Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1893-07-27
GOLDSBORO. N. c., JULY 80, 1898
cHIcAGo's MODEST EXHIBIT.

the treasures OF America TO the
people OF the earth, they made no
provision for showing among the
rest that feature of our daily lite
which is at once the commonest and
the most precious of all, the civic
virtue of heroic courage and sacri-
fee to duty. In the mysterious
providence Of God, the exhibit"
u~nheralded ard unclassified, came
suddenly, terribly. but glorionsiy,
on the afternoon of July 10, whtn
more than a score of iremen faced
and met their death, with simple
heroism, in the performance OF their
duty.
The entire fire brigade of the
Fair answered the alarm when it
was given at half-past n o'clock
that day. Chief Murphy leading his
men to the top Of the burning
building, $50 feet from the earth.
The story of how they found
themselves cut off by the flames
was told in the dispatches of last
week. That and it's awful sequel
were but accidents in the tragedy.
Not such was the conduct Of the
men threatened with death IN its
most horrible form. When their
comrades below with infinite diff
Guilty raised a ladder to the edge
OF the roof where they stood surs
rounded by the tongues of fire,
"there was no outcry, no struggle
for precedence, no cowardice."
Chief Murphy, conspicuous BY his
white helmet, stepped back and
m~otioned for fireman to go be-
fore him."
When the Chief himself reached
a place of safety, his first act was
to gather four volunteers and go
back to rescue his wounded and
dying associate, Captain FItzpat-
rick.
"Men denounced the man in the
white helmet as fool-hardy," says
the Chicago Herald's report.
"They could see no excuse for
climbing to the top of g building
that was beyond the power Of nan
to save from destruction, into the
mouth of hell. And still the man
with the helmet climbed steadily
upward, He reached the edge OF
the roof and peered over into the
hell of fire and smoke. He turned
and beckoned to the fremen be-
low, and a second later a stream Of
water leaped into the super-heated
air and drenched him from head
to foot. Again and again be beck-
oned to the men below. Then a
fireman sprang to the ladder.
Another and another followed,
Until four were going hand over
hand toward the man with the
white helmet.
II call that the height of fool
hardness q man said who stood
and stared with straining eyes at
the men on the ladder. Those
men are certainly crazy, for they
can Go nothing but risk their lives
up there
Thousand echoed the condemo
nation that was thus voiced, only
to break into wild cheers of ap-
proyal a moment later. The white
helmet disappeared over the edge
of the roof along with two black
ones. When they reappeared their
wearers were struggling beneath a
limp burden. It was the body OF
Captain Fitzpatrick in the arms of
Fire Marshal Murphy. Captain
Kennedy and Fireman Hans Rehr
feldt. They stood a trio of heroes
outlined against a background OF
fire. A mighty shout arose above
the roar of the flames. Strong men
clasped hands in the crowd in the
intensity of their admiration for
the gallant rescners on the roof"
When Aladdin's palace was
built, and all marvelled at it's won
drous beauty, the magician told Its
owner that it lacked but one per.
lection, 6 roc's egg from Mount
Caucasus. Aladdin conveyed the
wish to his genie, who cried out to
him, "What you ask, wretched
man, is the-life of my brothertF
Chicago's White City, all uncon.
scious of its meaning, asked for the
most precious thing on earth, and
lite request has been granted. Oul
brothers have died to crown the
glory of the Worlds Exhibition
The least that we can do is tc
honor their sacrifice and reward il
by caring generously for their
helpless ones