The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-01-26
MIRACULOUS ESCAPES.
Disastrous Tenement
House Fire-Policeman
Mahoney's Bravery.

.-N4IH
An alarm from the Fatal box" No. PAL,
at six o'clock last evening brought the
Fire Department laddies to No. sos Grove
street. The fire, which had made con-
siderable headway before their arrival,
was in a four story brick tenement house
owned by "Mat" Bligh, stoker OF
Engine No. 8. He occupies
the top floor with his wife
and three children. The store floor is
tensnted by John j. Mooney as a drug
store. The second floor was occupied by
Herman j. Schalk, MONEYS clerk, and
the third by Richard Coutts, an Erie
children. The fire was a lively one. Mar
and will probably die. Matt"
Bligh was injured internally he
has a broken leg and fractured shoul-
der, caused by falling from a window
Policeman Patrick Mahoney was badly
burned while rescuing Marcella Bligh;
The other inmates would have Jumped
from the windows had not they been pre-
vented and rescued in the nick OF time
by members of hook and ladder COM
panies.
ORIGIN OF II FIRE.
The fire is supposed TO have started in
a pile of rubbish in the cellar. Ii was led
by the dry timber partitions that framed
through the flooring y reached the
main hall. When the flames were dis
covered by Druggist Mooney, escape by
the halls had been cut of. The Inmates
became aware OF this and were seized
with panic. That the fire was not at
ended with even more serious results
seems miraculous.
Me- Di{1h NA4 "a ~ din ~ d fhof Qann ma nv
the main hall was cut off, and discover
ing that the flames were shooting up the
airshaft, threatening to destroy the entire
building, rushed mp stairs and called her
children tn follow her. She made her
way to the roof. Her eldest child, lc-year-
old Lucy, followed her. Arriving on the
roof she tainted. A few moments later
named Mears. The other two Bligh chill
dren, Lizzie, eight years, and Marcy, SIX,
remained with the father.
A CONFUSED FATHER.
Bligh seeing the halls abiaze, became
confused and selling Lizzie he carried
her to a window and was about to throw
her out when the crowds In the street
although but for an Instant. saved
the child's life. The yells of
the crowds in the street attracted
the attention of Engineer Coutts who was
still in his apartments. Looking out the
window he saw the child suspended in
mid-air. A second later, Bligh. let the
child drop, aud Coutts grabbed her
rs she was descending to GER
tain death. Cheer after cheer
went up from the street. Policeman
Mahoney, fearing that Bligh would
throw his other children u of the Win
dow, dashed through the flames. closely
followed by President Feeney. Mahoney
- n1.-t A- HnnF
POLICEMAN MAHoNEY's BRAVERY.
Selling The child. he made his way to
the street with her. His clothes were on
fire, as were also those of the child. These
were extinguished by friends. MahOney's
wounds were dressed aud he was sent
home
The child was removed to
ST. Francis Hospital where little hope is
entertained of her She Is be-
lieved to have inhaled flames while
Mahoney was rescuing Bligh's child,
Bligh appeared at the window with
his child Marcy in his arms. He was
preparing to lower himself, but
in doing so lost his balance aud
fell head foremost TO the street.
His instant death was prevented
by a ledge over the store window. His
shoulder struck this and broke the fall.
His injuries may prove fatal. The family
of Engineer Coutes and Mr.. Schalk were
rescued by the hook aud ladder com
panies.
The fire did about 50. 900 damage. Fire
box No. 24l is dubbed 1.-The fatal boz"
because two years ago 1T was used for the
fire in Boltwood's hardware store, where
Chief Henry E. Farrier net his death
and Stoker Oman, Of No. 8 engine, was
killed at the Barrow street crossing of
the Pennsylvania Railroad while re-
spending to the alarm.
GMarcella Bligh died today at noon in
st. Frances Hospital. Death was caused
by the inhalation of flames while being
rescued by Patrolman Mahoney.