The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-11

guides, ambulance and hospital corps
which worked in order and effectively
until the lnttammable towering mass had
become smoking black ruin. Later in
the day most effective Gordon around
the ruins was formed by immense pools
OF waters from the pipes, hydrants and
hose. This served the hremen in GOOD
stead, when they were engaged in soaking
Ihe debris and pulling away the black
ened timber to get the bodies of the vic
tlms' or what remained of them. The
loss OF property will reach $3.50 900.
CAUGHT IN THE TOWER.
Before the tiremen got to work, several
painters, electric light men and others
employed in the building ascended by the
elevators to the main roof and after
wards climbed up a spiral stair case
which was built around the great death
trap OF smoke stack until they reached
a balcony underneath the buruing cupola.
Tley found that the flames had gone too
far to be smothered by the chemicals at
hand. They waited for the fremen to
join them, thinking they could be of as
slStance. About 30 men were upon the
tower and were cut off by the flames.
One man, painter, slid down a line of
hose that had been carried up by the fire
men. The others waited and were burned
to death, or were killed or injured by
4CdpLu5 W uIle TOOI DGlOW.
CAUGHT ON THE ROOF.
Many of those who jumped were i'm
bedded fast in the roof composition. A
rope hung from the upper balcony and
number of Gagged men were seen to strug-
gle for possession of the rope, but it soon
burned off. One by one they dropped
from the tower, some clinging to the
burning rope as far as it afforded them
any hold, and then shooting through
solid mass of fame to the roof The
sight was too much for even the military
men and old fremen on the ground to
bear without shudder, and they turned
away their faces.
Human forms leaping through the
flames hundred feet or more down to
sure death, presented a sight the stoniest
heart could not witness unmOved.
HERo's DEATH.
The last man on that tower died the
hero's death among all those heroes who
faced the furnace below them. He had
waited without apparent fear until there
was only himself left. He was a fireman
and he grasped the remnant of the burn
ing rope just as the whole structure part
ed and fell towards the north, right over
the prostrate bodies of the poor fellows
who had leaped to escape the pitilCss
flames. The last man who went down to
IL
as far as the rope went and then the rush
of flames and air was so great that
his body turned round and round
in the passage within sight of all and the
blazing tower fell over his form, making
a funeral pyre and ending his agony, if he
was not dead before striking the roof
When the tower toppled over there was
no hope of saving any who
had not been taken off the roof
Tho bodice ot,silrinCr had hpsCp1n
imbedded nearly three feet in the
gravel and tar between the wooden joist,
and only few could be removed to u
place of safety before the great central
tower crashed over.
AID FOR THE SURVIVING FAMILIES.
Two hours after the extent of the
calamity had become known S2, 400 had
been subscribed for the benefit of the
families of the fallen heroes. Byron T.
Smith, president of the Northern Trust
Company, which bank has a branch in
Pavilion d of the administration build
ing, came over to the Office of the local
directory and told President Higinbotham
If a subscription list for the benefit
of the bercaved families had not
been started, to head one with
$1,000 placed opposite the name
of the Northern Trust Company The
paper was quickly drawn up and after
Mr.. Smith had affixed his signature,
President Higinbotham followed it with
$500, Commissioners Massey and St.
Clair each set down 500 opposite their
names, and the manager of the Phila-
delphia Cafe subscribed a like amount.
Just then two Columbian guards arrived
with two cigar boxes heaped with coin and
bills, which when counted netted $500
more This amount will be vastly in
creased tomorrow when it is known
among the officials thht paper of this
nature has been put in circulation. Boxes
were to night placed on the outside and
inner posts of the fence at the different
entrances which will be used as recepta-
cles for contributions for the benefit of
the widows and orphans of the dead
men.