Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-03-17
nto the street to attract the attention of the
oman hut .pithnuf nHo,t

INTO the street to attract the attention of the
fireman, but without effect.
The flames In the meantime became so hot
that lie was forced TO change his position, and
he ran around to the Kingston street side of
the building, where he saw cable wire
running across to the building on the opposite
side of the street.
Chief Egans story Of the fire as told to a
reporter Is as follows:
II had gone 10 the roof Of the building to
turn on the roof hydrant, and 1t appeared
to me that had not been there three min
utes when the flames shot up through the
roof and with lightning-ke rapldity rushed
toward the Essex street end Of the build
ing.
II was enveloped in smoke, while about
me the air was filled with Kissing cinders.
realized that escape was cut off and then
sought to attract the attention OF the firemen
in the street below, but without success.
FINALLY, ut Il last resort, | threw my white
hat into the crowd below, and, while / could
see a sea of faces looking up, there was no
effort TO raise n ladder.
"Thcn the flames became so hot that I
stepped out upon the gutter and Ietreated
from them as far rs / could.
II had made up my Mad to jump, and
run the risk OF being dashed to pieces on the
pavemcnts, which was far preferable to be-
ing burned to death.
II noticed the cable Of wires running to
the building on the opposite side of the
street, and told the young man who was
with me to climb out first and | would follow
him
II turned my head to look for him, but the
heat was so intense that | could stand It no
longer and climbed out on the wire.
For few minutes / seemed to make
fair progress. Then it appeared as II the
wire went up almost pcrpcndicularly, and
could make no way whatever.
II had made up my mind to let go my
hold entirely, when a sudden gust OF wind
covered me with sparks and developed me
in great cloud of smoke.
''At that moment l felt the wire giving
way, and concluded to hold on, and SO
braced myself for the swing against the
building. Before | realized 1t, instead of 90
ing forward, found that was going back
ward.
Then knew that the wire had not been
burned of, but that the men had cut 1t, aud
they lowered me inch by inch until my back
touched the building.
with what little strength | had left
lowered myself, and all of a sudden | felt
that was falling. The next thing that
knew / was surrounded by a numbers of
people, and then realized that had fallen
into tile life net"
IloN htes Wtit Suttus
Engine got an alarm on the automatic
signal, aud was on the ground several
minutes ahead. Even then the whole Part
ridge building was ablaze ana the occupants
jumping from the windows.
Lieut.. Smith, who ordered Mr.. Wiley to
pull box So, turned his attention Mt once to
The saving Of life. The horse blankets on
the engine were the first means ut hand.
The net was put into service also, the
lieutenant and three of his men officiating
with it. The most promising point was
under two windows at the corner of Essex
and Lincoln streets, on the Lincoln street
side.
The terror-stricken crowd seemed to be
massed there on the fourth story, deaf to
oil advice. The life savers called to them,
but their efforts were more in lodging
around with the net to intercept the falling
bodies Inan waning Tor Cuiefuny ai'nod
jump.
No more coming from the window, the life
savers went around on the Essex street side
and caught six from window on the third
story.
Meantime the citizens with the horse
blankets were doing noble work on the
Essex street side of the Ames building: One
| window seemed to have been chosen by the
beeaguered tenants. They jumped with
more confidence, as network Of wires half
way down were tempting break in the
dreadful fall.
81 saw a spectacle which simply appalled,
me-" was the remark to Mr.. William B.
Rumril of Dean, Chase Co., who was
| near the Partridge building when the fire
broke out.
IA torrent OF fame was pouring out the
windo VIZ IN the centre front OF the second
MOOR. The people inside were throwing
books out Of the windows, and men and
boys from the stores were picking them up.
soon / SAW four men and one woman
clInging to the stone work In the third
story. .,,
| ladder up 10 them, owing TO the network oil
| wires
III watched the quartet rs they chung for q
few minutes only, while the crowd In the
street stood IN breathless silence. ine
smoke was SO suffocatiDg that they had "a
let 90. Then the four, one after announcer
Jumped off, Down they came, and strucH
solidly on the frozen ground.
| "They were unconscious when reached
ami must have been terribly injured. Lnei'
could hardly DO whole bone IN their pooy
"The firemen did their best to save tne ll
BY putting mp ladders, but the wires WcI'
4 too much for them and they could not Sc
them up"
Mr.. Young's story.
Mr.. ]. @. Young, manager ofthe AArln
Manufacturing Company, Ahs . ~.
! graphic story OF the fire, The ~ 4. Sv ~
psny was located on the thtrq n2 y. IA, a.
Ames building, on the EseeE ~ ~
about midway along the
is sTSss i filss We kns~ ofsny ! I ",
1t the farther end Of the r. "a =.