The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-12


for men. Mind you, say, men who
have attained their full development, |
but in my opinion they are bad for
pavement was mapped with crisis
cross Of hose lines. At the corner,
No. SIS engine was squealing fran
tically for coal. A dense knot Of f. e.
men was steadying a hose nozzle on
the sidewalk opposite. The crowds
had been choked back until they stood
wedged deep and dark around the fur
Their corner.
Swenson saw Collins wave his hands
to the men Of truck 2 and point up
ward. He saw them start with their
ladders, and then, of a sudden, the
whole building shook and a dense
cloud of smoke belched from the
And Swenson knew that the building
directly under him was on fire. In
four or five minutes at the very most
the floors would go down.
To any one but a fireman there
would have been no way OF escape
six feet in his stockings, and he was
cool with the experience Of fifteen
years Of fires. His plan was formed
instantly.
Kirk drove out the window sashes
with a. single blow Of his ak. SWenson
seized the ladder and ran it outside,
hooks up. Then he stood on the stone
ledge; Geiger and Ford seized his belt,
one on each side;and he leaned far out
as if to Jump. Carefully the ladder
was lifted toward the edge Of the roof,
the iron cornice Of which extended
some distance over the street. For a
moment he sWayed and strained. Inc
hooks rasped on the wall, but they
would not reach to the top. The lad
der was too heavy; in that cramped
position Swenson could not raise it to
it's full height.
mo use," said Ford, despondently..
After a moments consultation with
the other men, Swenson formed an
! other plan. Placing the foot OF the
ladder firmly on the outside window
| ledge, he lifted its top in air. Then
he and Geiger, EACH took firm hold of
! it with one hands gripping the other
around the inside casing of the Win
dow Kirk, who was the lightest of
the number, stepped upon the window
sill. He had kicked off his boots, and
thrown aside his helmet. He was
| white to the lips.
"Don't look down." said Swenson.
| Kirk climbed UP the ladder until he
was posed in mid air, sixty feet sheer
above the stone sidewalk. At the end
Of the ladder he paused and looked
around. ..->--e,'
1 ,.,''Go on" shouted Swenson.
| Kirk went up another step and re-
leased his arms, standing on the sec
ond round from the top. Slowly
closer to the wall. Kirk swayed and
swung like pole balancer. Then he
reached for the top. of the building
It was still above him. He stepped
from the second rung to the bare TOP
Of the ladder and balanced dizzily
with one hand resting lightly on the
wall. In that moment he heard the
roaring Of the fire and the squelchine
of the water thru the windows below
] him, but he saw only the gray scaled
edge Of the cornice. He knew that II
he did not go up, he would go dowr
4 sixty feet to the tagging below.
Slowly he raised up. His finger!
slipped just over the edge Of the cor.
nice and frightened there. He drew
himself up and \ rolled over on the
gravel roof.
"Now, Ford" said swenson.
Ford had not looked when .Kirl
y climbed, Such things are not good tt
see. He ran up the ladder rapidly
It was again drawn in, and when s ort
a reached the top Kirk, reaching over
4 seized his wrists and helped him up
AS he disappeared from view, Harrl
son, the citizen whom they had saved
+: rushed wildly forward.
shouted; you're going to let me bur,
up"
mo, we're not growled swenson
+ cts your turn next. b.
= r. At that Harrison, who had throw
off his coat and shoes, sprung up o.
=. the window SILL Fhen9-he locke
down. The smoke from below wa
4 now scanned with streaks of fire.
& was a long way down to the stree
g ", H. u 10 - froi nv l., ia n
81 He sprang back and 2darted half wa
across the room. =
II IT can't do IT," he said. II
s Steady the ladder" Swenson sal
to Geiger.
s Then he seized Harrison by the col
lar and shook him as il he had bee
a poodle dog. After that he cuffe
i him soundly, first on one side Of th
head and then on, the other.
i Get up there, or I'll pitch you int
the street," he cried.
Harrison climbed. At the top (
the ladder he looked up. Kirk an
Ford were reaching down to him. y
went one round higher. *@
Harrison raised himself slowly an
lifted his hands. Just as he fe
Kinks fingers he gave way and swaye
S against the wall. Kirk grtpped hi
hard. For a moment he dangle
hopelessly Then both men reache
his arm and pulled him up.
Now, Geiger," said Swenson.
Fl "You can't hold the ladder" sa'
Geiger.
81 II can," answered the big Swede.
They stood still a moment. Thu
heard the ominous crunching OF II
fire under; them and they knew tn
|, it soon would knock at the door, &c
ger climbed. Swenson strained hal
with both feet braced under the vii
dow sill. He had promised to sho1
when he could no longer hold Il
ladder When Gieger was half WI
up he shouted Then he felt the ladd
tighten suddenly and he saw Geigel
body swing off into the air. For
! moment he went sick at: the sigh
then he saw Kirk and Ford pullil
him I'D on thssg belts