Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-12

and made such noise He could not think,
The. heat was wearing on him. He lay
there, waiting.
And In fact the crew below were already
planning to reach him, Capt. MeaShan had
been SO busy--tryfng to keep the flames on
the twelfth floor from forcing their way
from the airshaft to the elevator well-that
he did not think Of the two men whom he
and burning embers began to pour down the
elevator we'll from the upper stories that
the possibility Of their situation occurred to
him.
He called two OF his crew to get scaling
ladders. and. leaving Gallagher in charge of
the pipes. he ran to the southwest end OF
the building-to be farthest from the fire
and, opening window there, looked up.
He could see no signs Of fire showing in any
OF the windows above him. Looks all
right" he said to the men. But you'll
have to be quick. Keep yer eyes open fer
the windows below as yuh go w"
They had coil of life line and two lad
ders. They used but one of the latter, go
ing up together for greater speed, one man
holding the other on the Sill by the snap
hook Of his life belt. while he, standing up
right on the window sill, had both his hands
free to raise the ladder. This made 1T nee
essary to break in the lower sash of each
window with their hatchets; ana at tnelr
first window they saw the wisdom OF Mea-
ghan's warning. The room was stihlng
with heat and smoke; and as soon as they
opened vent into it the fire showed In the
darkness.
At the fourteenth story light of flames
was already glimmering behind the broken
pane. The smoke poured out on them as
they beat in the glass and hauled UP the
ladder. They went ahead, however; ana
while they were climbing up the wall from
that window they heard a cry below them
and looked down to see the flames IN the
thirteenth story cutting them Off.
shout of warning from Capt Meaghan
was followed by faint call from above
peering over the edge of the water tank
Meaghan shouted Come down the rope.
They looked down to see him waving 10
them. They looked up and Corrigan mad
disappeared.
The upper man said: we can reach
EN-"
They delayed for a moment-a moment
that was almost fatal-for while they hesi-
tated the fire burst out in the fourteenth
story also Then they tied the end of their
rope around the shaft of the ladder; each
took a twist of it in the hook of his belt;
they dropped.
They slid down through fire and smoke
hlistered and blinded to Capt Meaghan,
who caught each as he came and drew MIN
In the window. A fireman, sent by Lieut..
Gallagher came up shouting: Fires at the
elevator shaft!' They turned and ran.
Corrgan had gone down to the roof TO get
Waters. and found him lying on his face on
the bricks.
."rhe men're comm up the ladders he
said.
Waters sprang to his feet with this new
hone of life and followed him around the
tank to the parapet. And they looked down
on the empty ladder, twenty feet below
them hanging in the flames with blazing
rope dangling from 1t into the sm1ke'
''H-ll!' Corrigan said, dlsgustedly.
Waters stared at the abandoned appara-
tus. Il guess" he said in a new voice:
He turned back with Corrgan to the front
of the tank again. There was lull IN the
pl-n nd "a
straight on all sides of them and the bricks
were warm under their feet. There was no
escape now.
We got half chanel left corrigan
said I'VE can get IN the tank.
Waters shook his head. NO use. l got
to cash in, I guess
Corrigan cursed him. We'll. am |, lie
shouted. Get hold o this ladder
He braced himself, with a foot against the
tin covering of the tank, bent his back ana
tugged to loosen the ladder from its fasten-
irgs Waters helped him. They strained
and struggled with all the strength OF every
muscle and the great screws in the sockets
of the uprights came out slowly. Once the
ladder had loosened its hold they levered 1t,
twisted 1t and wrenched 1t free. Corfgan
crawled under the steel beams ana tufheu
off the stop-cock there. Then they both
climbed aloft lowered the ladder into the
tank and slid down, one on each side OF the
rungs, into the water. They drank together,
sunk to the teeth.
self on" he spluttered. We'll be eatn
smoke here before long
The scuttle was a red square of light
above them and they could see each other
ture in the darkness. They stripped off
their upper clothing and bound themselves
under their arms to the ladder
They could hear the crackle and roar OF
flames outside There was pecking of
scattered rain on the tin above them.
Il wish I'd somethin' feat" Corrigan
said
Waters sighed. I'D like somethin' to
breathe better
He was choking with heat and smoke. He
rested his chin on rung of the ladder. He
was tired and dizzy. He seemed to be drift
ing on clouds of smoke, blown about in the
storm and heat, glowing spark above the
flames. He heard Corrigans voice at
great distance, say: Wind changed
south"
The Hansard building had caught fire at
1915 O'Clock. At midnight the chief, fear
ing the effect of heat and water on the steel
ordered all the companies to
back down to the tenth floor and leave the
six upper stories burn themselves out.
They burned all night, the flames lighting
the city like a huge torch held aloft above
I he houses.
1t was feared that the floors might fall
and bring the roof with them: but the steel
columns, Orders and floor beams had all
been built around and protected with terra
lath' and plaster, and the floor arches built
Of hard burned terra Gotta blocks. There
was nothing in the rooms to burn except
the Office furniture and the woodwork of
bases, chair rails, doors. windows and floors.
Daybreak found the building still stand
ing, q smoking and blackened shell above
the tenth story, with the firemen putting
out the last shoulder in the Quilted rooms.
They fought their way up slowly from floor
to floor. until by noon Capt. Meaghan and
a squad of his company, looking for their
dead reached the stairs leading to the roof.
They found there the blackened nozzle
which Corrigan had abandoned to the fire.
They went upstairs, hopeessly. and burst
open the door, and saw Corrigan himself
red eyed and dripping, and stripped to the
on the edge of the tank, beat
ing with his heels on its sides and singing
crazy nothings In the voice of insanity.
Capt. Meaghan went over to him and
called up, Where's Waters?"
He wnked and pointed down into the
tank I'm the king O the castle" he
I'm the king O the castle I'm
the WHAT What's Waters? Little
Sally Waters oh, he spellbinder." he
said, with a grin. Hes spellbnder, talk
in hot air. " Coming up? Come on
up 1t amt as hot up here as IT was"
And they found Waters, unconscious but
alive. still tied to the ladder and floating
i bio