Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-07-14
FORTY FlREMEN LOSE THEIR
LIVES.

The cold storage warehouse, one
of the smallest buildings of the
Worlds Fair, containing an exhibit
of the Hercules Iron Works, ice and
refrigerating machine manufacturers,
took fire in the structure around the
smokestack on the 18th. At the first
signal 6remen rushed up the huge
shaft surrounding the smoke stack.
Before the hose could be coupled a
cry Of horror from the crowd below
caused the iremen to look down. The
shaft below was encircled with flames.
The crowd below became wild with
excitement. Suddenly every eye
was turned upward by the prepare
tion Of fireman to jump. He gave
q quick spasmodic leap and turned
over aud over half dozen times be-
fore he struck the roof 90 feet below.
When his body struck the roof, there
was frightful crash and it bounced
far up into the air.
From this time on bodies rained
from the steeple, as, after the first
leap, one man after another jumped
in quick succession as the flames
closed in below and the heat became
more intense. The very horror OF
death riveted every eye to the scene,
and while men and women shouted
HISTORICALLY the guards were almost
powerless to keep the crowd away
from danger.
All the ropes hanging from the
tower were burned away. One hose
witbstood the heat, however, and John
Davis caught hold Of it and slid down
to the main roof where he tainted.
His face and hands were terribly
burned by the flames which envel-
oped him as he came down. He was
taken to the hospital and his physi-
clans say he will recover. Two Of
his fellow firemen attempted to follow
him, but before they were half way
down the hose gave way and they
dropped into the seething mass OF
FIRE and were lost. Another man
started down portion OF q rope
hanging from the tower, but it gave
way and he fell, striking on his head,
and was instantly killed.
There now remained, according to
the count Of various spectators, twen-
ty-five to thirty men on the tower.
They were hopelessly beyond human
help, the longest ladder falling short
by thirty feet.
At this terrible moment Captain
Fitzpatrick's tall form appeared in
front of the mon who were buddled
together on the narrow balcony. He
seemed to be addressing his brave
followers. As he ceased speaking one
OF the men crept around the burning
balcony and returned moment later
with rope. 1t was hastily fastened
70 the railing around the balcony and
thrown to the roof. Fitzpatrick was
seen to point to it and a man started
to slide down, but before be was half
way the cruel flames rolled up and he
was swallowed in an awful volcano
Another tried it and met the same
fate.
One after another Eve of the men
at this point sprang from the balcony
to the roof. If any survived the aw.
Jul leap they were burned to death
afterwards. The rope burned off
about half way down, but Fitzpat-
rick seeing the men jumping to their
doom, seized strand and started
down. He dropped from the end of
rope and caught on ladder which
was raised to within 20 feet of it.
Fire Marshal Murphy, also on the
roof, sprang forward and soon reached
Fitzpatrick.
A shout of admiration and encour-
agement went up. The heroic Mar.
shall started back with his friend, but
was enveloped in flames. With the
energy of despair he clutchsd his
comrade and slid down the ladder.
Both Murphy and Fitzpatrick were
unconscious when picked up. The
former, however, was not seriously
hurt, but Fitzpatrick died that night.
bor twenty-three years, from 1850
to 1873, the variation in the price of
silver was only between &1.36 and
sl.32 per ounce, yet during that
time the gold production was con-