Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-11-02

The fremen were greatly hampered
IN the work Of rescue by the great
volume Of smoke, which enveIopsd
the building. The unfortunates who
appeared at the upper windows were
unable to see the life nets, and the
fremen were unable TO place them in
position to do effective work
Prayed As She Died.
Bell Telephone company employees
were at work on the roof of the
building directly in the rear Of Hunt,
Wilkinson & Co.'S building when the
fire broke out. The linemen threw
rope to man and a girl on the fifth
floor platform of the fire escape on
the doomed structure, but the imper-
lied ones could not reach the line
The girl after moment knelt on
the iron landing. and seemingly be-
gan to pray. The man jumped and
was killed. The flames swept up
about the kneeling figure and her
clothing caught fire and burst into
fame. Apparently she lost conscious
hess of her peril, for she kept on
praying, and when the wall fell
few seconds later she was carried
down to death, still making her ap-
peal to heaven It was the most pa
thetic incident of the terrible drama.
One man rushed out to the fire es-
cape from the eighth floor of the burn
ing structure. He made a wild leap
to the fire escape on the adjoining
building to the west, and landed on
the iron grating, but slipped, and
struck his head against the railing. He
lay there unconscious while the fiery
tongues of fame darted about him.
Help could not reach him in the
face of the devouring element, and he
was cremated ON the aerie-like refuge.
control a charred and blackened pile
was all that was left on the platform.
Woman's Awful Death.
The dramatic incident of the fire
was the appearance at the seventh
story window of the woman who
jumped to her death. 1t was only
several minutes after the confiagra-
tion had broken out, but already huge
volumes of smoke were pouring out
from open windows, and here and
there a lurid flame licked over the
stills. The woman had probably tried
every way of escape on the inside,
and at last was driven terror-stricken
to the window.
The crowd on the pavement below
and the faces at the windows of the
houses across the street caught sight
of her in a moment Piercing shrieks
rent the air again and again, but no
one lifted hand to aid, for they could
not The firemen arrived, and still
she stood, a lone figure at the window
1t was impossible to reach the fire
escape, down which another woman
and several men were slowly cropping
their way, almost blinded and stupe-
fled by the intense smoke. Now and
again her form also would be hidden
behind the dark clouds, but always
she kept up that heart-rending wall.
The fremen yelled to her through
trumpets to stay where she was and
not to jump yet. They tried to run a
ladder up to her, but it was impossible
to reach as high up as the seventh
floor, even if it had been possible for
a rescuer to ascend. The only way
was to jump, and the fremen pre-
pared for this.
Bringing out huge net dozen or
more willing hands seized its edge
and formed a circle just below the
windows. 1t was dangerous work. not
to mention the hardships of the in
tense heat, but no one shrank back
when volunteers were called for.
The big net was pulled taut, and
then the word was given. Jump!
jump into the nett" called the firemen,
and the spectators took up the cry.
The woman probably never heard
above the roar of the flames behind
her, but she saw that it was intend
ed for her and jumped.
Her dive was fatal, however. She
swung way beyond the net, and, COM
ing down like cannon ball, struck
the heavy awning supports. 1t broke
her fall, but it also killed her. Her
body was almost disemboweled on the
tough iron, which bulged about ten
inches from it's position. The poor,
torn bit of humanity hung there for
a second and then dropped to the
pavement below. an Illuminate mass,
bruised and broken. The firemen
tried TO run their net under the avn
ing ere she fell the remaining short
distance, but were too late. When
they bent over her body and picked
her up she was dead.
Counterfeiters Arrested.