The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-12
A BIG CHICAGO FIRE.
HEROIC WORK OF A YOUNG BOY AND
HIS ESCAPE.
Trembling With Terror, He Is Rescued
by Fireman-other Exciting Incl
dents.-The Loss Amounts to $780,
600.

CHICAGO, ILL.,, Jan. ll.-After the fire.
men thought the fire at the corner OF Madi-
son street and the river was under control
this morning, a section OF the roof caved
in and crashed through all the floors. The
flames shot downward, and in an instant
the entire stocks on the first floor were all
ablaze. This floor, with its valuable stocks
of silks and other merchandise, was Quilted,
involving a further loss Of upward of S70,-
600. The firms burned out on the first
floor were: J. II. Griffith & Co., importers
of tailors' trimmings; Nonatum worsted
company, Nontuck silk company and Cor
ticelli spool silk company. An assistant
fire marshal places the loss on building
and contents at nearly $4,000. The fire
is now under control. The flames were
discovered by boy named Joe Friedberg,
who was sleeping on the second floor and
was awakened by the smoke, The boy
jumped up and, without waiting TO put on
his coat, reused his employer, A. Ellinger,
who also slept on the same floor. The firm
OF A. Ellinger * Co., manufacturers Of
Cloaks and suitings, occupied the whole OF
the second and third floors. Ellinger sent
the boy up stairs TO the work room to ST.
cure some valuable patterns. and in the
meantime attempted to put out the blaze
II had started among lot Of cloaks at the
southwest corner of the building. Ellinger
worked hard trying TO smother the flames
and in so doing his hands and face were
severely burned. Finally he was compelled
TO give up the attempt, the fire gaining
rapidly on him. lie ran down the front
5 arway TO the street just as passer-by,
seeing the blaze, ran TO the box at Market
and Madison streets and turned in an
alarm.
The boy ran up stairs and began to gather
up the patterns, but had not made much
progress when he became aware that his
life was in danger. Volumes OF smoke
poured up from the floor below, binding
and almost suilocating him. The smoke
was so thick on the stairs that he could
not think OF escaping that way. The fire
escape was his only hope. lie ran to one
on the west side OF the building and next
to the river, climbed out Of the window,
and stood n .he landing shrieking for
help. He 80 frightened that he was
for the time bcreit OF power to descend
the escape. Ills plnaDlc kluhnOn was
observed bya crowd Of spectators who
had gathered on the bridge, and within a
couple of minutes tho members of truck
No. 3 put up ladder and rescued him.
The lad was spcechless with terror
The total loss by the fire will reach
100000. The night was intensely cold.
The firemen were greatly hampered by
the heavy coatings OF ice, which rendered
their movements slow, and it seemed al
most hours before they fairly began Ia
work. The high wind prevailing pre-.
vented solid streams Of water from reaching
much above the second floor, and this had
considerable to do with the spread Of the
flames upon the upper floors.
After two hours hard fight, however,
the flames were considered under control
Several OF the firemen were completely
overcome by the dreadful exposure, and
were carried into the Gault house to bt
thawed out. Their garments were covered
with ice several inches in thickness, and
were 80 stiff and clumsy as TO render move
ment well nigh impossible.