West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1902-06-10
and screamed in helpless rage.
United Efforts Successful.

w. e. Davis, OF Cedar Rapids, Ia,
the men to unite their efforts. Four
men at first took hold Of the screen,
and in almost a minute the crowd be-
hind them pushed thew away, and
before the men could get to the screen
again they were compelled to fight
with their fists. Davis managed to
get his men to the window again and
after few desperate pulls they man
aged to tear down a portion Of the
screen. Nerved to the work by their
success, the bodies of the men swayed
back and forth as they put all Of their
stl ength into one last effort. The
hands Of one Of the men were covered
with blood, but De hung on and pulled
as best he could. Finally down it
came, the men in their desperation
pulling with 1t large pieces Of mortar.
As many men as could place their
hands on the lower bar took hold. Il
bent, almost doubled. and six men
went to the Aoor with crash. holding
or to the iron bar. So quickly did
the men behind them spring to grasp
the second bar that those who had
torn down the first were badly
strampled on before they could rise.
Another bar was soon torn away, and
the path to safety was opened. The
crowd behind, hearing that at last
the way was open. pushed forward
with such haste that those near the
window were nearly forced through
to meet death on the sidewalk four
stories below. The men at the win
dows fought to keep their places I'm.
til the firemen could raise ladders,
and the men In the rear, seem of
whom were already being reached by
the flames, fought to gain the window.
Human ChaIr Saved Lives.
The first man through was DR.. c.
A. Anderson, of Chicago. No ladders
wore in front Of the window, and
Anderson's one hope was to reach the
platform Of a fire escape in front OF
window just west of where he was
lie hesitated for an instant, then
sprang for the fire escape, clutched it
aid was saved. The next man
through was c. S. Colt, of Lavargne
Ills Anderson was so exhausted thai
he was not able to drag Colt after
him, and Gott. was so badly burned
that. he was not able to make the lear
himself. He crOuched on the window
sill while the men on the inside clam
ored for him to jump. Clinton Os
horne, a real estate dealer Of New
York city, was the third man. He
crawled out beside Colt and told the
men inside to grasp his feet. Thi.
they did, and telling Colt to take hold
of his wrists and drop over the win
dow sill, Osborne, hanging heat
downward, swung Colt to and from
| until he had acquired sufficient mo
mentum, and then swung him up al
onto the landing of the fire escpae
where DR.. Anderson seized and helC
him. He and Colt then formed ;
chain, Colt holding to the fire escape
and Anderson, tightly held by Colt
with one hand reaching out towart
the window, so that the men one b!
one as the ycrawled through wer,
able to take one step on q ledge ana
make short leap to the platform o
| the fire escape, down which they mad
| their way to the ground.
twenty-five men made their escap,
in this manner, and when the las
one passed under the iron bar tn,
building was a furnace close behint
him. He said that there were severa
men lying on the floor overcome b!
smoke when he left, and they all per
isaed. 1t is doubtless enough Of thei
bodies will be found to enable then
to be recognized.