The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-10
THE ON
BUILDING BURNS
sconanued from First Page

ikseneral cry OF lire was Ta!seu dlfas tiS
smoke began streaming in. she escaped by
sIrway of the stairs. Just how 1t happened
8 that Miss crsinip was caught in the front
Office mono OF the employees knew.
By the time the struggling stream OF
humanity had poured itself on the Ser-
en;h Street sidewalk, and just as the
flash Of flame followed them. the nrst OF
iahe Ere department. apparatus arrived.
This was about three minutes after the
alarm had bern given. Then there fol-
lowed a brief delay in getting the stream
ion the fire. After another three minutes,
& however. the sharp hiss of the virgin
4 fame told that its master--Water-was
Z there, and. then the fight began in earnest
The stream was strikngiy lacking in
force, and continued so for several min
sites.
MISS cRUMP'S FEARFUL JUMP.
Meanwhile Miss Crli.np, who was III the
front Office on the second floor, had tried
20 battle her way down the. stairs to
freedom and air. and failing had stag
gered back to the window of her Office.
With smoke rolling out in vicious clouds
over her head and with the flames stead
lily creeping on behind her, she stood Tor
q moment with her hands covering her
eyes Then came a Shrek from the
crowd: Jump
Miss Crurnp hesitated. leaned out and
drew back in apparent fear Despite the
shouts Of Chief Fuller and his ATemen Tor
the crowd to Keep quiet until a ladder
could be brought, the cry of Jump"
was repeated and rose into a perfect roar
as party OF men started for the awning
above which the girl stood in the window
One of the men began to climb the iron
pole to the awnings top and thence to
(. the window. but again paying attention
TO the excited and maddened shrieks from
81 the crowd. Miss G,ruclp climbed out on
the ledge and plunged down.
She struck the awning five feet below;
there was a ripping sound as the stout
canvass gave way, and she was pre-.
lcipiated to the sidewalk. where She lay
,eenseless. As she struck, two tiremen
with q ladder, which would have meant
-ther safety, turned the corner OF the buil0-
ling. Instantly Miss Crump was lifted
land removed to the Beaufont Lithia Com
lpany's place, directly across the street,
where hurried efforts We're made to re-
alvive her. There the extent of her in
ijuries were ascertained and an ambu-
lance sent for.
Meanwhile. as the fire grew and the
ierowd increased, Main Street became q
surging wflirl of vehicles: squads of blue
coats were r,isll>d IN to keep the tramp
Hing, shouting crowd back; street cars
were brought 10 a sudden and lgnominous
finish, and frightened horses snorted and
humanity in Main and nearby streets.
In view of the rapid spread. of the
tflar1es Throughout the building and the
i endangerinS of other property, Chef
jI'uller had sent in q second alarm, ana
then for safety's sake rang 10 10. cutting
loif the Richmond Passenger and Power
!Companys current. AT 2:55, exactly If
Iteen minutes after the stroke of the first
alarm, the Chief expressed his opinion
tof the. gravity of the situation by ringing.
tine three skies. which IS only done in
lease of tremendous confagrations
YOTNG CLIFTON'S ESCAPE
1t was about this time that agonizing
Bhrieks were heard. shrill and cutting
above the clash and clarfor of the street
sr3e hssroar Of the crowd. Finally it
was found that a young man had been
sipinaed n the basement of the building
land was standing with face pressed
against the grating which opened foot
la &c above the sidewalk, sasping for
breath s Instantly firemen with axes
started to work, and with few hearty
blows went crashii;s' through the steel
grating and the young man was dragged
Ito safety.
& Anyone else in there?" he was asked.
Eyes, a negro man. he replied. i
il1eard him yelling
In spite of shouts OF the young mans
rescuers they were never able to get
iunent, so it is presumed the negro was
96uffocate1 and lost, or else must have
escaped in some other way. 1T is on this
young mans statement that the story OF
one life lost is. based THE young man
iwho was saved gave him name as G. {.
iClifton
THE STREETS THRONGED.
Within the minutes after the three-siS
alarm, the shriclsing OF. the newly called
fire fighters was heard. and within two
minutes more a deluSe of water was cut
i1oose The water, at first weak, gained
4 rev sti ergth after the three SKIES call,
:. and from that time forward there was
Hess trouble with it. Despite this deluse.
z, steadily Ind rapidly the fire crept toward
the Main Street entrance of the building.
4 Outpcrring of smoke from the windows
4 above GRAINED the sun
Main Street, opposite the building, was
packed and damned with. the curious.
4 who had rubbed there at the time Miss
q Crump had jumped and despite the eff
forts Of the police, commanded by Cap
tain ALgle, of the Second District, the
throng had overflowcd into The street
and a dozen or m ire persons stood
lagsinst the Main Street side of the burn
ing buildrg. The fire at this time had
toniy reached half way the length Of the
4 banding, and the windows of the front
were splitting smoke.
|plate-glass. as the entire lower slass-front
t3of the building gave way beneath the
r pressure of smoke-inade gas, and q. roll
OF foul smelling smoke was helched all
the way across the street. completely
enrtloping the vacant Twin City drug
store directly in front and sending the
crowd standing there SPRAYING in every
tdirection
STAMPEDE IN THE STREET
q Instantly there was n trampiag. scurry-
and fighting mob as the crowd scattered
In this scramble at least half a dozen OF
the hundred or SO suffered severe con-
Il tusions, end many We're Knocked down
anu ira8.p,ed upon in the stampede
One of these, Isaac Canon. of Afanches,
4 ter. suffered a fracture Of the knee cap
and Peyton Il. Noel, d reporter. was
Knocked unconscious by the explosion
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