New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-09
[ TENEMENT-HOUSE ABLAZE.
HEROIC ACT OF A FIREMAN.
HE SAVES WOMEN AND CHILDREN FROM DEATH

HE SAVES WOMEN AND CHILDREN FROM DEATH
IN THE FLAMEs-roUa PERSONS INJURED.
That many lives were not sacrificed in a ira
which destroyed a Harlem fat house last night
is due mainly to the bravery of the iremen and
to tho coOlness and in1omitable pluck dsplayei
by the women in the burning building Two
women and two children now lie in the Harlem
Hospital NiIerinS from the effects of partial SUI
location. Fortunately. they will all recover
Certain circumstances III the 20 TO show
that tho flames were the work OF mischievouS
boys. Just after O'Clock Aancs Zimmerman, who
lives at No. go East Onc-hundrcd-and seven
teenth-st.. while passing down the street on her
way home, noticed four boys in the hallway OF
the four-story red-bricll tenement house which
stands on the northeast corner of One hundred
and-scvcntennth-St. and Third-ave. Something in
the actions of the boys attracted her attention,
and she crossed the streets to where they stood.
As she lid So a light fickcred up, and a
sheet of FAM STATED in the of thr hall
way. and the BOYS rushed out n.o the street. cry
ing Fire" Back of the hallway and right be
hind the stairway. was dunb-waltrr shalt, that
ran through the building from cellar 70 roof.
Almost instantly the fame jcapcl up the air
shaft and in few minutes mad possession of the
escapes lad been provided either in the front or
rear of the building The helpless women and
children upstairs wee in a dcathtiap. Ihcy
heard the shouts outside and rushed ont into the
stairway. whence smoke and fame beat theu
back Mrs Elizabeth EisSon who lives on inc
second floor, and her family had succeeded IN
reaching the street by the stairway just ahcau
Of the smoke and fame which closed IN behlhd
them. 49,,
Bnt for Mrs Christina Wichert and her littie
children on the fourth floor there seemed 10 De
no cscapc. With her rs boarders lived Ellen
Spears. her nephew william Steegler. elght Nca''
old Mrs. Mary Woodrow. an old woman ana VII
Huston Two young mon named fltzgerald anu
the members of the family were at supper "hrh
,bcy hoard the screams Of Mrs. ThOburn from the
door holoyy ITO the roof for your lives. crlcd
Mr. Thobnrn, as with his wife in his arms, ne
ran past their door and up tho ladder tha' ien
70 the scuttle. by Which he climbed to the root.
TIE Fitz.cralds needed no second warhils'
Selling Mrs Huston in their arms they ran to the
ladder and followed the Thorburns to the roof.
But Mrs. Wichert and Mrs. Spears sat for IA
moment dumb and motionless with ter
ror That delay almost cost them
their lives wall Of flame shot up between me
door and the stairway and as 1t seemed sn"'
them off from escape. Then, with her Children
Christina and Marie, cngins to her skirts. MIS-
Wichert, choking with the smoke staggered
TO the window Mrs. Spears and her boy had
fallen near the table Mrs Woodboro lay in
sensible on the floor. Then Mrs. Wichert's two
girls sank in faint.
In tho street below the people had procured
a net. stretched it out and then called to Mrs;
Wichert to jump. But she shook her head. ana
folding her arms stood calmly awaiting her fate;
Almost in the same instant head covered
with helmet, appeared at the window. ard man
lcapod into the room IL was Michael Murray;
Of Engine No. 35. lie seized Mrs. Wichert and
placed her in the arms Of George W. Ryer, OF
Hook and Ladder No.. who carried her down
the adder. Then opening the other window hc
lifted up the two children and gave them to
William Rocmer. who stood ready to receive
them. and, amid the shouts Of those below. car
ricd them down. Mrs. Woodboro was the next.
and she led down to safety in the arms OF
Eugene Turpcny Tkcn Mrs Spears and the boy
Sncscr were taken down by Ryer and Cart
right. Murray, little the worse for his noble
work. cl,mbcred down the escape amid the ap-
proving shouts of the crowd.
By fortunate accident, DR.. Steele. Of tho
Foard Of Health. was on the ground. After one
glance at tho unconscious faces OF the Wichert
children he knelt down by their side and began
fight with death. For nearly IN hour the doc
tor worked over the little forms before the hrst
signs of returning E4n1cloiSess % t9lG MN @ mat
Woodhoro, who had been cared for by the ambu
lance surgeon, they were taken away to the
hospital Mrs Spears and Strcglcr in the mean
time had been removed To a drugstore IN the
ucehborhood. and after few minutes were aDle
TO walk away.
iIbro brothers who have a grocery on the
ground floor Of the house. lost $1,000 by IN"
fire The loss Of the tenants is about S1.oOo
of Mount Morris-ave., s damaged TO the extent
o: $4,000.