The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-03-17
4 PERFECT DEATH TRAP
Concluded from First Paee.>

falling glass and head bruised by failing
| bric!- 'e
Jacob Kerch!n. letter carrier jumped
from seccCn story, back injured and
ankle sprained.
J,hsa Mcnermott. jumped from second
floor and dislocahed left shoulder.
James w. Wall, pipeman, head and
back Injured by falling wall
hate C2rniY, forewoman fer this, Ma
| tfohal Music company, face End head
6ufHed n descending from the fourth
| floor
Edward D. Hill. employed by the
IreSpyteriaE' Publishing Company, Sc
'trely purnsd about the fact a3'a back.
The loss IS estimated at $3.50 900.
The EGiilding was six stories high
had frontage of SO fest on Wabash
avenue 2i.d extended back 16O feet to
an alley. 1t was OF what is known as
NH construction. had uxin elevator
STARTS. one in front. one in, ths. rear,
ana reaching from the U:lrd story to
the roof was light shaft which gave
the flames every CHARGE II was be-
cause of this shaft that the frs, spre ad
with sudl rapiditrl The building was
occupied by number of concerns,
some Of them employing large num-
bers OF people. 1t is estimatsil, that 400
persons were at work in the building
Nnen the fire was discovered. The
origin of ;h':i fire is in dispute
Inc weight OF evidence seems to be
that the explosion was in the lower
part Of the building. for Ia flames
shot up the light shaft ut once The
sound OF the explosions threw the ia-
mates of t::c building into a panic and
on several floors a wild stampede be-
gan Tor thu stairw'ays and elevators
ltA add TO the panic the mec. in charge
oil inc elevators ruT.' their cars up to
the top of the building shout
ing fire" at every floor. When
th;y reached the top bo;il elevators
t1ok load Of frightened, xiomea and
started f1r the bottom.
The frcr1t elevator was in chsrg. of
Harry Gleason. boy. and the rear one
was handled by William ST. John a
young man. Both tf these Kept their
heEiis. showed much GOODNESS and
bruvcry and were Instrumental in
saving many lives.
The elevator IN the 'front.' TT the build
Ing was deliberate affair in good
order. but not calculated to produce
speed. GLEASON made enc trip to the
seventh floor. carried down u load If
women, and although the smoke was
rolling through the building in dense
clouds. he started up again. AT the
fourth floor he stepped TO take IN 81
crowd of girls from the rooms of the
-NalFtASli MUSIC company, DelfP ASSIST
ed in his work by Miss Katherine Car
ncy, the forcwaman a man attempt
ed to farce his way into the elevator,
but Gleason showed him back into the
h';dl that the women might have the
first cMtnCc. The man never came out
and probably met death in the flames.
Miss Carney was n true heroine. AT
;'hc outset she served TO feel il her
duty to stay and p the escape ri
the girls over who. she had charge
Her voice o-md be heard above the
shr.ekS of the panic-strckcn girls al
v!sinE them to preserve order end re-
7tssuring them again and again. She
stood near the stairway ard attempted
IL seize the foremost women as they
dashed down to the next floor, but
was thrnWLl aside.
When shei saw there was no hope OF
stopping the panic. she dartcd t. the
elevator cage 10 calm rha c'.aers. AS
the elevator rascsnd;d. MISS Carney or
dersd the conductor e, stop. She thcr
turned ard helped her frightened
charges into the cage. During all IN :
excitement she remained calm AID .ssu-
I'd orders as though directing the wo-
m2n at work. AS the elevator start ID
to dsscorh withoWc Miss Carney one
| cf the girls cried 70 the corhuc;rr tn
| stop; but the brave woman, though
| death staring her in the faC:. shOla,sd
! for them rot t. mind her. shat she
| would take care of herself. Ths girls
she sent down the cevator ESCAPED un-
| harmed.
karha:iz,o Clarmw. the fore
woman Of the National Music
corpiry, who was thought to have
been burned to death. left the building
by m2ans of The fire escano.
| After reaching the b.itom with his
| load CT girls Gleason was about to
start up agalT .whc:I tn: supports 'f
| the shaft caught fire and seeing tina!
th-y would give, way before his slow
elevator could make another trip, he
| gave it un.
~: the re,zr St John did equally g:od
work. but was c:ot able to max more
| than E'nc trip as the fire swept through
that por"ion of ths building before it
tacked the 'front.'. liz less theirs ten
| minutes after the explosion that started
the fire all escape fcr the inmates by
the stairs t2:d Elevators was cut off
| There remained only the windows and
The single fire escape. Il :,'arrow iror
thing E',t over IS inches from side "a
sida.
This was speedily covered with q
| string of people. some cc.' one side some
on the othsr Many of those could no,
rcadl the fire escape arl made th..i,
way 10 th2. 1T windows. and i, was
out of THIS th.l: Clark, Smith and Ban2
hurled themselves t.. death
Clark was bookke;per for the, Ohm.
stead Scientific company on Ihe seventh
floor and remained t. put the books If
ih2 safe. He might have escaped had
NJ run uPa thu first alarm II was
iirSt secrI nj one Of the seventh story
Wint-Ws. and ~ few mialarss after SHOW.
cd himself in a wicrlOw of the sixth
il0or. The fire was clos. upon him
N f2orS and walls behind him w:rc
crashing down, and it was CrrtaI,
deg IN IA :cmar where he was. TIL re
was no possibility Of help ana he toad;
his o@hy chance. Thr seconds later