Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-16

the widest description followed when the
panic stricken scores lighting for their
lives rushed to the fire escapes only to
find them Uttered with rubbish of all de-
scriptions and almost impossible. Down
through this cluttertd narrow passage
flowed a stream of humanity. On some
of the escapes the rubbish was so closely
packed that 1t became impossible TO PASS
certain points ana men. women and chill
dren stood literally roasting to death as
the flames roared through windows
around them. One of the escapes which
ended near the roof Of a shed about ~
feet above the ground had been manned
by John j. Dwan. a policeman, who had
ran n plank across to the window of an
adjoining building. Nearly dozen per
sons had been carried across this narrow
bridge by the policeman when the flames
began to sweep around the lower end Of
the fire escape. Rushing into the fire the
policeman seized a little child and START
cd on tho last return trip across to the
place of safety. lie had made only half
the distance when the plank, burned more
than half through. broke where II rested
on the fire escape and the rescuer and
rescued fell TO the stone paved yard. 20
feet below. The man struck squarcly on
his back and one Of his shoulders was
shattered by the force OF the fall. The
child was unnjurcd.
FlREMEN USED LADDERS.
In the meantime the fremcn had run
up ladders at other points around the
building and dozens of people were
being taken from tho crowded fire cs-
capcs and upper windows. by this time
tho building Wa It furnace and the
rcscucs were effected in many cases only
latter the greatest show Of bravery on
the part Of the iromcn.
Lieutenant Bonner, son Of the old fire
chief asccndod the now rcd hot fire cs-
cape Ave times. Four times he came
down with a woman or Il child in his
arms. The fifth time he was making for
| the street with an unconscious woman
whom his strength gave way. He stag
gcrcd and would have fallen to death had
not comradc come to his assistance.
As Eonner reached a fourth story win
dow on one Of his asc'nts and dragged
Ia little girl from window whore She
stood surrounded by flames she pleaded
with him to leave her on the escape and
go after her little brother. whom she
had carried to the window when she
rushed from her bed. lie had fallen I'M
conscious and was roasting she said.
Bonner jumped through the window
and found the little hoy just inside the
window and carried him out
Fireman Harniran on the third floor
rescued Fanny Gin4horc in q similar way
after she had fallen back into a flame
filed room unconscious
WOMAN DIED IN SIGHT OF THE
CROWD
A woman. her night dress blazing.
was seen to crawl out NJ "a window and
start down the escape. removing cans
and boxes and throwing them to the
street when they blocked her way
The hot iron escapes blistered her feet
and burnt deep into her flesh. but she
continued on. The sealing ladders We're
run up close to the escape and "a fire.
man had almost reached her. when a
belch of flames covered her like a
wave and bore her down. She fell
back and died in sight of the horror
stricken crowd. The frcmen carried
her charred body to the street cover
ed it with a blanket and then contin-
ued their work among the living The
position Of those who had taken rcfug.
on the rubbish choked fire escapes
became more desperate every minute
as the flames roared through windows
on every floor. They feared to jump
and they could not wait until the
scaling ladders reached them. so in
tense was the heat. Now and then one
would spring to the ground with Il
scream. A baby flung into the arms
! x~l; tn
mediately followed BY the fear-crazed
mother, who threw herself headlong
Her body struck the policeman on the
= head and he fell uncon scious. The
a woman escaped hurt by the fall. bu
she had been badly burned. The ba b,
was not hurt ut all
n DEATH HARVEST ELSEWHERE.
Death was rcaping harvest on other
fire escapes on the building we'll a
this time. In the rear, two mon and two
women were seen descending the escapes
u their progress being blocked by some box
or rubbish When between the third and
fourth Iioors flames darted up from the
!, third floor windows. developed the two
u men and women and they fell and roast
ed to death. Their bodies We're got dowr
= by tho firemen. Just then there was a
v cry that person was being burned on
= the fire escape on the fifth floor Through
the smoke the iromen saw a blazing fig
: urc. No one could tell whether it was a
man or woman. The iiromcn saw the vic.
u tim sink to the escape and die.
On the top floor of the fire escape
) on the front side, lay three bodies, Mrs
solomon ard her two sons Isaac ana
Jacob The crowd OH the street had seer