The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-30
FEATs OF HEROIsM.
Men Braved Death in Aiding the Work OF
Rescue

MANY feats of hcroism were performed
last night At the risk Of life and llmb,
men. not only fircmcn, hotel employees
and policemen. aided in the work OF res
cuiEs guests and property-hundreds left
their places of safety, and. instead OF
sight-seers witnessing q most 'naSnlhcent
sight aided in the work of rescue. Proba-
blv the most daring of these heroic featS
was that performed by the firemen who
made their way into the upper stores
Under the leadership of Captains wise
and IIundeley and Leutenants Healey
and Gill these brave men entered me
burning building. They made their way
down the hall, only to encounter an i'm
penetrable mass of fire and smoke. They
attempted to retire, but found their
escape cut off. Just at that time there
was an explosion. What it was due to
no one seems to know Captain Wise is
OF the opinion that it was a reservoir OF
gas The men were thrown about and
many of them were stunned. They. how
ever. got together and again attempted
formation.
This was found impossible.
Tie men were ordered TO make their
escape.
They tried TO make their way through
tho roof garden to the Main-Strect side.
where ladders. it was thought. had been
placed. The whole interior of this room
was one mass OF belclling flames. 1t
looked like almost sure Oeatn enter II.
Several, however, tried it. and making
their way to the Man-Street windows.
srasped the only means of escape. and
slid down a. line of hose to the ground.
Hundreds witnessed il. and Il mighty
cheer rent the air.
The remainder of the party, finding
their escape on the Main-Street side, as
they considered, impossible sought a
means of exit in the new extension to-
ward Adams Street. a fire-escape runs
along the eastern side of the, building
They made their way through the Win
dows from which smoke and flame were
pouring, and down the iron ladders to
the ground. All of the 1iremen are ac-
counted for. though their escape is con-
sidered little short of miraculous For a
long time those who had seen the men in
the building thought they were doomed
and prepared to see nothing but their
charred bodies carried from the ruins.
S1r. Watson, one Of the clerks, also per-
formed daring work in going to the guests
occupying the upper floors and plotting
then; to places of safety. Mr.. Watson
says that While on the fourth floor he
heard cries of help coming from the i'm
prisoned firemen on the floor above He
attempted to reach them, but this he
found impossible.
NJ. Leonard Noel. Of this city; was in
the lobby of the hotel at the time the
fire was discovered. He and several
friends rushed to. the uppeE stories and
succeeded in bringing d number OF peo-
pie out of the burning building He and
several others rescued AR. Richards. af-
ter he had fallen. and carried linn TO the
house OF A1r. Nirginius Newton, where
Or. Fisher. of the ambulance, called and
had him removed TO the Virginia Hos
pital.
There were other daring deeds done. A
force of employees under the leadership of
The night Waterman. Tom Griffin. made
their way through the Office floor and
saved considerable hotel property. They
also found their way through masses CT
smoke and fame and carried much prop
cr,y Of the guests 10 places of safety.
Mr.. Horace L. Smith made his way to
the fourth floor, and. by means of a lad
der, which was thrown by iremen from
an adjoining roof. helped to safety three
people who were imprisoned in one Of the
rooms.
Captain Hundley led to safety from the
threatened building adjoining the Jeffer-
sen fats. the mother of Mrs. Marks, Mrs.
Fisher, an invalid. The house was occu-
. pied by Mr., Harry Marks, who, as did
all OF the other inmates, escaped. The
house, like the Jefferson Flats. is owned
| by the estate OF Lewis Ginter. The house
was but slightly damaged, as was also
that at the corner CT Main and Adams
Streets, occupied by Mrs. Peyton Wise.