The Washington critic., 1888-09-03
BRAVE SELF-SACRIFICE.
OoncIuded from First Pagc.

not. The men knew that their fellow
w0rltmcn had been imprisoned in the
building, and that there was no prOba5
bilitY that any wOuld be taken out
alive Chicl lIcnncly Immediately or
dcrcd that all water be turned upon the
place where the men were crushed. All
turned their faces toward this crushed
mass, which now began TO catch fire.
Iho rear was soon on fire, though the
heavy streams Of water that were poured
upon IL prevented the front from catch
ing. Tho crowd watched in silence and
the hours wore ON.
The water still poured on the WinbcI-
mann store. About an hour after the eX-
plosion Eek was seen Just inside the door
opposite the stairway. lie was alive,
and the crowd seemed almost. ready to
give cheer He was imprisoned be-
tween the timbcrs, but fortunately there
was no llame near him. The water was
kept pouring all around him. The mon
worked with 70 will and MS they toicd
ground him they would try to keep his
courage up. Eek behaved well. Whisky
and nourishmcnt were given to him, and
in u short while he was taken out. Eek
says he was caught everywhere except
his right arm He says If he had had a
knife he would have committed suicide
lie could hardly stand the agony oil MIND
and body he was undergoing.
All morning the lircmcn worked on
the fire. and after it was under control,
and they could with safety enter the
building, the work began. 1t was
II 40 when the men entered the build
ing. After seaching some time cry
was raised William Birch had picked
up hat. 1t was examined and found
TO be McAfce's. Ii was all crushed in
and battered out of shape.
About twelve o'clock, twenty feet
back of the elevator Tic fircmcn foNnd
body lying on the face, the hands
clenched. They dug around him and ut
1910 the body was taken out. 1t was
horribly burnt; the face was unrccog-
.ni2ablc, the hair was scorched almost
completely from his head, and the mans
shoes and feet were burnt OIL IL was
Wagner.
Near the body of Wagner was another,
man standing erect, as if packed in,
At first the body was thought TO be that
of George Bowers, but upon looking
more closely it was seen to be that OF
Harry Walker, of No Z. They dug
around him, and tore the beams from
him, still the blacllencd corpse stood up
right among the living. The men
worked but il was impossible TO release
him. A ioist seemed to lie across his
feet and several others held the legs.
At / 2.35 his body was released and put
in the patrol wagon and taken to the
same place.
1t was just an hour and n half later
when another body was taken out. This
was that of George Bowers. lie was
pinned in close to the wall. and had
probably been on the stairway when the
crash ceme. The lltsh was burnt to
the bone in many places, and was also
burnt from the stomach. lie was "
ing on his back over a beam, with his
arms forward as if he were pushing at
something to get il out of his way.
Near him was n crcwbar. which ne prob
ably had in his hand These two men
Walker and Bow ers-wcre buried under
about three feet of debris. There was
not such heavy layer upon Wagner.
About twenty minutes to six the body
of another, George Kerins, of No. z,
was taken out. lie was buried under
the other men, with layer of debris
upon him. His nose was broken ant
his head was bent TO the side. The flesh
was also off in many places.