New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-04
STORIES Of EYE WITNESSES.
VARYING GREATLY AS TO THE INCIDENT
ATTENDING THE FIRE.
STATEMENTS OF THE SERVANTS WHO ESCAPED
FROM THE HoUsE-EXPERIENCES OF
THOSE WHO RESCUED THE
raY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE.

These WHO RESCUED THE
SECRETARY.
rBr TELEGRAPH TO TRDuNE.l
Washington, Feb. 3.-James Welch. Secretary
Tracy's butler, who says he gave general alarm
through the house before the fremen arrived, and
whose statement seems to tally accurately with
the facts. says
Il sleep in the basement, and this morning
got up about 6 80 o'clock. There was no smell
Of fire and appearance Of anything wrong
about Z o'clock I started to clean the dining
room, when there was ring at the bell, and
when | answered it colOred man said, Your
house is on fire. At once / rushed upstairs to
rouse the family and although the smoke was
very thick / succeeded in knocking at every
door and from each one in the rooms L secured
response. Then / started to go down stairs
nearly choxed with the smoke fell three times
but snally got to the front door. went around
to the rear of the house and tried to get ladder
so as TO reach the Secretary and Mrs. Tracy's
bedroom. Mrs Tracy was then at the window
and while the few of us who were there appealed
TO her to keep still for one minute more. she
climbed out on the sill and lowered herself until
she hung by her hands on the narrow stone pro-
lection. Everybody who her yelled to her
to hold on for moment. and we looked around
break the fall, which had to come. Mrs. Tracy
may have heard our cries, but it is not certain
that she did The cook. who on the roof
was screaming 80 that we could not hear anything
distinctly. How long did Mrs. Tracy hang there?
Not more than few seconds. She told me after
ward that she slipped. She fell into the area
way. almost touching me in her descent II was
on the ground level and struck on her left side
| picked her up and carried her into Mr.. Rheems
house 1t was the most awful occurrence in my
life"
Mr.. E. s. Rheem, who lives just around the
corner, in Seventeenth-st, into whose house Mrs
Tracy was carried after her fall to the areaway,
gives a graphic account of the scene as he found
il on running to one of his back windows, which
face on the alley behind the Tracy house.
81 was awakened" said he, by the most fear
full screams from Secretary Tracys house. i ran
to my third-story window and witnessed terri
bic sight Clinging 10 the edge of the window-eiil
Of the second story Mrs. Tracy. She was IN
her night-clothes The smoke was pouring out
Of the window behind her. Suddenly she let
20 her hold ard dropped clear to the areaway OF
the basement which is some distance below the
level of the yard. My attention was then at
tracted by the screams which proceeded from tue
roof looked up and through the black, dense
smoke saw woman come out OF the WlndOW
ON the mansard roof and walk along the edge.
She waved blanket around herself, trying to
clear away the smoke which poured out after her,
all the while uttering piercing screams Every
moment expected to see her jump. In few
minutes there shout, clatter of feet, ana
a squad of fremen bearing ladder rushed down
the alley. They hoisted it, but found it too
short. Then another was raised and the woman
and
She was the German cook
Chief Paris, of the Fire Department., tells
story which conflicts somewhat with the state
ments made by others. In the excitement OF
those moments it is not impossible that the
Chief failed to see what others did; he GER
tainly does not give due credit to the policemen
who first fought their way upstairs, ana he
seems to exaggerate altogether the Importance OF
the part he himself took in the matter lie said !:
"As boy and man have been fireman for
thirty-three years in this town, and 1t was the
closest call ever had. When arrived here this
morning flames were issuing from the front win
dow and group Of frightened servants were
standing chatterng on the corner. flremen
had already burst in the door, and up the steps
| leaped. followed by Howard Wright here one
of the bravest young fellows that ever crowded
into smoke-fllled house. We ran through the
long hall and the Secretary's private bath, and
from there into his bedroom. The place was
thick with smoke and through IL l saw the form
of the Secretary cropping his way toward the
door. just | pushed my way through, no
fell and I caught him in my arms. He is a
very heavy man and l staggered from the ter
rible weight, but managed to carry him to the
window, and, throwing it up, put his head out
and called to the men to push up the ladder
I 4, nd vvee 81 there
I looked back over my shoulder and saw the
flames steadily advancing upon u.s. | called to
the men on Truck No. TO keep back the flames
at any cost and they did So When i turned
around from giving this order ladder was
pushed up TO the window and two men skinned
I'D the rounds like a couple of monkeys
handed over the form OF the Secretary to their
keeping. He regained consciousness a moment
and murmured My daughter l pushed my
way back through the smoke, and the first door
reached pushed my way in. 1t was like
furnace and for an instance | WAS completely
blinded. Then | saw through the fog bed, and
living PROSTATE on II was the form of woman
| caught her in my arms, but saw that life must
be extinct, for the skin peeled of under my
touch. ! wrapped the body OF the young girl,
| for it was Miss Tracy in the bed clothing, car
| ried her down the stairway and laid her down
| on the sidewalk. l haven't seen her since All
this time ! had paid no attention to the fire.
When lives were in danger we could not stop
10 look after anything else. Yes, decidedly. 1t
was the closest call ever had, and hope may
never have another like IT,"
| Policeman Cattell was the first person to reach
the Secretary's room. lie turned in the o'clock
call az Pennsylvania-ave and Seventeenth-st. and
then walked up Seventeenth-st In the direction of
the Sccretarys house. Just after crossing HIST.
he heard considerable noise and heard some one
| call " fire Running to the corner he saw the
flames pouring from the windows. He went TO
the front door, but il was locked and lie went 10
the basement door Finding that door unlocked
L a..