The San Francisco call., 1905-03-26
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Iy the building was "fireproofed'' and
the progress OF the flames would be
slow
He called two of his crew to get scar
ing ladders. and. leaving his lieutenant
in charge of the pipes, he ran to the
southwest e-d OF the building-to be
farthest from the fire-and opening a
window there, looked up. He could see
no signs OF fire in any window. above
him. Looks all right" he told the
men, But you'll have to be quick.
Keep your eyes open for the windows
behind you
They had coil of life line and two
ladders. They used but one of the
latter. going up together for greater
speed. At the first window they saw
the wisdom OF Captain Balls instruc-
tions. The room within was sitting
with smoke and heat. and as soon as
they opened a vent in it the fire, showed
in the darkness.
At the fourteenth story a 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, and while they were
climbing UP the wall from that window
they heard the rush OF back draft
below them and looked down to see the
flames in the thirteenth story cutting
them off
a cry Of warning from Captain Ball
was answered by a faint shout above
them. They looked up to see German
peering down over the edge OF the
water tank. Captain Ball shouted to
them. Come down the roDeI" They
looked down to see him waving to
them. They looked up to see that Cor
man had disappeared.
'-Jim." the upper man said. I'VE can't
reach 'em." They tied the end OF their
rope hurriedly around the shaft or the
ladder. and each took a twist OF 1t In
the hook OF his belt and dropped.
They slid down through fire and
smoke. blistered and blinded, to Cap
tain Ball. who caught each as he came
and drew him In the window. A fire.
man sent by the lieutenant came Up
shouting, Fires at the elevator
sbaft!" They turned and ran.
German had gone down to tho roof
to get Hanrahan and found him lying
on his face on the bricks.
The men're comm up the ladders"
he said. Hanrahan sprang to his feet
with this new hope OF life and followed
him around the tank to the parapet-
They looked down TO see the empty
ladder, twenty feet below them. hang
ing in the flames, with blazing rope
dangling from the center Of It into the
smoke. "Helli" German said disgust
edly.
Hanrahan started at the abandoned
apparatus. 'T guess" he said. In
new voice.
He turned back with German to the
front OF the tank again There was a
lull In the wind: the smoke and the
flames rose up straight on two sides
OF the roof and the bricks were hot
under their feet There was no escape
now. I'VE got one chance left" Cor
man said We can get In the tank"
Hanrahan shook his head mo use,
Bull" he answered II got to cash IN,
I guess"
German cursed him. ''Well. ain't,"
he said Get hold OF this ladder"
He braced himself with a foot
against the tin covering OF the tank,
bent his back and tugged to loosen the
ladder from its fastenings- Hanrahan
helped him. They strained and strug-
gled with all the strength OF every
muscle, and the great screws in the
sockets Of the uprights came out slow
ly as IL they had been sunk IN wax.
Once having lo0sened It's hold, they
levered the ladder twisted 1t. and
wrenched 1t free German crawled un-
der the steel beams and turned OF the
stopcock 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
German ducked. You'd better tie
yourself on" he spluttered. We'll be
eating smoke here before long"
The scuttle was red square OF light
above them, and they could see each
others faces as pale blurs Of no recog-
ntzabls feature in the darkness. They
stripped on their upper clothing, and
bound themselves under their arms to
the ladder.
They could hear the crackle and roar
OF flames outside. There was a pecking
OF scattered rain on the tin above
them
II wish had somethin' e eat" Cor
man said
Hanrahan sighed again. I'D Ike
something to breathe better"
He was choking with heat and
smoke. He rested his chin on the rung
OF the ladder. He was tired and dizzy.
He seemed to be drifting on clouds OF
smoke. blown about IN storm and heat.
a glowing spark above the flames. His
mind wandered IN delirfum OF suffo-
cation. He heard Germans voice. at a
great distance. say wind changed
south"
Daybreak found the "dreproof'
Mansard building a smoking and
blackened shell above its tenth story,
with the hremen putting out the last
smolder IN the gutted rooms They
fought their way up slowly from floor
to floor, until by noon Captain Ball
and squad Of his@company, looking
for their dead. reached the stairs Lead
ing to the roof
They found there the blackened
nozzle which German had abandoned
to the fire. They went up the stairs
hopelessly and burst open the door to
see German himself-red-eyed and
dripping and stripped to the waist
sitting on the edge OF the tank, beat
ing with his heels on its sides and
singing crazy nothings In the voice OF
insanity.