Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-04-14
DEATH MID FLAMES.
Brave Milwaukee Firemen Plunged
Into Seething Furnace.
They Fall with the Blazing Roof of the
Davidson Theater, and Nine of Them
Are Taken Out Dead "A
Thrilling Rescue.
BRAVE MEN PERISH.


stroyed the Davidson theater on Third
street between and a. m Monday.
The big stone building, which con-
tanned the finest playhouse in the
city and the Davidson hotel, was
burned to the ground in the
midst OF a binding storm of rain and
sleet, and in the final crash of falling
roof and walls several companies of the
fire brigade were thrown from the top
story into the pit of the flaming fur
mace. The disaster is one of the most
frightful that has befallen the city
since the Newhall house burned down,
when scores of lives were lost. The
Davidson block was one of the most
imposing in Milwaukee and the pc
cuniary loss of the fire is estimated at
between $500, 900 and s350,000.
The following is list of the dead
Third Assistant Chief August Jansen, 265
Eighth street; Frank McGurk lieutenant
truck company No. and acting captain No IA,
39T Park street; Fred Kroesschmuer, pipemau
chemical company No. 2; Capt Archie Camp
bell, of the tireboat Foley, II Twenty-seventh
street, Allie Ries, company No 3, killed by
falling ladder; James c. Freeman lieutenant
company No 4; Frank Winnie chemical No \
found in balcony of theater; Thomas Morgan,
engine company No. l; John Farrell, chemical
No ..
Seven of the injured firemen were
taken to the Emergency hospital and
number of others were removed to
their homes.
Shortly after 3 o'clock, when the fire
was seemingly under control, the
theater roof, on which score or
more firemen stood as they fought the
flames, went down, and the brave men
,..J i a.
| of the auditorium below. Some were
extricated from the furnace of flames,
| in which the whole interior was now
enveloped, by their brave and more
| fortunate comrades, who rislsed their
lives to drag out the prostra6e
forms of the dead and injured
men. Six or eight men were
soon brought out and those who
were able to speak said there We're ten
or more in the ruins, where living
death awaited them. For these poor
| fellows there was no chance. The
burning roof had fallen on them, and
they were roasted to death, if they had
not been killed outright in that terrible
plunge from the roof.
The most thrilling experience of
all was that of John Crowley. For
several hours he was pinned beneath
the ruins, suffering bodily torture, but
brave ana self-possessed all the while.
From $50 o'clock until 1915 his COM
rades worked to liberate him. 1t was
known that he had been buried, but the
firemen thought he must be dead or un-
conscious until one of the men heard
faint sound Putting his ear down he
listened and then shouted: who's
down therew
This is John Crowley" came the
faint reply. 'l'm alive, but for Gods
sake don't drown me. There are two men
dead beside me, and Tom Morgan OF
No. is one of them"
A cloud of hot smoke drove the men
back, and. flames bursting forth, it was
necessary to pour in more water. The
faint cries of Crowley could be heard.
For Gods sake kill me in some other
way than by drowning. l can't stand
all that water. Pm lying on my back"
But the fire was soon put out and
fifty men, a special detail ordered by
Chief Foley, set to work to rescue the
brave fellow. Crowley grew weaker
and the men heard him say he could
not last much longer Then came
|. most dramatic incident Will
liam Crowley, a brother, appeared
with Father Haven, a Catholic
priest The father bent down and
i, spoke to the imprisoned man. In re-
, ply Crowley said that the water was
nearly over his head and fast rising.
and asked that the last sacrament of
tho church be given him, and there,
amid the steaming ruins, the dense
| nd he oh irnh hR
priest administered The last sacrament,
and fifty men stood around with their
: helmets off, all brothers, all comrades,
: Catholic and non-Catholic.
, The work of rescue was pushed by
! details of ten men working in fve-min-
5 ute shifts, and they fought the stub
Z born timbers and beams like mad men.
At 1880 o'clock Crowley's head was
3 free, and shout went up that shook
Z the totteripg side walls Shortly after
his right leg was freed, but it looked
e as if nothing could save the other limb.
+ But the firemen kept at work and in
side of an hour the man was pulled out.
r He was perfectly limp and his face
e wore Il distorted look, showing plainly
the terrible agony he had gone through
AS he was placed on the stretcher he
opened his eyes and endeavored to smile
r to his companions but the effort was
too much and his head sank back. He
d was conscious, but he was unable To
= utter u sound.
g He was placed in the ambulance and
9 taken directly to the Emergency hos
a pital When Crowley was carried into
is the Emergency hospital his pulse had al
4 most ceased beating DR.. Fox, assisted
= by Miss jackson, the matron of the hos
J pital, worked over him an hour before
he returned to consciousness. His pulst
l. gradually quickened and at s o'clocl
n was quite strong. DIR. Fox say Crow
Il ley is suffering from the shock to hi
n nervous system, but with good care viii
recover.
Worst Storm in Fifty Years.
m Sr InuN r. nril lin owe