The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-01-15

| for escape.
EXECUTE THE FIRE DRILL
| IN CORRIDOR OF SMOKE.
The corridor was filed with dense. suf-
| locating smoke. and the teachers lost no
time in getting the children out into the
| street. There they turned them over to the
care Of neighbors and citizens who had been
| attracted by the smoke pouring from the
building and the cries Of the children. and
went back to assist in rescuing the children
from the nursery.
Matron Williamson meantime had turned
in an alarm Of fire. and residents Of the
neighborhood REINFORCED by passengers
from the Suburban cars. hurried to the res
cue. The Cabanne engine company was
quickly on the scene. and a second and third
alarm were turned in when the nature of
the fire was learned.
w. w. Ring. a linenan, of No. 1872 Whit
tier street. was repairing wires in the rear
OF the home when he discovered the smoke
pouring from the building. and heard the
shouts of the affrighted attendants On the
upper floors Of the building
He clambered down the pole and ran to
the stairway leading to the porch on the
second floor Of the H." where Mrs. Sweat
and other attendants in charge OF the nur-
sery were screaming for help to save the
babies. He leaped UP the stairs just as
Patrolman E W. Volk Of the Tenth District
reached there.
BABIES ARE HANDED OUT TO
RESCUERS THROUGH WINDOWS.
The entire interior of the building at that
time was filled with dense. suffocating
smoke, which poured from the basement
up the stairway. The nurses had raised the
windows Of the nursery, from within which
could be heard the choking cries and coughs
Of the infants, and passed out the little
ones to the policeman and lineman until
they were driven out by the smoke.
The rescued children were passed to cit
liens, who carried them downstairs.
When the nurses were compelled to leave
the nursery. Ring clambered inside and
groped his way around the chambers in
search Of any children who might have been
overlooked. He remained until almost suf-
focated. and then came out alone. Word
came up from below, from the attendants
who had counted the rescued, that one child
was missing. Although the nursery was
sitting at this time, Ring again ventured
within, cropping his way along the floor.
Patrolman Volk grasped him by the ankles,
a citizen grasped the policeman by the
ankles. and the lineman and policeman dis
appeared into the thick smoke, Ring feeling
carefully all about the room. He was un-
able to find any trace Of the missing child,
and he and the policeman were hauled back
almost suffocated.
FINDS THE UNCONSCIOUS CHILD
ON THIRD TRIP TO ROOM.
short rest in the air revived Ring, and
he declared his intention of making an
other search for the child. although 1t
seemed suicidal to venture within the
smoke-choked room. He went in alone
this time. and, after satisfying himself that
no living thing was in the nursery. searched
the toilet-room adjoining. There, under the !!
bath tub. lying on his face, unconscious, he |
found 3-year-old Walter Brady. |
The tot had strayed away in the excite |
ment and. overcome by the smoke had |
fallen with his face close to hole where a |
drain pipe had formerly led through the |
floor. 1t is to this circumstance that his |
life was saved. as the slight draft coming |
through the hole kept the smoke from the |
spot. He had been in the burning building |
nearly thirty minutes.
Ring. with the child in his arms, was |
barely able to crawl to the window and pass 1
his burden to the waiting hands. He was
assisted outside, and revived a short time
later, although he is seriously affected by |
the smoke he inhaled.
The rescued child was black in the face
and all but dead when received by the nurse
outside. She ran all the way to the office
Of Doctor William Nifong. No. Sa Kings
highway, where medical treatment was
promptly applied. Under this 1t recovered
and last night Doctor Nifong
said that 1t would recover, as it is a fat,
Irsty child with strong constitution.
PATROL WAGONS MOVE TOTS
TO PLACES OF. SHELTER.
After count of the children revealed
that all had beer removed from the build
ng, they were taken to places of shelter.
Or the younger children twenty-five were
aken in the patrol wagon to the Masonic
Home, Delmar and Union avenues, and the
llder children were cared for by e,ympa-
hetic neighbors. Matron. Williamson re-
'eived many offers OF assistance and as
'urances that the temporary wants of the
children would be amply attended to- until |
he management IS in position to assume
heir care.
The Fire Department. under the super
'ision of Assistant Chief Barry, soon ex-
inguished the dames. which had eaten