The evening world., 1894-09-03
DOWN A LADDER.
Fireman Fitzgerald BraveIy Res
cues His NeighbOr Tenants.

A fire that created a small-sized panic
among the seventy-five tenants of 260
and 262 West One Hundred and Twenty
fifth street started at $3.50 this morning.
The building rs owned by Fowler
Bros, fancy grocers. who occupy the
ground floor. Mrs Margaret Cox, who
Keeps boarding-hou occupies the Sec
ond floor OF No. 262, and the second,
third and fourth floors OF No. 260.
The fire started in the rear Of the Sec
ond floor of No. rs, and was first dis
covered by james Carlin and John Mar
tin. who were sleeping in the middle
room. Between their room and the air
shaft was another bedroom, which was
occupied by Herman Gunther and his
cousin. James Mengel.
A door, which was left open on ac-
count of the heat last night, communi-
Gated between the two rooms. Carlin
ana Martin We're walked by the rehec-
ton OF the flames on the walls OF the
airshaft. A thick tongue of flame was
already shooting over the bed In which
Gunther and cousin were fast asleep.
Corlin lost no time in awaking his two
street and notified Roundsman Wood, OF
the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth
street station, who sent in an alarm.
In the mean time, Corlin and Martin
the doors and shouting to the sleep
ing occupants to got up and save them
selves, 1t required little time to do
TINS tIIn.,1 but the a,so SMOKE aS and flames had
building that none of the bewildered
tenants dared attempt their escape by
running down the stairs. They were all
increasing smoke and flames.
Hook and Ladder Company No. II
soon RESPONDED, and Michael Fitzgerald,
a member of the company, who lived on
before 1t was fully extended. The lad
Ger was run up to the windows OF the
Charles Reinecke, IN his eagerness to
escape, jumped upon the ladder before
1t was staple, and but for the heroic
efforts of Fitzgerald who caught him.
would have fallen headlong to the street
The first one to be carried down the
ladder by Fitzgerald was Miss Crow
ley. boarder. He quickly returned and
way most of the tenants were rescued.
the men going down themselves and
the iiremen helping the women and
children.
The escape from the front of the
building was made safer by the fact
that the fire was confined mostly to the
rear. The fifth floor OF No. $50 was oc-
boarders William and Lewis Tonne,
James Gray and Patrick Conlin.
When these saw that the flames and
smoke had choked up the halls and es-
cape through the lower part OF the build
ing was impossible. and the front win
dows OF the fourth floor were overcrowd-
ed. Mrs. Roots boarders thought they
would go on the roof
From the roof of No. 262 they jumped
eight feet TO the roof OF small primary
school in the rear The men secured a
plank and rested one end Of II on the
:oof OF No. 2G2 while two Of them held
the other end.
William Kenny sprang on the plank,
and Selling Mrs; Root, landede her
ing. Mrs. Roots five-year-old daughter
was rescued in the same way.
All OF the occupants got out OF the
burning building safely. The rear rooms
were entirely Quilted, and the tenants
were not able to save any OF their be-
longinEs The dameage to the rest OF
the house was chiefly by water:
Fowler Brothers estimated their loss
at a COO The damage TO other property
IL placed at 5000 The origin Of the fire
Is not known.