The new enterprise., 1905-08-17

Ihcre was a sound OF Dustling below
as the horses were hitched up TO await
the possibility of n third alarm. Its
us for 50, all rlghtr' growled Tmneran.
ana hardly were the words out when
the third alarm came in and the men
rushed to the room below. And as OS
wheeled out into the streets in the, gray
February twilight there clung to the
side step silent, sullen young man
named Corcoran.
The fire, even at a first glance,
showed itself to he a very serious one.
The yard seemed one great mass Of
fame, which rose many feet in the air
and lighted up the wlntry sky with an
angry, wicked red.
As 0S drew up and unlimbered the
hoarse hum of many pumping engines,
the strident shouts Of command and
the roar Of flames made babel of con.
fusion.
The fircmen, tuggng long lines Of
hose through the streets or silhoutted
sharply against the flames, were coat.
ed with ice from the spray which froze
in the cold air rs soon as it fell.
The lumber district lay along the
side Of little bay that made in from
the harhor. and as the burning lumber
piles on the piers toppled over scores
Of blazing RATS lodted out on the tide
and lighted mp the water.
The piles Of spruce lumber on the
wharf Of the next yard were beginning
to smoke, and here and there tiny
tongues Of fame ran along the boards.
The crew Of GS was set to work top
pling these piles into the water while
q dozen lines Of hose drenched men
and lumber alike.
Sh!yering inthe icy spray and choked
by the binding smoke, the men worked
steadily, sending tiers Of spruce boards
gathering into the bay. Every mo-
ment the smoke grew more dense, and
pickering sheets Of fame. driven by
the wind, came near enough to scorch
their faces.
Far out on the end Of the wharf Cor
coran, Began and Kennedy were deftly
topping over huge piles Of boards, en-
during grimly the flames which scorch-
cd them and the icy water which
chilled them to the marrow. The dart.
ing tongues of flame became more fire.
quent; the smoke made them sputter
and cough, Even with the spray from
the hose lines drenching it the lumber
beneath their hands was beginning to
smolder Just as a pillar of fire shot
up from one end Of the pile Lieutenan:
Reilly came running out on the wharf.
Get ont Of here boys" he shouted.
"Freboats coming up on the other
side."
Began and Corcoran, who were close
together, hurried after the retreating
lieutenant; and even as they left the
hreboat swung up beside the wharf,
and with her powerful streams sent
the pile Of boards crashing down on
the wharf.
Half way down the yard CorcOran
stopped.
"Where's DAM" he called to Began,
1t became evident to both men that
Kennedy, who had been on the farther
side OF the lumber pile, had not heard
the leutenant's warning, and if he had
not it was almost certain that he
was caught in the debris Of the lumber
piles which the streams from the
iire.hoat were scattering over the
wharf, And the lumber, despite the
efforts Of the fre.boat and a dozen
streams from the street, was beginning
to blaze.
For a moment the two men stood
stunned by the thought of comrade
caught in that awful death.trap. Then
Corcoran turned and sped up the
wharf. Began followed.
"Come back here, you fool" he
shouted "You can't do anything for
him noww
Corcoran ran on up the wharf into
the maelstrom Of smoke and flame.
Began FASTENED through the yard to
summon aid.
"Tryin' to square himselfr' he mum,
bled, brokenly, "Blast those tongues
of Ours"
Corcoran fought his way through the
blazing lumber, choked and gasping,
His eyebals seemed to start from their
sockets and his head felt as if it were
bursting. The arm with which he
sheltered his face soon became numb
and lifeless. Near the end Of the wharf
n flying board felled him, knocked off
his helmet and cut a cash in his fore.
head. Blindly, on hands and knees, he
groped his way forward. the blood
streaming into his eyes and the heat
all but overpowering him.