The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-09
QUEER EXPERIENCES
OF Fireman Who Saved His Life With
the Aid of a Milk jug.

Lesser lMinn0 Cor. st. Louis Republic
The old adage that truth is stranger
than fiction" was amply illustrated out at
Huddlevale yesterday in the thrilling ex-
periences that were allotted by fortune to
CASTOR Merriville. Merrlyille is a fire.
man, captain of the local volunteer de-
partment, and, in the performance OF his
duties, was inside the fve-story brick
FIGURING mill of Cassleton & Bodkin
when the fire was raging in nearly every
part of it.
While he was at work on the third
story an explosion of some kind 50
wrecked the building below him that he
was forced to retreat upward, and he and
three companions were finally forced to
take refuge on the roof They were for
tunately supplied with a long light but
strong rope, and with this Merriville low
cred the other one after another to the
ground but, when the last of his COM
panions was nearly down. the rope broke
at the point where Ii came in contact
with the cornlce. and Merrville was left
alone without hope of rescue.
At the rear of the mill there stood a
three-story frame residence. and, evident
ly with the idea of jumping down on the
roof of the building In a last desperate
attempt TO save his life, Merrville, run
HiHB swiftly dlD0R TIE DdTdDtl VI lllt
western wall Of the MILL sprang far out
into the air. across the intervening space
and came down with crash upon the
shlngled roof below him.
When Merrivile feet struck the roof
they went through 1t at once as circus
rider goes through the p I.er-eoyered
hoop, and. amid rush of fire and clnders.
the unfortunate man disappeared into the
roaring hell beneath him. and was almost
Immediately thereafter entirely buried be-
meath the roof and walls which fell in
upon him.
Six hours later. when the fire had burnt
itself out. or had been extlnguished. the
entire force OF the company. aided by
scores of killing volunteers, attacked the
wrecking the dwelling house with the pur-
purpose of recovering the charred re-
mains of their friend and companion.
Further and further the men progressed
till the central portion Of the building
was passed and still there was no sign
of Merrlviiie's remains.
At last, however. one Of the foremost
searchers sprang forward with shout.
and hastily throwing aside some timbs~s
and kneelIng down in the water In the
center of what had ben the kitchen. he
lifted up and turned toward the others
the white. CHASTITY face OF their friend.
and. even as he did so, the closed eyes
opened, and n feeble voice inquired rs
the fire out, boys?"
Ii seems that when Merrivile broke
through the roof and fell into the build
ing below. the floors had already been
mostly burned away, and he shot. swift
ly downward through the intervening
space and dashed with perfect accuracy
through the trap door of the cistern,
which had been removed early in the fire,
into the water below.
His dire extremity called his attention
to corked jug with long string at
tached to it that was floating about in
the eistern. barely above the surface and
which contained milk which the mistress
of the house was in the habit of keeping
cool In that manner.
He remembers uncorking the jug. pour
ing out the milk. recording It and tying
IT about his neck with the string. and he
remembers no more. for he must have
tainted with exhaustion and excitement