Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-11-27

HHEN Thomas Proctor
entered my office one
W w October morning ten
years ago, little
thought the day would
prove to be the most eyentful in the
lives of three men.
had aided Proctor financially In sew
eral promising business ventures, and
they all wound up in disaster, which
was not due to any mismanagement on
his part, but to combination of un-
fortunate circumstances.
After the last collapse Proctor OBJ
tanned a situation Mt salary which
barely supported his family. This went
on for about two years, when his em-
ployer failed, and Tom was again
stranded. He had been without eni-
ployment about month when he call
ed at my office that October morning.
gave him some good advice and en-
couragement and, what to him was
more substantial, some dollars to re-
lieve his immediate necessities.
Proctor expressed his gratitude In his
blunt. homely fashion and added ear
nestly, Perhaps this is the turning of
the tide, Mr.. Burrows" and l replied
u hope so with all my heart"
AT that time / was a director In n
large transportation company, and,
thinking that possibly I might secure
position there for my young friend,
we started on search mt once.
On the way down town we stopped
at wholesale house to buy n ham
mock to send to a friend in Florida.
The clerk Informed us that as the
hammock season was over all their
stock had been packed away ON the top
floor, SO we ascended to the fifth floor
In the elevator and then climbed two
flights of stairs, entering n room oc-
cupying the whole area of the building.
A clerk was buslly engaged with n
gentleman whom recognized as Hon.
Moses Oglethorpe, multlmillionaire, tho
richest man iu the state.
The clerk went downstairs for some
thing, leaving us alone-a millionaire, a
merchant and poor man.
Suddenly we were startled by the
changing of gongs, a footing of bugles
and commotion in the street.
We all rushed to the window, drawn
thither by the natural desire inherent
in the breast Of the average American
to witness the rush of the fire engines
Great Scott, gentlemen" exclaimed
Tom excitedly, ''the fire is in this build
ing! smell smoke. We must get. out" !"
We all rushed to the door, Proctor
reaching it first. As he swung 1t open
he was driven back by sheet of fame
and smoke.
"No chance to escape by the stairs
said he. perhaps there's fire escape.
You stay here while take look"
And with that he ran to the front, side
and rear windows. When he rejoined
our little group, the answer was plain
ly written on his face, mo fire escapes
anywhere on the building"
In that time of awful peril and dan
ger Tom Proctor was cool and collect
ed, SO we naturally looked to him to
find some avenue of escape. Ten min
utes before he was the most insignifi-
cant person in the room, pennlless
bankrupt, realizing his own insignifi-
canoe more keenly because of the pres
ence of modern Cr9sus.
A few moments had changed the
standing Of the two extremes of our
trio, and Proctor had jumped to the
head of the class, for we We're in sit
uation where brains were of more ac-
count than dollars.
He carefully examined the room, hop
ing to find a skylight, but was unsuc-
cessful. Then lie sought the windows
again, thinking he might discover a
coping or cornice by which we could
reach some adjoining building, but
with the same hopeless result
Then we ran to the windows to sec
If there was any chance of help from
the firemen. A cry of horror reached
our ears as the crowd in the street
caught sight of us.
The firemen raised ladders against
| the side Of the building, but our hearts
sank, for the ladders reached only the
| window of the fourth floor.
One cry reached our ears, but il
sounded like death sentence. Some
one, evidently fire chief, roared
through a trumpet, "Jump-it's youl
only chancew at the same time point
ing to n group of men holding large
blanket directly beneath us.
MY Godw groaned Oglethorpe. "Its
suicide to jump from this height. II
makes me dizzy to think of it,
tow nc q hn Tn
| cucumber and talked to us as calmly
as if discussing a business scheme in
my private office.
Its case Of roast or jump" said
he as we came together for a fina'
conference. That's the whole thing ir
a nutshell. The only redeeming fea
ture in the case is that each of us car
choose the way 1t suits him best to
die. Personally 1t makes little differ
ence to me. Death by fire isn't really
!, so horrible as it appears, and, as fol
jumping, you will lose consciousness
long before you reach the ground. Aft
er all, my case is much worse thar
yours, gentlemen. Your families vii
be well provided for, but God only
knows what will become of my wife
and children when I'm gone"
"See here, young man." Oglethorpe
exclaimed, grasping Tom by the arm
81 can't be roasted like rat, and t.
jump is still worse. God, man, ISM
there some escape? We can't die lilst
this. Why, man alive. I'd give mil
Lion dnllars-a million. do you haar2-