Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-10-19
Tbe Involuntary GxPeri-
mentQliSt.


The destruction by fire of the distil-
lery of Mr. B in Dublin, some time
since, will be in the recollection Of
many of your Irish readers. a circum-
stance happened to me on the night Of
that event, which, as | believe it to be
altogether unprecedented, l will now
relate. l am medical man, residing III
Dublin, and, on the night on question.
was returning about half-paSt eleven
o'clock from the neighbOrhOOd of Har
ODDS Cross. where | had been to super
intend the administering of hot bath
to a patient, when the reflection of the
fire ON the sky to the northwest at
tracted my attention, and drew me to
the spot.
Mr. BIS distillery consisted prin-
cipally of one long and lofty building,
the western end of which was connect
ed with Il considerable pile of stores
and offices that abutted OH it at right
angles, with 4 large addition, nearly
similarly situated at the eastern end,
which was just then in progress of
erection. When I arrived on the spot,
the courtyard presented Il very animat-
ing spectacle. Three engines poured
their streams on the centre pile Of
buildings while two others played on
the window lattices Of the adjoining
stores, which were nl0mentarily catch
ing fire, and as fast eXtinguiShed. The
courtyard was in a swim with water
which flashed back the light with an
unsteady but dazzling reflection, as
the firemen splashed through it ankle
deep The CAPTAINS Of the several
gangs, mounted on their respective en-
gines, stood over the heads of the
crowd cheering on the eXertiOnS of the
bumpers below, or shouting their di-
rectiOnS to the firemen alOft, where
they appeared plying their hatchets at
an immense height among the smoke
and embers.
Excited by the animation Of the
scene, [ took an active part in the eX
ertions of those around me, and soon
became thoroughly heated as well as
wetted in the service Among other
duties undertaken by the volunteers
was the removal of 4 number Of casks,
to get at which it was necessary to
cross q platform of masonry built round
a large copper boiler in the unfinished
end of the building. Over this plat
form there was Il scaffolding resting at
one side on the party-wall which separ
ated the new portion of the works from
that which was already on fire; and
through the holes in this plrtyWall,
in which the ends of the beams insert
cd, the flames were now communicate
ing. / had crossed twice in safety,
and was about to venture third time,
when one of the bystanderS, who had
witnessed my eNertiOnS, directed my
attention to the dangerous condition of
these tlmberS, several Of their points
of support being already burned away,
so that the scaffolding hung smOlder-
ing and half-suspended from the new
blticl-wOrk, and threatened to pull
down Il great part Of the walls on each
side in its descent, which could not
now be far distant. [ thanked my
friendly warner for his advice, and had
taken it so far as TO retire 4 few steps
from the incOnvenient neighbOrhOOd of
the flames. when one Of the firemen
Of the INSURANCE Company got up
on the opposite side of the platform
and signed for some one to come to his
assistance. l gave a look at the nod
ding timbers above; they seemed still
too deeply bedded in the masonry Of
the one building to give me any ap-
prehensiOn of immediate danger. /
ran up the ladder that led to the plat
form on that side; but. just as I gain
ed the top. a heavy fall of masonry
took place from the angle of the pile
nearly overhead. I escaped by the
naerest chance, but the ladder was dash
ed in fra gments, and the rush OF
smoke and dame that followed through
the breach thus opened completely hid
the prospect on the side from Which L
had assembled. I became confused, and
rushed forward. hardly knowing where
ran; but I had scarcely taken three
steps in advance when I heard the pro-
'onged tearing crash of the timbers
overhead, and next moment saw the
beams tOpple. and the bricks and dust
rise about their ends-in another in
slant I must have been crushed to
pieces. perhaps with the red end of
beam. for they were already descending
before me-when the mouth of the
open vessel, which, as have mention
ed. was bedded in the masonry at my
feet, caught my eye. 1t was not more
than four feet across: the chances were
that the long timberS would fall
athwart, not into it. There was an
ample concave below, aS appeared by
the broad reflection of light on the new
copper of its sides. Without beStOw-
ing a thought on how I was to get
out. I dropped at once TO the bottom
Of the hollow chamber. The metal
reverberated, and the echOing sphere
! rang round me for q moment with
braZen clang-then crash, crash with
the dint Of thunder, down came the
blazing timberS-driving- rOlling-re
Notwithstanding all before them.
I thought the copper would be crushed
fat, but the masonry in which it was
bedded protected it. One beam pitched
end-foremOst On the exposed neck Of
the vessel; the metal yielded, and drew
out as before the first stroke of a huge