New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-23
BRAVE FIRE-FIGHTERS.
SOME OF THE DARING RESCUES THAT
ARE THE DEPARTMENTS GLORY.
MEN WHO HAVE NOT HEsrrATED TO RISK THEIR
LIVES TO SAVE PEOPLE IN PERIL.

The action of the Fire Commissioner in plac-
ing on the roll OF merit the names or the 1our'
teen members of the Fire Department who dis
tinguished themselves at the Windsor Hotel IRE
by deeds of heroism caused much satisfaction
among members Of the Department ana IN all
circles where people take an interest in the
work which Is done by the fremen.
Chief John Binns of the Ninth Battalion, the
man who made the report in which the deeds
of the fourteen men are recorded and held up
for the admiration of the public, is thoroughly
ccmpetent to Judge in matters OF that kind,
being himself an honor man who earned MS
decoration by a daring rescue. A member OF
the Fire Department, who takes pride In saying
that ne student in matters pertaining TO
the service under Chief John Binns, said that
the first rescue made with scaling ladder
was made by Binns when he was private In
a hook and ladder company. he was with his
company at fire in the st. George fiathouse, In
West Seventeenth-st., and embraced an oppor-
tunity to test the value OF the scaling ladder
as a factor in life-saving. Up to that time 1t
was an unknown quantity in New-York, al
though number of volunteers of whom Binns
was one, had practsed and experimental with
them. On this occasion he reached the seventh
story by means Of a scaling ladder and brought
a young man. nineteen years DID, from there
TO the point where he could be taken on the
ordinary ladder The man was unconscious and
the rescue was doubly difficult on that account
II was there at the time" said the fireman.
land aside from the fact that there were fewer
people present the rescue was more spectacular
than any that was made at the Windsor fire.
AS the came down with the limp load
across his shoulder a roar of approval went up
he kc
away. and few rescues have been made since
then which required more bravery and good
judgment. Binns became captain within six
months and was decorated with a medal
CAPTAIN VAUGHN AT THE HOTEL ROYAL.
At the Hotel Royal fire a private in the patrol
service, now Captain Vaughn OF that OF
the Fire Department, gave an exhibition Of
bravery which received deserved recognition.
With a number of his companions he was on
the roof of the building when they discovered
a man at window below them who could not
be reached except from the outside Vaughn
laid himself fat down on the roof, his body
from the waist up extending over the cornice,
his companions sitting on his legs to prevent
him from slipping off. He reached down,
grasped the wrists Of the man, who weighed
fully two hundred pounds gave him a swing
free from his position the window-sill and
by mighty effort landed him On the roof. The
man was unhurt except for a few slight bruises,
but the patrolman required medical aid, for
blood spurted from his nose and ears in con-
sequence of the violent exertion.
A rescue which iremen like to tell about be-
it shows what the men OF the Depart
ment will do for their felow-men, that in
which Lieutenant Samuel Banta, of Engine
No q, was the chief actor. AT a fire in Pel-st.
the building collapsed and David H. Soden, a
fireman, was caught and held in the wreckage.
Burning material and hot stones were piled
high around the imprisoned man. and a con-
slant stream had to be poured on the spot
where the unfortunate man was pinned down
to keep him from being consumed. Banta
worked his way into the crater, and with saw
and bar cut away and with chains held in
place the hot material which threatened the
man with a horrible death. He worked nearly
two hours and finally brought the man out alive
and comparatively unframed He was a pr-
vate at that time. but became a lieutenant
shortly after that fire.
ACROSS THE EDGE OF A SIGNBOARD.
At the Bleecker-st. fire which took place on
election night in 1895 Howard Roche walked
on the edge Of a sgnboard which was fastened
to the face of the building under the fifth-story
windows to the adjoining building and rescued
two who were cut off by the flames from
the street.
"If you want to know what ii means to walk
on the edge of q signboard" said a fireman,
"place a two-inch plank on edge in your room
a couple of inches from the wall and try to
walk sideways on it. The chances are nine in
ten that you will slip off before you have gone
ten steps. Now take the board four or five
stories up. below you the stone sidewalk and
not soft carpet and around you wild excite