New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-23

machinery. Nearly all tne policies expired or
would expire this month. Several expired yester-
dav and some to-day but az had hcen renewed, -
that they were in force at the time OF the iire'
'ine rate Ot insurance upon tnc place was nISti'
The origin Of the fire is thought by some 10 nave
been from tie spontaneous combustion oil some
, chemicals. go.
Near the Illinois-st' front Of the main building
was n stairway the people were surprised TO see
il made a turn midway between two floors and at
that point there a landins. From that hndihs
TO the top step Of the lower section was distance
of at least two and one half icct. In speaking OF
tLat place Jane, Madden, a fireman, remarked
" How could they expect crlppes 10 set up or
down thos stairs" In some parts of tie bulli-
ing the stairs were old and worn that extra
boards had been nailed on the steps. The halls
and stairs in some places were much OF u
puzzle that it was hard for a person TO tell which
was which. At one point four flights OF stairs
Rooms on tie third and fourth floors of the
main building and nearest the alley were the
scenes OF the greatest fatalities. In one room
we're two women, both of whom perished. In
another there was a man whose lower eXtremltlfS
were paralyzed. Although unable to walk he
dragged himself TO q window at the rear of the
building and threw himself out. lie dropped
about eight feet to roof, then TO another an'I
finally rolled off to the ground, saving hlmSeI
from death The entire rear haIt OF .he dnr inside
completely hled the first story, ana When tnc
liremen began their search for dead o9dleS ti.ey y
were obliged to begin work on a level with the
second floor. 1t will be several days before they
can hope to reach the bottom.
just as the fremen arrived on the scene a
woman with babe appeared at thlrd-story
window. She looked back into the furnace OF
death, then down TO the pavement below as IL
choosing between two things, either OF which
seemed certain death. Realizing finally that the
end was at hand she claspcd the babe to her
breast tossed the precious load out OF the wndo"
and gave her life to, the flames within; 1t
would have been pleasing thought to her to
know leiore expiring the fortune that beiel her Off
spring Pipeman o Brien had watched the woman
from below, and as the enid left the arms OF ITS
mother. he planted himself firmly with Outstretched
arms underneath the window. The by. wrapped
in its nighCcothcs whiilcd about in the air, ana
tcmbcd into O'Bren's arms unhurt by the fall
r lie saved. \ few moments later It WAS smiling,
seemingly unconscious Of the SURROUNDINGS;
The heroism Of Fireman John Loucks VIII long
he remembered. While the flames were shoot1; (
from the windows facing on Ilinoisst. he assembled
the extension ladder 10 tie upper floor. AS he
reached the windowsl he was met by Fireman
Weber Robinson, who had pushed his way through
the smoke with q child in his arms
Fake thi, baby. for Gods sake: Iouclts. ana
let me breath" said Robinson, a6 he pushed his
head into the open air.
Ioucks erasped the living load and started
downward. He had descended but a few feet
when the brave fellow missed his footing aud fell
hcadforcmCSt, his leg catching in the rungs OF the
ladder and doubtless saving his life. lie clung
painful one. his limb being broken. As he hung
there the derSr mass of people below turned away
from the awful scene. thinking that LouckS would
perhaps bc Obliged 10 loosen his grasp from weak
ness Not SO. however. He called for assistance
and in = twinllling he was reached by two other
firpmen who carried the child safely t. the ground
and tenderIl, hclDcd Louclls to an ambulance.
Hold on, hold on. Don't iump For God )
sake. don't jump, Wen get YOU in moment,
cried Chief Webster 10 a woman who stool in a
thirlsory window Scarcely had the words of
appeal left his lips when the woman. with shrek
Of agony lcaped from the window. The BODY
struc~ the stone tagging few feet from where
thc fire chief stood and picked up in the pangs
OF death and removed across the way.
Il will never forget those shrieks. said Fire
man Madden My God. it was awful. ] took
little child out of Gcorgiast window. II was
with its mother. and told the lady TO stay and
way down the ladder dropped the child in Gid
Thompson's and started back for
the mother, but before | reached the
window size jumped 10 the sidewalk. l
do rot know what became of her. In few
minutes heard scream, and looking mp saw three
faces at n fourth-story window. They cried for a
ladder and we tried to 90 10 them, but before we
could reach tho window all of them fell back into
the flames and were burned up