The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-22

The woman was brave in spite OF her
terrible disappointment. A policeman vol
unteered to accompany her to the hos
pitfalls TO :ook for her brother. He secured
permission from a superb, and they start
ed on their sad search. Mr.. Higbee was
found later at No. Al Irving place, the
! house of a friend. He had been rescued
uninjured by Policeman McGinty.
On the Fifth avenue side Of the building
! two fremen, Donahue and Clark, were
seen on the top of lofty ladder. Sudden
| " Donahue reached out. grasped the sill
/ OF the window next to him on the south
! drcped his feet 70 the coping above the
third floor window just beneath it and
swung himself away from the ladder.
| Reaching up, he broke the glass in the
window with his bare fist; another reach.
a long step and he had gained the sec
| ond window away from the ladder, still
standing on the coping above the window
on the floor below
The second window ne broke, and then
gained the third window, which was open,
Drawing himself up ne entered the room.
BY this time the flames were eating in on
all sides. 1t was only a matter of seconds
until the entire front of the building might
be wall of fire
Donahue appeared IN moment He was
carrying a woman swung across his right
arm she had tainted. Her face was as
white as the face of a dead woman, and
about her foot she had tied the fire escape
rope. Donahue stood poised on the sill, his
back to the street. He edged along until
ba 60 oz
the window. Reaching in with his right
hand he got a good grasp on the window
frame. The woman hung over his arm,
damned against the cornor of the frame
Of the window. He reached out with his
long left arm until he got his fingers
around the smooth corner of the next win
dow north. Clark was in the window first
from the ladder by this time. making his
way to assist his congress his comrade.
But Donahue did not wait for assistance
He swung his long left leg over to the sill
Of the window, the frame of which his
Ieft hand was grasping, let go with his
Tght hand, gave mighty pull with his
Iett arm. described a complete half turn
on the ball of his left foot swinging the
woman out at least four feet from the win
dow as he did so and landed standing
with his face to the street, his senseless
charge hanging to his arm. his back to the
window, the glas sof which was alrfeadv
discolored with smoke on space closer to
the ladder. Even his companions dropped
their work aghast, at the daring deed.
The fire escape rope was still tied to the
woman's foot. Doiahue drew her up and
un and united it. Clark stood in the next
window out of which he had broken the
g,ass, reached out his left hand and grasp
ed tire left of Donahue's The passage to
another window was accomplished. Clark
went on ahead, and again assisted his
foreman to the window, against which the
ladder was resting Clark went down first
taking the woman's feet. and they sl<ided
her down the lade shrdutaoihrdlutaoi
down the ladder as porters in a grocery
might skid down a barrel Above the
sound of the roar Of the flames and the
shouts of the firemen and the putting and
shrieking of the engines rose the cheers
Of thousands.
The thrilling rescue Of two women from
tn fourth floor of the burning hotel by
Foreman Donahue and fireman Clark of
hook and ladder company. No. T. was a
dramatic feature of the fire. 1t happened
on the Fifth avenue side of the hoteI,
near Forty-Seventh street, after the SEN
sationaI rescues on the south side of the
burning building had been accomplished
and before the flames had gained Roadway
in the front part of the north end Of the
structure. The two women rescued were
Mrs. Joseph Howard, Jr. and her negro
maid.
When No. arrived. Mrs. Howard was
seen sitting at the window still tapping the
wall with one of her feet, seemingly as
: collected as though viewing an opera per-
formance. Back of her in the room, could
be seen the negro maid, making frantic
efforts to jump to the street. It was
learned later that Mrs. Howard was
frightened almost to death and almost
willing to jump herself. but deemed it her
duty to keep the maid from jumping. so
remained at her seat, gazing on the pre-
parations of her rescue
An extension lader was run up from the
truck in the middle of the street. 1t SEEM
ed to the watchers that It took hours for
the ladder TO get to the window. The fire
was burning fiercely in the south end of
the building. but in the vicinity Of Mrs
Towards room there was not even sign
of flames, while the wind blew away the
smoke so that the whole front of the hotel
was bathed in sunlight. The water from
the hose scattered in spray. forming my
riads OF rainbows.
Almost as fast as the top of the ladder
sneaked its way towards the window.
Clark and Donahue followed 1t. It ben
beneath their weight; Mrs. Howard sat in
the window, tapping the wall with her
foot. the face Of the maid, almost green
with fright. peering over her shoulder. It
was like a scene from play
Clark assisted Mrs. Howard down the
ladder Donahue remaining above 10 take
care Of the struggling maid. DR.. Jacques.
Of No. ga Lexington avenue. was near
the truck when Mrs. Howard reached the
ground. She showed signs of mysteries.
now the danger was over. DIT. Jaques
carried her 10 the residence Of Mrs. Sc
ward Webb. No. So Fifth avenue. where
she speedily recovered and ordered that a
telephone message be sent 10 her hus
band. who has an Office in the Times
building, apprising him Of her safety.
The fremen had trouble with the negro
woman. She was not helpless enough to
be q dead burden and not quite lively
enough 10 help herself other members
Of the company ran up the ladder and
took from the dremen that almost sense
les maid.
UIIUam Clark, q Truck No. :. Twenty
eighth street and Third avenue. has made
a record since he Joined the fire depart
mert. in 1891 Twice in FIVE years his