Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-07-18
MURPHY'S SIDE OF IT
He Tells the Story Of the Cold
Stosaes House Fire.
HOW MEN JUMPED FOR LIFE
The lGesuha1 oAys TAss YIsspaastck
We nannins ths H'sse ana No
knsw HI asss1nsA
HOW MEN JUMPED FOR LIFE

CHIcAco. July l7.--R>ceut develop
meats In ths cold storage horror 1t the
eSposition IN the shape u interviews
with several oficisls Of the warehouse
company caused interest to deepen in
the inquest now bsing held and . large
crowd surrounded the Hyde Park
police station at 10 o'clock today when
the formal taking Of testimony began.
Mrs. Emma Smith was tho first wit
ness She testified that she was tho
widow OF John A. Smith and lived at
03 Wentworth avenue. She last saw
her husband alive July &. She next
saw his body Ut Rolston's morgue. where
Il was identified.
Marshal Murphy's STORY.
Coroner McHale then called for Mar
shal Murphy. and there was buzz of
excitement as he took thu witness chair.
his testimony was IA follows:
We received an alarm Of fire about
l 20 p. M the 10th Of the present month.
l heard the alarm in my headquarters
in tho Service building. proceeded to
the fire. When reached IL engine
company No. aud hook and ladder No.
5 had reached the scene and proceeded
to the roof. The fire was burning on
the extreme top of the cupola or
chimney. and did not extend over six
inchesoyer the top Of the chimney That
was the only tire to be seen. and there
was no smoke whatever from the fire.
When reached the roof there were two
lines 1t hose being raised. Captain
Fitzpatrick called from the tower for "a
twenty live foot ladder. / ordered the
ladder raised hoisted il 10 the roof
with.a painters tackle and rope. Tho
ladder was taken from tho block by
Captain Fitzpatrick and other tircmen
anu placed ia position so that stream
could be brought 10 bear on the fire
When the line was placed Captain titz-
patrick called. Play away at once
went 10 the cast side o; the building and
ordered the engineer OF No. to play
away.
Caqscd the Explosion.
when the water had reached tho
pipe the stream was directed toward the
fire. As soon as it truck i. smoke ap-
pcarcd, and immc diatcly follow rug that
an explosion. Alter the explosion
flames appeared from all sides IL the
tower. After the flames hurst cut upon
the men they iegan To- jump from the
tower. Sig Norcirum Frank B,llcnbcrg.
John Freeman. William Mahonry,
James Garvey, Charles Puryes. James
Fitzpatrick Burton Page, John Me.
Bride. Paul Schroeder. John a. Smith
and Willianl Denning were the men
am positive saw jump. This is as
complete a ljst 10 | can give. With the
assistance ~ Harvey Williams, John
Mcintire ahd one Columbian guard
they were Carried 10 the north end OF
the building. ] ordered the guards u
lower the men by life line or rope.
Murphy then descris Ell the rescue of
Captain fitzpatrick and. continuing,
said:
Il did not order the men To- the tower.
All Of them were up there when | ar
rived. The fro was in charge of Captain
Fitzpatrick up To the time 4 reached
the scene. and | presume ii yas under
his orders that they were up there.
Captain Fitzpatrick was familiar with
the building. as be had been there IL
put out hre in the tower o. June IL.
lie knew his business. presume. When
/ f,rst arrived 10 water had set been Put
utes after my arrival that the first
stream was sent up on the flames III the
tower
Defective Fiuc Caused IL.
After the fire ON June IL asked
Captain Fitzpatrick what hea caused il.
lie said il was due 10 a defective .Iue.
sent one of my men 10 examine tie
chimney. aud that afternoon he placed
a report of his investigation on my deck.
lie said in his report that IL was impos-
siblc for sparks or smoke to reach below
the pan. as IL was 80 tight it was imIos
sible io wedge knife blade between il.
The smoke stack ran up 10 within two
feet 81 the top. but 1t did not extend
further"
This completed Marshal Murphys
questioned again.
TO the tower then Y Coroner Mclialo
asked.
NO. sirr Marshal Murphy replied
most emphatically. The men werc
already up there when ] arrived
did Captain Fitzpatrick order the
men to go up there =
II presume 40. He was the one who
had charge Of the fire up 10 the time of
my coming
Notified or Danger.
when you learned that the smoke
stack did not reach the top of the tower
did you notify the cold storage people p
"ies. sir. As soon as Captain fiiz-
patrick notified me ] Immediately sent
him to notify the owners OF the build.
ing
-. II. Burnham. director of works of
the woFii's Columbian exposition. then
took the stand. He tod the following
story
The day of the fire | arrived AZ the
worlds fair grounds on an Illinois Cen
trail train shortly after the hre broke
out did not see the men
fall OF jump from tie tower.
Mr.. Atwood. who was with me,
ran 10 the fire afterwarl
saw Captain Fitzgerald being lowered
from the hurn,ng rpof The drasings
- the building were presented sith the
usual other business They belonged
20 private parties and were passed
upei7
Ibid you ever examine the smoke
stack. or have know edge II It's condi
tom asked the coroner
~No. SIR.
"Dsd you hear a the firss firey-
"No ar. That il. ! did not learn any
- the iefails~
Was n net some ones business 81 70.
pert the matter - yons~
Btremc. wnrfsi Me- Ifr.-t
ilcFfon ths constructing cmf~nfrf. eFn
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