New-York tribune., 1896-12-29
HEROIC RESCUES AT A FIRE
MANY FAMILIES MADE HOMELESS BY A
BLAZE IN WEST FIFTEENTH-sT.
A yANIToR MAKES A LADDER OF HIS DoD'
Avn THIS HELPS MANY TO sAFETY-dooD
WORK BY POLICE AND FIREMEN. TWO

AND THIS HELPS MANY TO SAfEln
WORK BY POLICE AND FIREMEN I"o
OF THE LATTER BEING HURT
,,. ,,,..s u,are in danger when fire broke out
g., ,,a sxs.orv eatbouse at No. 2S9 west rii'eciitn
8, carly Yesterday morning and aithoush no ''''
was los, there number OF eAci'ii'e ~
by arenen and policemen, ard TWO Vi vi. " ~
were hurt, Two fathouses were oeS.' - 'u ~ ~ "
adio,ninr houses were partly wrecked oA's-h'e
f.m,,,ss usre made temporarily homeless aiter
hs,r driven out of their beds into the bitter cold
The fire. following so close upon the turning Va
Duncan Elliott's house. on the country .iuo
grounds the destruction OF several buildings Ill 'he
block between Thirty-third and Ihirt!iour'h IN s's'
east of Third-ave and the burning to death OF the
.ptira family of Aaron Goldsmith IN East FIFTY
eichth-st in addition TO number OF other serious
ar.s will have the effect OF making many persons
nervous II is unusual for many important fires
10 occur in such short space of time.
The nre Yesterday morning was discovered at
o'clock and it was supposed 10 have been started
hv a lar,n accidentally set too near window cur
TAIN IN the room OF Wfred Melville on the seconi
noor of No 239 When Melville and his wife were
awakened by the fire they fed with their chiid
and shouted 70 alarm neighbors. Immediately
above them were the kinselas. man and "ite.
Mrs Kinsella ran TO her front window and shouted
with all her might She was dragged back by her
husband. who saw flames shooting up from the
Melville's apartment.
In five minutes the occupants OF the two houses.
Nos 239 and 2I, in panic. The fire qulcki!
extended TO the light shaft in the middle OF the
buildings and between them. 1t caught with re-
narkable rapidity and in fifteen minutes every
thing above the first floor was afame. Nhen 'he
firemen arrived Chief Bonner sent in second anu
q third alarm and gave precautionary orders 10
the firemen TO look after the inmates OF the pullu-
tngs Firemen of Hook and Ladder Company NO.
y were about the first 10 get to the houses " men
they arrived MANY persons were on the fre-escapes
yelling for help.
Assistant Foreman Farley and Fireman WOOD
were first I'D the fre-escapcs to rescue Mrs' Ua'e'
an Old woman, who lived on the fourth hool VII"
her husband and daughter. Mrs Wright ana 'he
latter's son William She was being crushed
against the iron bars of the fre-escape wheh "oou
and Farley reached her side. They forclpN
dragged her out Of the human mass ana carrieu
her down TO the third floor by the hre-escape'
There they took by ladder to the sidewalk
where she was met by neighbors ana taken ~ Z"
place of safety These men and haf cozeh
companions took two other women down III I'e
same manner, while they assisted ana suioeu d
score down the escapes and ladders.
Meantime Charles r. Lorenzo, the Jahl'oi' was
nsrfor-ning a gallant act. He is an ex-memoer OF
the old Volunteer Fire Department or bayonhe'
\ i He saw many persons in No. 2Ss crowdine
the halls and stairways. screaming. crying hys'ei-
cay and calling for frienos ana relatives iie
persuaded them to go TO the rear OF the mouse anu
guided them down the Hc-cSNHPS9' 49, 49,
reached the courtyard when he saw mass oi
panic-stricken people the frst-hoor landing OF
the nre-escape lie climbed up and chung 10 'he
bottom of the iron balcony telling the women 10
climb down his body and drop off. They followed
directions and reached place OF safety W me
Iorenze's body was used ladder his clothing
was in many places ana MS hahus were
nearly frozen.
A number of fremen and policemen did gallant
escape AT one time nearly one hundred persons
we're penned in the yard in the rear OF the houses
md had TO be helped over q high fence 10 salety.
MANY women and children had been torced 10 run
from their rooms In their night clothes, and they
suffered from cold well as from fr1ght. lne2S
were taken into the homes of neighbors ana carso
for while the eremen were nghilne the III ~ ~
firemen had one Of the most difficult JOBS OF the
year For a time neither building could be entered
because OF the smoke and flames. Water was poured
through the halls and wherever II appeared OUTSIDE
the buildings II froze at once % MS, ni "'aue
Fireman Robinson was in the nan OF 90 "a
when big drain broke, lcosened by tne lam haines; -;
and dropped 10 his foot 1t cut OF a piece p1 GO oI
carried TO an ambulance and removed 70 tIie -Ie"-
York Hospital. He will be permanently dise nled.
Almost Immediately afterward Fireman Deuei @ was
burned on the hand. lie was iorced 10 oiscoh'inuc
WORK but for time only: - -, .,
II was o'clock before the fire was under controi'
nv ,hat time Nos 23g and 2i were burned out COM
Co g7' had suffered considerable damaee by water
The fremcn by hard work saved the ADJOINING
Nos 2ss and 2n are owned by A. Hyman a
mattres maker The bndngs Were o rbsir yae
is said TO be $1,000 each. No 24s is owned by a:
BALM an Eighth-ave. furniture dealer yman
loss is 10000 Ballins loss Is about @"u rortyshVs
,Seir homes The average personal loss is about
saO0 Few II any, insured.