Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-10-23
FIELDS OF ADVENTURE.
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND DARING
DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA.

A Thrilling Experience Of the New York
Fire Patrol ut u Cellar Flre-Narrow
Escape From Plunging Over High
Precipice - Fight With Big Eagle.
Charles T. Hill, who has been writ
ing series of articles Oh the New
York Fire Department for ST. Nicholas,
brings the series to an end with q
paper on "The Fire Patrol" Mr.. Hill
tells the following story:
An incident that occurred at severe
fire in big business house some two
years ago will give an idea of what the
members of these protective depart
ments have to face at times in order to
save property. The fire broke out
about @|anigbhft il tai tbaaidins on Greene
street, extending whole block from
West Fourth street to Washington
place. When the tiremen arrived, half
the basement, or practically half the
block, was in flames, but on account
of the fireproof construction of the
building the fire was confined to the
basement part. The fire was burning
SO tiercely that the shutters of the
basement windows were almost red
hot and the headlights over the side
walk were so heated that the tar
around the glass was bubbling and
running in streams across the walk to
the gutter. The construction of the
building was very substantial, and it
was almost impossible for the fremen
to make IN entrance; indeed, the
windows and headlights had to be
broken in before they could secure
access to the building and get to work.
The basement was occupied by q
straw-hat manufacturer, and the cap
tain of No. 2 Fire Patrol lone of the
first companies to arrive) felt sure
there must be sub-cellar stored with
most perishable stock. How to
reach it before the firemen began to
throw water upon the fire was the
question. 1t seemed we'll nigh impos-
sible to get into the basement through
the regular entrances, and to venture
in while the fire was raging as it was
seemed almost foolhardy, but he de-
termined to reach the cellar at any
cost and find out what it contained.
After considerable effort he succeeded
in making an entrance on the north
side of the building (the main body of
fire was on the south end), and crop
ing his way through the smoke and
darkness, lantern in hand, he found
himself in the basement. The heat
was intense aud the air sitting. Ahead
of him in the corner of the basement
he could see the flames rolling about,
cracking and roaring as they devoured
case after case of goods. Peering
through the thick atmosphere it was
some time before he could discover
anything that looked like the entrance
to the cellar; but finally he spied n
door about midway in the basement
that he felt sure must lead to the sub
cellar. 1t was dangerously near the
roaring furnace ahead of him, and he
thought to himself: "Can 1 reach that
and get into the cellar and back again
before the fire cuts me OFF," He made
up his mind at least to make the effort.
So he walked cautiously across the
basement floor toward the door, keep
ing his eye on the fire all the time. 1t
grew hotter and hotter as he advanced,
and the perspiration was pouring from
his face in great beads, and he was al
most suffocated when his hand finally
rested on the knob of the door. He
opened it and stepped inside. What
relief! The tranformation was al
most marvellous, for the change from
the heated atmosphere of the bas ement
to the cool air OF the cellar was like
stepping out of red-hot oven into an
ice-box.
He descended the cellar stairs rap
idly, and holding his lantern aloft,
looked about him. 1t was as he had
suspected The cellar was filled with
immense cases of straw hats, and, al
though, owing to the tire.proof floor,
the fire probably could not descend,
when the many streams got to work
the damage by water won Id be enor-
nous.
He hastily assembled; peering eau
tiously out of the door, he found the
fire had not advanced any further. He
then made his way quickly through
the dense smoke to the street.
He reported to the Superintendent
of the Patrol, who had arrived by this
time, the fact that he had been in the
basement and his discovery in the eel
lar, and told him he could do great
deal of good if he could only take the
men down, and cover up the stock.
The superintendent was at first 10th to
let him go, for the situation looked too
dangerous, but finally he gave permis-
sion and the captain gathered his pa
trolmen about HIM, and armed with
covers they followed him to the sub
cellar to "cover-up."
By this time the companies that had
responded to the second and third
alarms sent out were at work, as well
as the companies that had been Or
dered into the basement; and the air
in the cellar was not as pleasant as
when the captain had first descended.
The fire had begun to "settle," and
the sub-cellar was filled with thick,
murky smoke, while constant, scald-
ing drir was falling from the ceiling.
In this dim, sitting atmosphere the
patrolmen went to work with will,
spreading their waterproof covers over
case after case of valuable stock, while
overhead they could hear the roaring
and cracking of the flames, the
splashing of the many streams as they
were dashed about, and now and then
dull crash as some heavy piece of
masonry was crumbled away by the
heat. These were conditions under
which few men would care to labor,
and yet the members of the Patrol
were working energetically, scarcely
giving o thought to the danger that
hung above them.
At any moment the fire raging in the
basement over their heads might get
beyond the control Of the firemen bat
Ting with it, and, spreading, cut off
all means of escape, or the steel and
iron structure of the building, warped