Connolly, and
tbe rest OF the men clinging on for dear life,
it happened that Mrs. C12nelly, the fireman's
wife and three children were In he burning
building. Their doors were closed, aud tfIe5.
had noticed nothing until aroused by the
shouts that followed the gymnastic perform
ance of the man who had tried to attract their
attention. Mrs Connolly looked out OF the
widows and saw an immense crowd gathered
in front of the house, some yelling fire and
others rushing to turn in fire alarm. Then
she ran back and opened the hall door, but the
fire had spread with wonderful rapidty, climb
ing up the wooden staircase, which furnished
fuel and draught. Mrs. Connolly is only 26
years old, but she proved that she had good
nerve. She remembered that her husband
had often told her that in case of G fire. if The
stairway was cut off, she must close all the
doors to keep the flames from spreading take
the children to the front window, and wait for
the fremen TO come for her. She did Just as
she had been told, and gathered together her
three children, Kate, Eddie and Eugene, five
years, three years and six months old reepec-
lively. The crowd looked up and saw the four
standing at the open window, or drawing back
to avoid the clouds of black smoke that rolled
from the windows below Some yelled to the
mother TO jump, and others told her to throw
her children down to them; but Mrs, Connolly
was not scared enough to do either. She had
great deal of confidence in her husband, and
expected him to be around before long She
was not wrong. Truck II was coming up Ave
nue. @ then, with the horses galloping like
mad, and Connolly hanging on with the rest of
the men. As they nearsd the fire the driver
yellsd back, "Connelly, it's your own house."
Connolly looked and saw his wife and three
children at the top window and flames burst
lug out below. In second he was off the
truck and rushing toward the house ahead of
tue horses. Pat Henry, good friend of his,
jumped off too, and followed him. Together
they rushed up the stoop and into the house,
without waiting for ladders or anything.
Everything was ablaxe, but they dashed up the
h4ming staircase and reached the second floor,
scorched and burned. There they found their
efforts useless. The staircase leadins to Goa
nelly's wife and children was impossible. To-
gether the men ran to the window at the rear
of the hall in which they were, and jdmned
without looking. Another minute in the
smoke and fame would have been fatal
high, broke their fall. They fell fifteen feet
upon this, and then sliding from the slanting,
snow-covered surface, fell ten feet more into
the yard. By this time 35-foot ladder had
bsen run up to the third story window, and
Chief Hern climbed up it, with Quigg RYAN
and Ritter close behind him. Mrs. Connolly
handed out six months old Eugene The
Chief handed him to Quigg, Qaigg to Ryan,
Ryan to Ritter, and Ritter took him down to
the sidewalk, Eugene yelling bitterly all the
time because OF the smoke in his eyes. The
other two children were safely landed in the
same manner, and Mrs. Connolly was helped
down last of all. "She was as cool as Gu
cumber," Chief Hern enthusiastically de-
clared, and the firemen are talking about that
same GOODNESS yet.
While Mrs. Connolly was being saved the
fremen OF Engine 28 had found her husband
and Henry lying helpless in the back yard
Both were unconscious, but Connolly quickly
revived and enjoyed the pleasure of having
his whole family cry around him, safe and
sound,