The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-17

start up again when the supports OF
the elevator machinery at the top Of
the shaft caught fire, and seeing that
they would give away before his slow
elevator could make another trip, Glea-
son gave 1t up.
At the rear ST. John did equally good
work. but was not able to make more
than one trip, as the fire swept through
that portion Of the building before it
attacked the front.
explosion that started the fire all
escape for the inmates by the stairs
and elevators was cut OFF,
There remained only the windows
and the single fire escape, narrow
iron thing not over eighteen inches
from side to side. This was speedily
covered with a string of people, some
on one side. some on the other as
they scrambled down in frantic haste.
they trod upon one another's fingers,
bumped into one another, and progress
was slow and difficult for them all.
Many of those who could not reach
the fire escape made their way to the
front windows, and 1t was out of these
that Clark. Smith and Binz hurled
themselves to death.
Dashed to Death.
Clark was on the seventh floor and
remained to put his books in the safe.
He might have escaped had he run up
on the first alarm. He was first seen
at one of the seventh story windows
and few minutes later showed himself
in a window of the sixth floor. The
fire was close upon him, the floors and
walls behind him were crashing down
a T.,
where he was. There was no POSSIBLE
ity of help, and he took his only chance.
Three seconds later he was dead on
the pavement below.
Miles A. Smith also leaped from a
window in the sixth floor. He hesitat-
ed some time before taking the leap,
but like Clark understood that it was
his only hope. He was instantly killed,
his body being horribly mangled.
Edward BinZ fell victim to his de-
sire to save others, and TO protect his
books from harm. He, upon hearing
the alarm, ran to the rear of the store
to warn the employees to run for their
lives.
Fatal Jump.
He then rushed back to his desk,
gathered up his books and jammed
them into the vault. Then he started
y
ahead of him and he turned back
There was nothing but the window, and
to this he went. He clambered upon
the sill and stood there in view of the
crowd below. Clark and Smith had
already bedaubed the pavement with
their blood, and the crowd knew there
were no more chance for Binz than
for them. They watched him in silent
horror as he stood celebrating.
The building was a roaring mass of
flames and BinZ's face and hands were
badly burned before he jumped. He
pondered the matter but few seconds,
then his form shot downward through
a cloud of fame and in the drawing of
a breath he was as lifeless as the stones
over which his blood was spatterCd
One fireman distinguished himself by
a daring rescue. He was upon lad
der close to the building when he heard
g. cry above him amid the roaring
flames. He steadied himself upon the
ladder and peered into the dense
smoke. Just then a gust Of wind clear
In window of the fifth story, carry
ing an inanimate form. That the res
cuer was about to throw the half-un-
conscious human being into the street
in the vain hope Of saving the man
from death by roasting was evident.
The fire was roaring so that no voice
could be heard.
Daring Rescue.
Putting up his hands as signal to
wait until he got ready the fireman
again braced himself upon the ladder
and then he waved his hands. for the
rescuer to drop the unconscious man
to him. With a shock that nearly
knocked the heroic fireman from his
position upon the ladder, the body Of
the man struck the fire fighter. But It
did not get away from him. He held
the unconscious man through all the
swaying and swinging Of the ladder
Hastily descending, the fireman turned
his unconscious burden over to the
police and returned to his post.
Katherine Carney, the forewoman of
the National Music company, who was
thought to have been burned TO death.
left the building by means of the fire
escape.
Il did all I could" she said, ito get
the girls into the elevator. and then
when L started to get in myself there
was no room for me. l did not think
there was such great danger at the
time, but in a few minutes after the
elevator had gone down 1 saw the
flames were spreading so rapidly that
L must run for my life. 1 just hurried
to window which was near the fire
escape, climbed through 1T and came
down to the ground
ga man at the bottom Of the escape
was holding a ladder, and he helped me
and a number of others to get out"
Exciting Scenes.
The scene upon the down town streets
rivaled anything seen at a fire in Chi
cago for years. The great flames which
shot from the center Of the burning
structure rose to such a height in the
blocks in either direction down Wabash
avenue. Black volumes Of smoke roll
ed upward and spread over the sur
rounding streets, alarming the crowds.
Business and shopping affairs of ev-
cry description were abandoned imme-
diately, and the vast throngS made a
rush for the scene.
George Fenters, property man at the
Great Northern theater, and H. D. Gull
len saved several lives. Fenters was
passing through the alley in the rear
Of the building when he saw flames
bursting from the roof Fenters rush
ed to the fire alarm box at Jackson
street and Wabash avenue and turn
ed in an alarm. He met Cullen run
ming down the street with blanket
and followed him. The men stood in
front Of the burning building and held
the blanket extended, shouting to sew
eral girls on the second floor to jump.
Among those who leaped were Josie
and Annie Baxa. Several others jump
ed into the blanket and thus escaped
int Tho CDR "a NJ @I.o