The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-07-21

ware attached - the northwest S0e'
ner.
They could not look down and sea
the flames because of the projecting
cornices, but they knew where the
ropes were. There they stood, hud-
died together. some without their
coats, others hatless. and all preparing |
70 save themselves IL they could The
man nearest the rope grasped II ana
descended. But for only eozen feet
The flames had no mercy. The rope
was burned in two, and. with feet
downward, the first victim shot
through the air to the main roof. lie
turned partly over before he struck
and bounded up.
A great cry Of anguish and fear came
up from thousands on the ground
where the first Of those awful leaps
could be seen. Strong men wept and
became hysterical.
But worse was to follow. No sooner
had one man struck the roof than an
other leaped from the tower before tho
Mortified gaze Of the spectators His
body kept straight fect-down until
near the roof when he turned somer-
sault, and second cry of horror came
from thousands of threats. The two
ropes on the north side of the tower
where the doomed men were huddled
were almost useless for the saving OF
life, vet for the first possession
OF the corner at least ten
men fought as savage beasts
They only prolonged their conscious
ness Of life. for all were doomed to die;
vet they struggled to catch at any
thing which seemed to hold chance
TO live. One by one they dropped from
the burning tower. some clinging to
the burning rope as far as it afforded
them any hold, and then shooting
through solid sheet OF fame to the
roof.
The sight was too much for the mill
tary men who beheld the scene from
the ground to bear without a shudder
and a turning away of faces. Human
forms leaping through flames 100 feet
or more. down. down to sure death.
presented a sight the stoniest heart
could not witness unmoved.
The last man on the tower died the
hero's death among all those heroes
who faced the furnace below. lie had
waited without apparent fear until
there was only himself left, like Casa
blanca. who stood on the burning deck.
He was fireman and he grasped the
remnant of burning rope just as the
whole tower structure parted diago-
nally and fell tow ards the north, right
over the pro strate bodies of the poor
fellows who had leapcd to escape the
pitiless flames. The last man VINO
went down to death with the tower
keep feet downward as far as the rop'
went and then the rush of flames ane
mir was so great that his body wa
, turned round and round in the pas
I. sarc within sight of all and the blaz
: inc tower fell over his form mrking ;
: funeral pyre and ending his agony. l
he was not dead before striking thu
!. roof.
I. When the tower toppled over Their
was no hore of saving any who ha'
!, not been taken off the roof. Tn
bodies on striking had become in
bedded nearly three feet in tho grave
!. and tar between the WOO len jcists, an
ONLY few could be taken to o place z
: safety before the great central towe
: crashed over.
i The most sublime deed or herois'
% was perform by three fireinen in
= attempt to save the life Of their s.
: pcrior officer whom they loved. Cap
"a Jan Fitzpatrick. the assistant fire chi'
!. at the fair. lie was on the roof whe
= the tower fell over without warning ar
- his leg was broken. being crushed '
falling timbers. Being on the ca
side Of the roof. he thought he was
- no immediate danger as truck ladd
II was close to the edge ready for al
emergency. The captain crawlcd
=, the edge of the roof already on II
" and held out his hands in mute a
- peal for help. The hand which is nc
stilled in death was seen by Capt he
n nedy. of hook and ladder No. ).
=, and two of his men climbed up I
80 ladder. fighting their way through I
!; flames which burst through I
:, whole east side and from I
y roof. while three streams of wal
were turned on the brave men to Ike
- their clothing from catching ii
10 The fiery gauntlet was run To the 7
~ Capt. Kennedy climbed over into wi
~ seemed bed of fame, but he re;
"a pearcd i'm few seconds with the be
~ of Capt. Fitzpatrick. A rope was !
~. tened about the unconscious and dyi
ia. captains body. and with difficulty
,a,I was lowered to the ground, cnveloI
in flames. hurled partly back
streams of water. The noble resc
leu although 1t only resulted in saving
so' en- plains body from further inutllat
rs by fire. was watched by thousands
os people in breathlcss suspense and
"e. warded by a mighty cheer. But
- doctors shook their heads doubtf'
. o'M when the burned and broken form
'n,s carried in. The captain never re-
~ cred consciousness
tbc Dircctor-Gcncral Davis. Presto
~. Palmer, Col. Rice and Director
into Works Durham were early on
the scene. They were too much overc6
wer to say much on the spot The d
a tor general stood with blanched
,;ch like Napoleon at Waterloo when
Ia. but honor was lost. The horror Of
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