The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-17

stairs and elevator was cut OIL lhele
remained only the windows and the SIN
gle fire escape narrow iron INNS not
over eighteen incher from side 10 side.
This was speedily covered Win string
% people, some on one side. some on the
other. Many Of those who could not
reach the lire escape made their way 10
the front windows. and II was out OF thtSf
that Clark. Smith and Binz hurled them
selves To death.
Clark was book-keeper for the Oim-
stead Scientific Company. on the seventh
floor and remained TO put the books IN
The safe. He might have escaped had
hc rum upon ths first alarm. lie was
first seen Al one Of the seventh-story
windows. and "a few minutes after show
cd himself IA a window on the skin
floor. The fire was close upon him. the
floors and walls behind him were crash
ing. down. and 10 was certain death 90
remain whore he was. There was NJ
possibility OF help. and be took his only
chance. Three seconds later he was
dead on the pavement below.
Auios \. smith, IL salesman Tor the
Omstead Scientific Company. also icaped
from a window I'm the sixth floor. lie
hesitated some time before taking the
leap. but. like Clark. understood that IL
was his only hope. lie was instantly KILL
'hs MS bohN " dn lNiIiUif AAAN1tNf'
DIED FOR OTHERS.
Edward Binz the cashier of Sweet Wal
lace & Co. on the sixth f0or, fell a
victim To his desire 10 save others and
TO protect his books from harm. lie, up
ON hearing the alarm ran 90 the rear OF
the store 10 warn the employees 10 run
for their lives. He then rushed back TO
his desk gathered his books and jdmmed
them into the vault. Then DE started FOR
the stairway. but The flames were ahead
of him and ne turned back There was
nothing but the window and 10 TINS ne
went Hc clambercd mp ON the sill ana
stood there in view Of the crowd below.
Clark and Smith had already bedaubed
tho pavement with their life-blOod. Tho
building was q roaring mass or fames
and BINS face and hands were badly
burned before he jumped He pondered
the matter. but few seconds. then his
form shot downward through cloud Of
flame and smoke and in the drawing Of
a breath he was as lifoess as the stones
over which his blood and brains were
spattered.
fireman distinguished himself by
daring rescue. lie was upon a ladder
close TO the building when he heard a
CRY. The fireman saw a man in win
innate form. That the rescuer was about
TO throw the unconscious human being
into the street in the vain hope Of saw
ing the man from a death by roasting,
was evident.
The fire was roaring so that no voice
could be heard. Putting up his hands as
a signal 90 wait until he got ready. the
fireman braced himself upon the ladder
and then waved his arms for the res
cuer 10 drop the unconscious man TO
him.
with "a shock that nearly knocked the
heroic fireman from his position the body
of the man struck the hre-fighter' but II
did not get away from him. lie held the
unconscious man through all the sway
ing and swinging of the LADDER
Hastily descending the fireman turned
his burden over 10 the police and return
ed to his post
HE DISAPPEARED.
The man who had saved the workman
had disappeared. lie had a. chance 10 es-
cane had he been brave enough TO dash
through the smoke and flame. but If he
ala not Immediately follow the fireman
who bore away the man he had picked up
on the nth floor his charred remains VIII
he found i'm the ruins when the search for
the dead IS made
W. A. Olmstead. president Of the Olm-
stead Scientific Company, ran TO the rear
seventh floor. 2l5 Wabash avenue. ana mas
NOT been seen since IL is thought he has
been buried I'm the ruins.
CAUGHT IN BLANKETS.
George Fenters property man at the
Great Nation Theatre. and II. D. cullen
saved several lives. renters was pass
ing through the alley in the rear OF the
building when he saw flames bursting
from the roof lie rushed 10 the ire
alarm box az Jackson and Wabash ave-
nre and turned I'm an alarm. lie met
cullen running down the street with a
blanket and followed him. The men STOOD
in front of the burning building and held
the blanket extended. shouting TO several
girls on the second floor TO jump. Among
those who leaped were Josie and Annie
Baxa. Several others jumped into the
blanket and thus escaped injury The
men stood at the spot until driven from 1t
by the heat
The loss is estimated at $4,000.