Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-02-11

experience. No building was 80 high or :,
unsafe and no fire was - hot ur smoke =,
dense ~ To appail him. The question ui
exit did not concern him. lii~ business ...l-
To- put out the iIrand ~ many and 80 narrow
hat been his escapes albeit bururd aud
bruised and broken uf limI.-th1' he was
thought almost 10 bear q charmed .if'.
District Chirl John Francis E,au was
born in Boston. April u. 1919 lie was - Ia
Gated ia thu. public schools uf thi- ri.y all
after finishing hi studies learned IN. rpoiiu.
trade. la 1876 n became q member Oi I.al-
der company ! on Friend street. In iSs2 hr
was promoted TO b. lieutenant of this rum-
pauy. and in Ise3 wa- mai" captain. lie
Wa, trans 'er rcd 10 East Boston u, di-trir.
ch If. aud afterwards transf rIrd back I,
the city proper and stationed In Fort Hill
square. For more than 70 years E-an had
the reputation Of being on" OF the M lSt
intrepid and daring men in the depart
ment. One OF his earliest achievements was
noted at the fire in LOyeliS gun store. many
years ago. when he and La Id 'rman Hutch
lHson rushed into the blazing Stnrr, and while
the flames scorched their faces ant bliste5cl
their bodies carried ont chest of powder.
As consequence OF his daring Egan prob
ably had more narrow ESCAPES than any
other man in the fire lighting business. He
also had more numerous hospital rNpnri-
enc.S. one Of the more notable Of these rX-
f
1923 when the mandatory ur Horace Part
ridge Il Go. caught or was set on fire in the
! afternoon and where scores Of pmpiOyeS
barely escaped with their lives. An
other was at the Masonic building
fire Of two years ago. In the former he
had gone upon the roof OF the Brown.
Durrell building to recOHnOitre, when the
ilames suddenly burst through the roof.
completely surrounding him and cutting
off his escape. II looEed as if he was
surely doomed. The iiremeu on the street
below tried to raise a ladder. bat could not
do so, So fierce was the fire Egan then
climbed ont on an electric light wire which
stretched across the street. but the wire sag
ged so badly with his weight that when he
reached the middle Of the street he found
himself unable to either advance or re-
treat and there he hung. suspended 80
feet above the ccbblestonc~. some gI.ick-
wltted men on the opposite roof gra~prd the
situation. and UufGstrning that end OF the
wire lowered EgHu 10 the street, or ra-
ther until he had come within 30 feet OF the
street. when his strength gave out and he
fell into the net which hi, comrades were
spreading for him. Egan'S life was imper-
lied twice in the Masonic temple fire. First,
when, with his Old cOmrdie. Laddermgu
Hutchinson he was surprised and almost cut
of by the flames that burst uIlt ola window on
his line Of retreat along the coping OF the
itty shouts of their companions and roar
from the anxious multitude below. Bv alter
nate creeping aud da-hing over the -Jping
states and around the Waverng flames they
regaued the adjoining building in safety,
but il was a close call. Then Egan started
forth again. District Chief Mullen stood
Oh the corner where the roof OF the adjOin-
ing building on fremont street meet. the
higher Masonic temple. and he allowed the
use of his back as a ladder. over his
shoulders climbed J. Edward Murphy OF
Ladder Company :. dragging a hose full
of water, and followed BY Egau aad Il
group Of men from Ladder and Engine o.
They crept along the cUruire below the
slant roof. The hose twisted from Murphys
grasp and fell wr!Sgling upon the coping
stones. but MS companions 3rippCd hands in
Il line, so that he was enabled to lean over
and regain the nozzle. soon the stream
was turned into the window in the roof
whence the flames issued. and in Il few min
utaS the squad OF iiremeH could Chamber into
the smoky room, This room was "A sort OF
perch. hanging in a corner OF big hall
whose Moor gnd ceiling We're two stories
apart. Between the ceiling and the roof
was blind attic. now opened to the light
Of day by the falling Of part of the burned
roof. EEan, ever foremost, climbed from a
pile of debris upon the ceiling, directing the
others to follow with hose. The hose would
not reath, mt lust then up came Il longer
line from Engine 6. which had been dragged
UP the main staircase, out on the roof. and
then through the window spoken Of. Egan
had just called for this hose. when he felt
the ladder and plaSter beneath him sink.
Don't come here, it isn't safe. he shouted,
and then he ur"hed forward and went
down. He said it seemed as if he would
never stop falling. 1t was about thirty-ive
feet to the floor of Gothic hall. whore he
landed in "A heap Of plaster and broken
sticks. lie struck upon his heels, his head
banging forward upon his knee as he
doubled up. 4 bruise on his right cheek
bone. another ON his left knee. n damaged
elbow, and :. broken right ankle bone.
were his external injuries His internal
hurts were severe but not dangerous to
life. For minute or two Egan lay there
in the smoke flames burning furiously
within six or eight feet of him. His COM
panions scrambled down from their perch
as quick as they could. descending two sto-
ries, and soon mad their chief by the heels,
dragging him away from the furnace.
So many times had Egan been caught
IN narrow places where death stared
him i'll the face that his comrades find it
hard to believe that at last he has been con-
quered by death.
Captain Victory, who was killed, and Cap
tain farrity, who was grievously wounded,
were two Of the very best captains the whole
department could boast.