The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-01-15
FIREMAN'S RESCUE A MARVEL
Seufert Entombed 80 Hours Un-
der Debris in New York.
His Story of the Imprisonment-Wife
Had Arranged For His Funeral
Comrades Thought Him Dead.

New York City.-After having
been buried for thirty hours in the
ruins of the burned warehouse at
No. 62 Roosevelt street, covered with
tons of debris, Fireman John c..
Seufert, of Engine Company No. 80,
was rescued, alive and practically I'M
injured.
Seufert's rescue was dramatic af-
fair He was not discovered until
almost twenty-four hours after he
had been given up for dead. When
he attracted attention by tapping on
the beam that held him down, scores
of firemen Immediately started to
dig toward him.
A twelve-foot rubber tube was
worked through the debris to Seufert
and communication established with
him. Whisky and coffee were poured
down the tube to the imprisoned man,
and oxygen was also pumped through
the tube.
BY means of the tube Seufert re-
ceived absolution from Father Smith,
the Fire Department chaplain, and
afterward he joked with his rescuers,
who cheered and encouraged him.
At lao O'Clock a. M, it was an
nounced that Seufert had Leen
reached. The man was in kneeling
posture, with his head bent forward.
A beam lay across his legs, while
large piece of board rested against
the back of his neck. Behind this
board lay tons of debris, and all the
time the firemen were working they
feared Senfert might be killed by a
sudden slide. But they worked with
such extreme care that at the last
they were removing the burnt ma
terial in handfuls only.
At the Hudson Street Hospital, to
which Seufert was removed, it was
announced that he was gradually i'm
proving and growing stronger. His
leg is crushed below the knee and his
body is stiff and sore, owing to the
cramped position in which he was
held for thirty hours.
After rescuing Seufert from the
ruins, the searchers redoubled their
efforts to find Daniel J. Campbell,
who was also carried down into the
mass of water-soaked paper and de-
bris with Seufert and Lennon Camp
BELLS body was recovered shortly
before 2 o'clock p. m.
Lemons body was recovered soon
after the fire, and not man on duty
at the ruins thought Seufert was
alive until a fireman heard a faint
tapping beneath his feet A few
minutes later cry came from the
sodden pile, and the searchers began
to dig. The hour was about $50
o'clock. Seufert's companions worked
desperately, but carefully, until tneg
reached their man, seven hours later
Battalion Chief O'Connor was the
only person permitted to see Seufert
in the hospital.
II was at work on the third floor
of the building" Seufert told O'Con-
nor, when I heard three crashes.
started to jump from the window cas-
ing and found somebody else there
ahead of me. Then I heard another
crash. Two bales came down I was
down three stories.
when I first struck bottom be-
gan to yell. Then l became so hoarse
that l couldn't speak | wanted to
sing to keep up my spirits, but my
voice failed me. l could hear the
men chopping and pounding, but
wasn't sure whether they would hear
me. Then l began to beat against
wooden box 1 found beside me.
The bales of paper between which
fell from the third story, pressed
against my head so closely that If it
had not been for my helmet, I think
/ would have been killed.
During the early hours of my i'm
prisonment / thought l was near
death. At one time l thought that I
was about to be burned alive by a
pile of blazing paper that fell beside
me. What I remember chiefly was a
feeling of cold and great darkness.
Then began to hear the men work.
ing overhead. The noise of their
pounding became more distinct.
Finally, as it became louder and /
was unable to shout to them, be-
gan to beat on the box with the sticks
that Providence seemed to have
placed there for me-"
Seufert sat UP in bed when his
wife was admitted to see him shortly
before the noon hour, and a little
while later took with relish huge
bowl of soup. Now and then he
paused and, looking from the face of
his wife to that of his sister-in-law,
who was admitted few minutes af-
ter Mrs. Seufert, said:
''Why do you look at me like that
One would think you were looking at
ghost am not dead yeti"
Mrs. Seufert told how she had
made all arrangements for the fun
eral-how she had engaged the SER
vices of an undertaken. laid out the
life insurance policy and even pur-
chased the grave clothes. The res
cued man merely laughed.
Two days of rest in the hospital
will see Seufert out again just in
time to be present at what his friends
call racket" which they are pre-
pairing for him.