The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-02-24

HAROLD MANUEL, aged SO.
Baltimore, February pa fire &C.
CURED this morning in the fashionable
district of North Baltimore, and was the
cause of seven deaths.
Not many inmates of the residences
on North Charles street, between La
Fayette and North avenues, were awake.
when the fire engines came dashing up
and down the fashionable thoroughfara
shortly after O'Clock. The f1remen
were summoned, because of flames seen
breaking from the basement of 1903
North Charles street, the residence Of
James r. Armiger, one Of the best known
men in the city.
A large
CROWD QUICKLY GATHERED
in front of the building, at the windows
of which, the inmates soon appeare :.
one after the other, in their night
rCbes.
A colored servant employed next door
to the Armiger residence first, discovered
the flames, gaining an entrance over the
rear fence, he dashed through the build
ing, arousing the inmates, most of whom
were In their beds. Quick as was his
action, the flames were more rapid, and
egress by the staircasss was shut off be-
fore the 16 occupants of the dwellings
had left their rooms With all possibility
of escape by stairs out off owing to the
flames and SMOKE which filled passage
ways, Mr.. Armigel and the other mem
bers of the family rushed to the windows
and the servants on the fourth floor
hastened down stairs, but could get no
lower than the second story, where they
were driven into the sleeping rooms of
the other inmates. With closed doors be-
hind them to keep out the flames and
smoke, the servants rushed to the win
dows
CRYING PITEOUSLY FOR HELP.
Two maids in the kitchen escaped by
the rear door. There were then penned
up in the building IA persons, elamoring
for assistance.
When the fire department. arrived, nets
were stretched beneath the windows and
the f1remen called to tho terror stricken
persons at the window to jump. The
crowd in the street not realizing the ex-
tent of the fire and smoke within the
house, yelled "Don't jump" The be-
wilded inmates held back, and some of
them disappeared from the windows, ap-
parently going back for clothing or per-
haps for valued possessions. 1t was a
fatal move in most instances cost life
Two policemen in an attempt to rescue
those in danger broke in the front door.
This only gave the fire which had begun
in the basement, the draught it needed,
and it roared through the Railways and
up tha stairs with greater fleroeness.
Ths policemen could not reach the i'm
mass of flames and the smoke was blind
throw rc up ladders in frontsof tn. e house ulsss
and District Chief McAfee climbed in
the second story window where Mrs.
Armiger was crying for help. The lad
der did not reach the window and there
was the widest excitement as McAtee
stood on the upper round OF the ladder
and grabbed the window sill for sup
port. He encouraged Mrs. Armiger to
swing herself out of the window. AS
the chief grasped her with one arm he
steadied himself with the other. and
had taken one step down the ladder when
it slipped and MoAf ee with the woman
In one arm and the other holding the
window frame, dangled in the air. Fort
unately McAfee caught the round of the
ladder on his toe, pulling it back into
place and released his hold upon the
widow, and quickly descended with the
woman to the Sidewalk.