Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-19
RUANE GIVES LIFE FOR DUTY
Lieutenant of Firemen Dies of Injuries
Received at Allen Bros BlaSs.
ALL OF THE OTHERS HURT WILL RECOVER
chief Redeu suffers from Severe Blow
on the Head-Estimnte Places
stock Damage nt 100000 and
Building at $4,000.

building at S1o,oOO.
Lieutenant Thomas Ruane OF Hook and
Ladder company No. 3 died at IL o'clock
last night from Injuries received on Satur-
day night by the explosion of a tank Of
powder at the Allen Bros. fire. He was
conscious during the day, but suffered agony
from the burns about his head, face and
body. His death occurred at St. Joseph's
hospital, where he was taken after receiv-
ing his injuries.
Thomas Ruane was lieutenant of truck
No. 3, stationed at Eleventh and Dorcas
streets. He had served in the fire depart
ment continuously since 1891, and prior TO
that time he had been in the ranks at in
tervals during a period Of five years.
Lieutenant Ruane, with Chief Galligan,
was one of those who selected and pur-
chased the oldest truck now in use, hook
and ladder, No. /, and he was its first
captain, serving in that capacity for more
than a year. After returning to the de-
partment in 1891 Lieutenant Ruane was
again appointed to the captaincy, this time
in 1896. Lieutenant Ruane's promotions
were earned by commendable work in the
Boyd's Opera house fire, and in the With
nell block fire, in 1895.
He leaves a family of three, a wife, son
and daughter, the children being IA and IL
years old respectively.
Interest in the condition of the fremen
injured by the explosion was unflagging
yesterday, their friends deeply sympa-
thizing with them in their misfortune.
A large number of people visited st.
J~oseph's hospital to inquire after them
and to see If they could do anything
for them. Several were found to have suf-
fered from the explosion and the fire who
were not reported previously. The correct
list of injured is:
Chief John Redell, left eye closed, head
and two hands painfully burned, but injuries
not serious.
Lieutenant John Sullivan, Hook and Lad
der company, No. 1, face and hands burned.
Lieutenant John j. Ormsby, Hose COM
pany, No. 8, face and hands burned.
Assistant Engineer Isaac Simpson, Engine
company, No. 2, back hurt by suction blow
ing out of engine.
Pipeman John McCumber, Hose company,
No. s, face and hands painfully burned.
Fireman Frank Hardy, Hook and Ladder
company, No. l, face and hands severely
burned.
Fireman Joseph Hoffman, Hook and Lad
der company, No. 3, face and hands burned.
Fireman Martin Range, Hose company, No.
8, face and hands slightly burned.
Fireman Otto Giseke, right arm injured by
falling brick.
Harry Redell, son of Chief Redell, head,
face and hands badly burned; not serious.
Lieutenants Ruane and Sullivan, Firemen
Hoffman and Hardy, and Harry Redell,
were sent to st. Joseph's hospital, where
they received the best of care. Martin
Range was taken to his home, 3103 South
Nineteenth street. Lieutenant Ormsby is at
his home, 1927 Charles. Pipeman John Nc
Cumber is with his family at 4025 Charles
street. Assistant Engineer Simpson is at his
home, 1923 Harvey. Fireman Giseke was
able to be around yesterday, although not
on duty.
Praise for the Firemen.
Chief Redell speaks in the highest terms
of praise of the work of the men under
the most trying circumstances. He says
every one of them showed himself a hero,
and after being injured bore the terrible pain
stoically. When the fire department arrived
lines of hose were borne into the building
by companies 2, 8 and 5, in nina of
Assistant Chief Salter. Although they
heard the explosion and felt the building
shake they continued their work of ex-
tinguishing the blaze without so much as
sending a man outside to see what catas-
trophe had overtaken their comrades OF to
learn If their own retreat had been cut off
Lines were carried to the roof of an ad-
joining building by men from companies 7,
10 and II. The space was so narrow that
the ladder was almost perpendicular, yet
these men mounted IT. with alacrity, not
waiting for 1t to be run up in a better place.
Chief Redell says he cannot see. under
the circumstances, how a better fight could
have been made. Shortly after they arrived
he ordered men to take horses and return
to the engine house at Fourteenth and Har-
r. / NIL -
accompanied the department at the first call
but for the fact that the department has
not enough horses at it's command to pull
the tower out of the house with the rest
of the apparatus. An effort has been made
to induce the city council to purchase horses
for the tower, but, owing to the decreased
levy, there is not money enough to supply
even the customary force of men. AS the
fremen had to travel twenty blocks II is
estimated by the chief that a delay OF at
least twenty-five minutes occurred in the ar
rival OF the water tower. Even then the
tower did great work and 1t is the opinion
of the chief that it paid for itself half a
dozen times over, as 1t would have been al
most impossible to extinguish the fire with
out II.
Then the department was handicapped
by the loss OF two engines, which were rem
z llti'NNlNt bb'lNig dllfl IHt9 MthL w
work. Engine No. 2 blew out it's suction,
i~njuring the back OF Assistant Engineer
Simpson. The hose broke in a couple of
places and It seemed that everything was
against the fremen, who continued to fight
mapfully.
Heroic Fire Fighters.
For hours they worked on, the injured
who were not removed from the scene lend
ing their assistance. Fireman Giseke was
struck on the right arm by a brick which
was dislodged by the explosion, He con-
tinued climbing the ladder, which he was
ascending when the brick fell, and worked
on until his arm stiffened and he was COM
PEELED to desist. A fireman went to the
chief and informed him that his son was
among the injured by the explosion, but was
feeling good and would pull through.
Thank God for that" responded the chief
as he pursued his work. lie labored inces-
sanity until noon Sunday before he had his
own injuries dressed.
Lieutenant Ruane was the worst Injured