The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-07-05
"A FIERY ORDEAL
BY albert ". TolmaH.

the London force, thrust
jthe nozzle into the hands of Arthur
Scott, his new recruit from Yorkshire.
Together they had dragged the hose
4fthrough the snow up the narrow alley
behind the burning building, until,
twenty yerds from the street, a brick
wall barred their progress. Then, be-
fore the water came, jenkins had
smashed a window with his ak, and
later had directed the increasing
sstream through the shattered Sashes
against the rear Of a long stairway.
from a closet beneath which the flames
were beginning to burst.
"Hold her there, lad! I'll be back
presently he shouted in the deafened
ears of his subordinate, and was off
down the alley to head al attack from
mother quarter upon the fire.
Long experience had made him ia
miliar with every foot of his district,
and with the GOODNESS and sagacity of
a practiced f%re-fghter, he saw in an
instant what needed to be done.
The scene of battle was in South
wark, not far from London Bridge, in
a four-story brick building, the upper
part of which vas a pasteboard box
factory. When the engines arrived the
flames were already bursting through
the windows. The only exit from the
factory was down three straight, but
steep and narrow flight of stairs,
Dine directly over the other, up which
fame and smoke were already Surging.
ON the ground floor beneath the last
flight, the small closet filled with paint
&nd oil lent ready fuel to the confa-
&ratlon. Scott was to hold the fire at
This spot in check.
The first thing. to do was to make
f3ure that every n of the .imperiled
Wives in the three upper stories was
Saved. The smoke drawing up the
stairway had deferred all but a few o.
the women and girls from attempting
Ito descend. Up the steps dashed the
firemen, and began to bring down the
half-smothered workers. Lives first;
the building afterward!
Down in the gloom of the narrow
alley Scott stood like an artilleryman
at his gun. Before, behind and to his
y1eft rose the brick walls. He was at
Sclose quarters with the foe.'
It took all his strength to hold the
nozzle in its place. directing the rush
Ing water to the spot where it was
most needed He heard with salts
Faction the torrent kissing on the wood.
The volumes of smoke told him he was
loing good service.
In the street at the end of the alley
rose the stack Of the shaking engine,
billing the air with sparks at each
hoarse, tremendous puff. That and the
spot of Pickering red through the win
bow in front of him We're the sole
bright points in the hoseman's field of
vision.
Presently a gust of wind drove the
smoke down round him, and it grew
pitchy DARK in that narrow, brick
walled canon The engine disappeared.
hnd even the lurid spot before him
1immed and blurred.
AS Scott stood awaiting further or
lers, he felt impatient to be actively
It work inside the building. His mates
bad the inspiration of each others
presence and help. They could move
about. He was chained to 4 single
place.
He could hear the shutting tread of
feet, and now and then the smothered
shriek Of a woman, as men, bearing
heavy burdens, passed down the stairs.
He could hear the crashing of wood,
IS doors and partitions gave way under
he swinging axe of his fellows. On
he front Of the building he knew that
hey were raising ladders. and he
onged to be in the thick of the fight.
But, as he stood there, holding the
lames in check, he was the pivot on
which all turned, the link without
which the life-saving chain would be
Useless.
Jenkins knew men: and he felt sure
hat in the young Yorkshire recruit
be had a subordinate whom he could
rust.
From the street came q shrill
Fhistling. Intermittent orders were
houted hoarsely beyond the smoke
barrier:
'This way with your ladders"
"More water"
"Steady, everybody"
Scott heard it all, but could see moth
hgs He was %enveloped by black, roll
ng clouds, that at times hid even the
Ruilding from him. The broken win,
low had hitherto been fairly clear, but
low it puffed out a choking flood of
moke full in his face. Still he kept
Pie nozzle unfinchingly pointed
through the window.
But high above the hoseman's head
Eas gathering a danger of which he
id not dream. AS is the case with
many of the older buildings OF thai
~istrict, the valleys on the roofs were
ned with sheets of lead, which melted
q the intense heat, and began to
fickle down the steep channels in
Bleaming threads.
Soon these threads grew to silvery
treams, which filled the cutters, over
lowed them, and poured down toward
he s~now-covered ground. Scott was
light beneath the end Of a valley down
which one of these streams came dart
pg.
The first few scattered drops tina
altered beside him he did not notice
or his eyes were glued to the dull rec
[ aro 1ndar tho Sta irUar into the hear