Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-15
SEVENTY FIREMEN
OVERCOME BY GAS
Entire Battalion Moved Down in Rem
ington Cellar by Thin, Yellow Smoke.

elevator shaft He carried a lighted cam
die, which he placed on a box.
In some manner the candle was over
turned and fell into some excelsior pack
Ing. and in an instant there was a blaze.
The inspector ran to the ONCE floor and
gave the alarm. and several employees
went into the cellar to fight the flames.
They were quickly driven out.
Firemen Fall In Heaps.
First to respond to the alarm were
Battalion Chiefs Graham and Duffy. and
Immediately following were engine COM
panies Z. L. 81 and 81, trucks 8 and I, q
water tower and the salvage corps. Soon
after these companies were at the fire
Deputy Chief Martin arrived and took
charge. When the first companies ar
rived they found the two cellars filed
with thin yellow smoke. and Chief
Graham, at the head OF about twenty
hremen, went in.
They had not been in the place three
minutes when those outside heard q
| shout. and. looking into the cellar, saw
the men falling. Firemen, policemen and
citizens rushed into the cellar and began
firemen took their places. and in a few
minutes they began to fall. Deputy
Chief Martin, with a handful OF men left,
sent in two special calls for trucks 8
and 20.
BY the time the extra companies had ar
| rived practically the entire force respond
ing to the first alarm, including Deputy
| Chief Martin. was stretched on the side
walk unconscious. Calls were sent to Gou-
verneur, st. Gregory's, Hudson Street and
| the New York hospitals for all available
ambulances and surgeons. The entire board
OF police surgeons under DR.. Quigley, was
called, and these were assisted by several
physicians in the neighborhood.
AS the firemen were carried up from the
cellar they were laid on the sidewalk, and
| in a short time the line OF unconscious men
rQa hod frnn Thomas Rr0adWav
one block to Worth street, and half way
down that street toward Church street
Blankets and quilts were sent by the BUSH
ness houses in the neighborhood. and on
these the iremen were laid. Wires were run
from the Elliott Fisher offices and connect
ed with electric fans. which were placed at
the heads Of the unconscious men.
To add to the difficulty of attending the
injured. many Of the men overcome were
hysterical after they had been resuscitated,
and had to be restrained by the polise and
surgeons. This. the surgeons say. was the
effect Of the gas inhaled. Many Of the fire.
men recovered quickly after being carried
out. and insisted on going back. Some
made three trips into the cellar, and these
were the most seriously injured.
Chief Graham was overcome three times.
The first time he went into the cellar, he
says the place was filed with thin yell
smoke, and he did not notice gas or
about twenty-five feet back from the en-
trance. and as they carried line OF hose
toward it the men suddenly began to fall.
Girls Sent to Safety.
After Graham was revived he went into
the cellar OF j.. Spencer Turner, at No.
SO Worth street. This cellar connects with
that Of the Remington company, and the
chief though they could get a stream on
the fire from the windows. The moment
the iron shutters between the two build
ings were opened there was a burst of
fume-laden smoke and a half dozen of the
men fell.
When the fire was discovered there were
about 160 girls on the second and third
floors of the Remington building. A DO
liceman rushed into the place excitedly and
told them to get out, as the building was
on fire. The girls became panic stricken
and rushed for the doors. Joseph Wilson,
superintendent Of the building. went among
them and soon had the young women in
order. Some were sent down the stairs
and others were taken down on the eleva-
tor by John Gill
Three employees of the Remington COM
pany were injured In carrying out fremen
who had been overcome. There were
Cleveland McGibney, John E. Harper and
William Moscowitz- The latter. after be-
ing revived became hysterical and as he
was being carried from the Office of the
vice president of the company, he kicked
Henry Zahn, also clerk with the Rem
ington company, in the abdomen. Zahn
was badly injured and was taken to the
hospital.
Traffic on Broadway was blocked for two
hours, and the police reserves from four
stations. under Inspector Schmittberger
and Captains CottreH and McGIynn had
the greatest difficulty In handling the
crowd and preserving the fire lines
By working in relays for a few minutes
at time the firemen kept the fire con-
fined to the subcellar of the Remington
building. 1t was found that the gas had
escaped from a supply pipe which had
broken. and the gas. mixed with the fumes
of burning carbon paper and burlap, had
made deadly mixture. While the police
and firemen place the damage at about
$4,000. John F. Mechanic. vice president
and general manager of the Remington
company. says it will reach $4,000 or
$50 0G0.