Evening journal., 1893-12-28
SAVED BY HEROIC WORK
Some Thrilling Rescues Made
by Providence Firemen.
ONLY ONE MAN WHO PERIsHBD.


oGice Building, and Many Were Taken
Down on Ladders-scverai wero Badly
Burned-Brave Fire Fighters Injured.
providence, Dec 2s.-One OF the most
disastrous and thrilling fires that has
visited this city for years broke out in tho
new Moulton block at the corner of Moul-
ton and Westminster streets. The build
ing was completely gutted One man was
burned and several were injured.
The people In the building were first
startled by loud explosion, and the next
moment the entire upper part Of the build
ing was mass of flames. So hercely did
the fire burn that the 90 people in the
building become panic stricken, and but
for the prompt work Of the ilremen a terri
bic holocaust would have resulted. A
double alarm brought the entire depart
ment to the scene, but by this time the
flames had entire control Of the upper part
of the building.
Thrilling Rescuos by Fircmen.
Many of the occupants made their way
through dense smoke to the street, but
those n the upper part of the building
were cut Off from all means Of escape.
Some appeared at front windows, and 9TH
ers reached the fire escapes on the Moulton
street side, only to be driven back from
the landings by the flames which rolled
from the windows on the second and third
floors. To the thousands of spectators in
the street death seemed certain TO those
above. The Hayes trucks arrived, but
could not promptly be raised, owing TO the
network OF over wires. Forty foot ladders
were called into use, and then the fsfemen
did heroic work. From the fourth story
windows fronting on Westminster street
the Misses +. and G. Il. Taft were carried
/ down the ladders.
The thrilling sight OF the fire, however,
was on the Moulton street side of the
building. While the flames were shooting
through the fire escapes streams of water
were directed on them, and Firemen
| Thomas McNeill and c. Brown made their
way up by the burning windows to the
third landing, where the two people had
been seen. They found +. G. Perkins OF
the Boston Electric Supply company and
his daughter, Josie G. Perkins, and carried
them back through the smoke and flames
exhausted. Nothing but the brave efforts
of the firemen below, who kept streams OF
water playing on the fire escapes, enabled
them to reach the bottom alive. Both fire
| AAtA MAAN nNNIA1Ag BhAAtAs MI AlhAll'
and his daughter were badly burned, bui
will recover.
Failed to Reach the Window.
Two men were seen on the roof soon after
They proved to be S. b. Heall, photogra
pher, and Charles Pearce. The latter ha,
provided himself with a rope, and going q
the roof he made it fast, and both lowere'
themselves TO the bottom. The rope wa
13 feet short of reaching the sidewalk, bu
both men were caught by firemen whel
they dropped. When the fire was unde
control, the fremen working on the thirI
floor came across the body of a man in th
room from which Mr. Perkins and hi
daughter had been rescued. 1t proved &
be DR.. +. A. Gay, dentist, who had an of
fee on the fourth floor. He had made hi
way to the third floor, but was cut off. III
then tried to escape by means Of the fire es
cape, but was overcome within 10 feet Of
window and perished. He was so years o
age and veteran of the war. He leaves
family.
The fire was not fully under control 70
several hours. The building was complete
" Quilted. It was built three years ago a
a cost Of 100000 and was occupied by NOR
than 20 firms The total loss is over $500
900, which is well covered by insurance
The upper part of the building was de
voted to offices, the contents Of which viii
prove a total loss. The fire was caused b.
a dynamo wire on the second floor becom
ing crossed with a power wire.