New-York tribune., 1901-04-29
HEROIC WORK BY FIREMEN
ONE DRAGS TWO UNCONSCIOUS OLD
WOMEN FROM FLAME AND SMOKE.
CROWD CHEERS THE BRAVE WORK MADLY
ONE OF THE AGED SUFFER
ERS MAY DIE.

At the risk of their lives two firemen yester-
day morning went into a burning apartment
house a No. LIP Amsterdam-ave. and rescued
two old women from death. The hremen are
Matthew j. Cummings and John Moclair. They
are in Hook and Ladder Company No %, which
is in -hundred-and-fortiet near Amster-
dam-ave. The women rescued are Mrs. Eliza
beth Niver. sixty-f1ve years old and her sister.
Mrs Eliza Moore, 'eighty-six years old. Both
were unconscious when found lying in the hall
way of their apartment. -s-.----~essz-
The house is owned by Martin Wallace 1t
has five stories The fire was discovered about
s o'clock 1t started on the top floor. on the
north side of which lived Mrs. John Moore. On
the south side lived Mrs. Niver. her family and
her aged sister.
Mrs John Moore escaped by means OF the
front fire escape to the house at No. LILO. and
down to the street. 1t was she who told the
hremen of the peril of the two women in the
other fiat She had been visiting them short
time before the fire, and knew they were alone
Cummings and Moclair made desperate efforts
TO get up TO the fifth floor by the regular stair
way. but the intense heat drove them back
They lost time but dashed down 10 the
street again, and went to the fifth floor of No.
ITO and then over the fire escapes TO the front
windows of No. LIP. Moclair waited outside
and Cummings went in on hands and knees
Smoke was pouring out of the four windows in
clouds and tongues of flame shot out now and
then 1t seemed certain death to go in
The crowd below watched silently for the
fireman to appear. 1t seemed endless time.
and they were beginning TO fear for his safety
when they saw Moclair reach in and take some
body from Cummings 1t vas Mrs. Niver. Cum
mings had found her unconscious in the kitchen
and had carried her through fire and smoke
She was painfully burned. and her clothing was
scorched and burning. The fresh air revived
her for moment. and she exclaimed:
For Gods sake, get Eliza!
Where is she?" asked Cummings, almost
overcome himself by the deadly fumes.
In the hallway" muttered Mrs. Nver who
again became unconscious. Moclair hurried
down with her TO the street the crowd cheering
like mad Cummings waited only long enough
TO get little air. and then leaped back into the
furnace The crowd gave roar of applause
heard blocks away. One minute. two minutes
three minutes passed But Cummings did not
appear 1t seemed half hour to the crowd
The captain of the company ordered other men
up to rescue their comrade and they were about
to enter when Cummings was seen staggering 70
the window. He carried Mrs. Moore she was
unconscious, and Cummings was not far from
it, His comrades took the old woman ana theh
dragged him out
Fire shot out all around him. The crowd
cheered wildly when Cummings appeared The
cheering and the air soon made new man or
him and he pluckily resumed fighting the rre
with his comrades. He said later that ne hau
almost "caved in once or twice." and that he
would probably have dropped if alone. But
made up my mind TO save the old lady, ne
said, 'and-well. did save her but IL was
corkin' hot pace."
Mrs Moore was burned so severely that sne
had to be taken to the j. Hood Wright Hospitai
Her hands and face are blistered, and she in
hailed much flame. Her condition is extremely
critical on account of her great age
Cummings is the champion bicychst OF ths
Fire Department He was formerly sailor. ana
his rescues at sea and fireman on land are
almost a score He is modest in the extreme
and nothing ever induces him to recite his ex-
periences His superiors consider him one or
the pluckiest men in the department