Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-03-11


Esgan of Boston, was seen at an eight
story window. He boldly seized one o
the large insulated cables which contain
large number of electric wires and pro
ceeded to cross to the opposite building
hsnd-over-h hand. He had gone but q fey
feet when 1t became apparent he could no
last long and greatly to the crowds relic
he threw both legs over the hslf-incl
cable, which slightly sagged, and slowl.
and tediously made his way toward tn
building 119 Kingston street, to which tn
| cable ran.
A large number of life-saving nets, csn
vases and cloths were produced and fire
men, police and by-stsnders We'd will
each other in holding them, while other
| hosrssly shouted to the imperilled man Z,
| drop. To have done SO seemed to cour
instant death. His white, sgonized fac
could be seen ss he slowly made his wa,
over the cable. Several times the voice o.
| the vast crowd was hushed, as 1t seemed
that the poor being hanging there wa
| lost. All at once the crowd broke into
cheer, which infused new life into tn,
spirit of the fire chief. He reached mid
way between the two buildings, and If ht
could only hang out a few minutes b,
would be saved. Every inch of the street
below was covered with nets.
At this point the cloud of smoke cleared
away and the man was recognised as Dis
trict Chief John F. Esgan, who had only
been out of the house q short time, where
he was confined with broken collarbone.
A squad of men ran up on the building
119 Kingston street and slowly lowered the
cable to which Eagan was hanging. Al
the same time hook and ladder No. 4
erected ladder to the meet slowly descend.
ing man. The cable was paid out slowly and
the exhausted man gradually came near
terra frms. In few seconds he swung
into the arms of his comrades, released his
hold and weak as a rat was carried from
the scene. A shout of triumph and sp-
plsuse came forth from the throats of the
vast assembly.
Jonn J. Sullivan of engine No. 4, who
lives in East Boston, held the nozzle in the
Lincoln building on the fifth floor, trying
to subdue the flames in the Ames building.
Orders were given to shut off and leave the
building for fear of their lives. As the
men on the lower stories let 60 Sullivan
was carried over the bAlustrade and hurled
to the bottom of the we'll he struck the
bslustrade on each hoor and was uncon-
scieus before he reached the bottom. He
was taken to the City hospital. His re-
covery is doubtful. He will be a cripple
for life If he ever comes out of that insti-
tuition. Sullivan is a new fireman. He
Joined the department on February 10 and
is but twenty one years old.
Hoeeman O'Connor of engine No. 2
stated to an Associated Press representa-
tive that his engine was first at che scene
of the confsgration, and he was sent to
the second story of the Ames building to
help rescue the Partridge employees.
Said he:
"Ive been in many a tight place, but
what saw to night shall always remem-
Der. When 1 reached the second storyand
entered the loom on the Lincoln street side
the sight was most pitiful. Men, women
and girls, frenzied with fear, were strug-
Cling to reach the windows to throw them
selves into the street. Taking one at q
time lowered them by the hands as far as
could and then dropped them into
the nets spread below, at the came time
fighting the mad crowd back from the win
dow. The cries of the frightened creatures
were heartrending, while the men seemed
to lose all presence of mind and fought
like demons. think I succeeded In low
ering some twenty-five OF thirty. I should
think that there must have been at least
thirty who never came out alive. It Is i'm
possible for any one to estimate the loss of
life tonight In this building"
George N. McCalIsr, bookkeeper at the
burned out store of Horace Partridge Il
Co., ssys: 81 was standing at my desk
balancing the days accounts, when sud-
denly was startled by the cry of 'hre.'
had eesr,ely recovered from my surprise
when the engines arrived: Ny first i'm
pulse was to seize the books, and calling
two of the clerks standing near me we got
the most valuable ones down stairs safely.
As near as can recollect, five minutes
elapsed between the cry of fire. and the arri-
val of the engines, yet in that time the
building seemed to bs one sesthing mass
of fame. In the rush from the building
employees were knocked down and trampled
ur IN. The pitiful sprssls of the young
girls, mingled with the shouts of the men
es they strove to pilot them to place of
eafety, YVES one of the most exciting Incl
dents of my life. I have no doubt that
many of the FL ms employees, who were on
the fifth and sixth floors of the building,
have met with serious injuries, If come of
them are not now dead" There were
about thirty clerks eusployed by the COM
pany.
William 8. Mumrill, of Dean, Chase &
Co., Gays: IT first saw q man with his
hair literally singe1 off his head rushing
up the strest 70 the nearest fire alarm box.
I sprang to the door and saw spectacle
that appalled, me A torrent of flame was
literally ouiing out the windows in the
oentsr front on the second floor of the
Ames' building. The rsople inside were
throwing b oks out of the windows and
men end boys from the stores were pick
ing them up. Very foon on the parapet,
way up above the street, saw four men
and q woman clinging to the stone work.
There was no such thing as getting lad
der up T. them, owing to the net work OF
wires. This is the worst corner for wires
In the city of Boston, and the
whole street is in ps1.l from them. We
wstched the patty as they clung for q few
minute, only, while the crowd In the
street stoo In bresthless horror. Then
tie four, one sftsr another, jumped off.
Down they came, a height of fully siz
stolies and struck solidly on the frozen
ground. Every one of the four were I'M
conscious when reached, and all must be
terribly injured. There could hardly be q
whole bone In their bodies.n
Leonidas b. Redpath, q business man
occupying Offices in the Partridge build
he died at 7:15. Mr.. Redpath was mem
Ter Of the firm of Redpath Brothers, man.
u1scturers, 1888 Lincoln street, and lived
at No. 81 Cumberland etrcst.
Ida Eries IN, aged twenty four, living Of
No. 81 Common street., jumrsd from q
third-story window. The fremsn caught
her in net, ewing her life. She wa
taken 70 her home.
Daniel R. Murray viii have his leg am.
putat3d n the morning. The OF Grafton
was to have t-,n performed at the Elmer.
gency hospital and he YVES put under the
influences of ether, but the near approach
of the flames made 1t IMP ossible to operate
and he We J removed ID the city hospital.
The following victims were taken to the
hospital:
| Dead-Upknown man, aged about twenty five
l suppoy sd eJu lfbrsIy card IN his PICKET 70 b
| Fred Meadowcroft, No. 46 Chestnut street, Rob
| srt Restsaux, aged twenty five, ledderman, Q
Charles girl, too badly burned to DO fdentih
ed;Leonidas Radpath, merchant, died At hospital
| Injured-John J. sullivan, SO London street
Il East Boston, enginsn al ON engine No. =, fey OF
L q ladder at lincoln street, and received ser1ou
Injuries at one time reported dead; Joshua Sher
ard aged thirty -four, residing I'm Cambridge, In
jured ankle; Charles Wellworth, Nun ~ street
Roxbury, multiple injuries; John +. DENIM
son, 1917 Washington street, dslocat.d shoulder
| Michael Harkins Of Whitman st., injured thigh
| Margaret Flynn, aged S, scalp wound and intel
nal injuries; Ada Perrin, Darling street. ser
ously Injured BY failing; Daniel r. MuI ply, ioz
Dorchester avenue, compound fracture OF Lee
Il n..I 9f16 avAuu0. fniurf