The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-07-13


the hose Only one hose, that OF the
Chemical engine, had been hauled up
when a gust of wind caused the nalnes
to break out in an alarming manner
about 10 feet from the top OF the
cnroa. Meantime the fire had eaten
its way down through the network OF
timbers inside the structure, and un1
conscious of their danger the tiremen
were standing as it were on the shell
of burning volcano.
No one of the tens of thousands in
terested spectators had any intimation
of the perilous situation In when 4o
firemen were then standing. The hire
had been burning scarcely ~ minutes
aud the firemen were pulling and maui
ing at the ropes when suddenly 1ames
burst out around the base OF the Gu
pola in perfect hell of fury. So sud
den and furious was the outbreak and
so terrible was the spectacle that for
moment the crowd stood transflXed
with horror Strong men wrung their
hands in an hysterical manner and
scores of women tainted. All were
powerless to aid the unfortunate men
imprisoned on the balcony hundred
and fifty feet from the ground. All
the ropes save one on the north SIDE
of the tower were burned away In
an instant. The hose from the
chemical engine withstood the heat
however, and springipg forward John
Davis caught hold of it and slid down
to the main roof of the warehouse
where he tainted away. His face and
hands were terribly burned by, the
flames which enveloped his body as
he came down. He was taken TO the
hospital and physicians say he Will re-
cover. Two of his fellow tiremen at
tempted to follow him, but before
they were halfway down the. hose gave
way and they dropped into the seeth'
ing mass of fire and were lost. AS the
hose parted and the men sank out OF
sight in the fire the multitude below
gave utterance to groan OF sickenlng
horror Another of the imprisoned
men started down a rope on the nortn
side of the tower and had almost
reached the roof when it gave way
and he fell striking on his head and
was instantly killed.
There now remained according to
count of various spectators from 20 to
80 men on the tower. They were
hopelessly beyond help. The long
ladder fell short of reaching them by
fully 80 feet. Death of the most aw..
full kind was fast approaching. AL
this terrible moment Marshal MUIR
phys tall form and white helmet .ap--
peared in front of the men huddled
together on the narrow balcony. He
appeared addressing his brave follow
ers. What he said will probably new.
er be known, for he alone of all the
men around him at that moment es-
capped alive, and his injuries are such
that it is doubtful if he will ever re
cover consciousness. AS he ceased to
speak one of the men crept around
the burning balcony to the east and
returned moment later with a rope.
1t was hastily fastened to the railing
around the balcony and thrown to the
roof. Marshal Murphy pointed to It,;
The foremost man seized it and started
to slide down, but ere he was half way
the cruel flames rolled up, and he was
swallowed into the mouth of an awful
volcano. Another tried it and met the
same fate. Five men then sprang
from the balcony to the roof and were
killed by the fall. If any survived
they were burned. The rope was
burned about half way down and hung
apparently useless against portion OF
the wall not yet destroyed.
Seeing his men jumping to their
doom the heroic marshal seized the
rope and started down. Captain
Fitzpatrick, an old personal friend OF
Marshal Murphy and who has worked
on the Chicago fire department with
him for score of years, was on the
roof. Seeing there was no chance to
save his old comrades life he sprang
| forward and was soon at the top OF
the ladder. A shout of admiration
and encouragement went up from the
multitude below. The heroic captain
started back with his friend but was
enveloped in the flames. With the
energy of dispair he clutched his com
rade and slid down the ladder to the
roof, where he fell prostrate. Both
Murphy and Fitzpatrick were uncon-
scious. They were lowered to the
ground and taken to the hospital, and
| It is doubtful if either recover.
Scarcely % minutes had elapsed
since the fire was discovered, but so
rapid had been its progress that the
entire tower had burned away and it
| fell with an awful crash carrying with
it several firemen who were playing on
the flames with hose from the roof.
There was a wild scramble to get off
the roof. A large quantity of liuseed
oil was stored on the top floor, and
| when the tower fell it crashed through
the roof of this infammable fuel. then
the flames rolled up high in the air.
As the firemen fled from the roof one
Of them picked up the mangled
form of one of the unfortunates
VINO had jumped from the balcony
and carrying it to the edge of the root
dropped it to the ground, thus saving
it from cremation. AS yet the body is
not identified. Many Of the unfor-
tunate firemen who lost their lives
might have been saved had the depart
ment been supplied with nets. They
tould have jumped from the tower to
he roof and been saved by nets.
Seeing it was hopeless task to at
tempt to save the building the firemen
now directed their efforts TO keep the
fire from spreading. The Worlds
Fair stables, just south OF the big
warehouse, were burning and the fire
had spread to the roofs OF several ho
tells across Stoney Island avenue just
outside the grounds. With good