Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

women were bent on leaning to the
ground Bravery? Well. call it by any
name you want. What man would not
risk his life to save woman about to
be cremated? The fireman does not
consider his own safety at such a Criti-
cal time. Logan l.. Woodland has served
five years in the department and is at
truck >. Morris Davis has seen four
years service and is stationed now at
truck 3. George w. Taylor is a colored
man and has been in the department
six years.
Taylor is one of the most fearless
men in the department He is twenty
seven years old and stands five feet
and eleven inches in his stocking feet
he is massive and sinewy. Taylor says
he has never seen anything he was
afraid of. and his fellow firemen bear
him out in this statement. A more
modest hero than this colored man
never lived. There's a brave heart
beating under his skim said one of his
comrades. speaking of Taylor. Often
times Taylor has rushed into rooms the
walls of which were at white heat and
saved furniture, trunks and clothing
belonging to poor people who could not
afford to lose them.
Lieut. f. NJ Smith of truck is an
other who has performed many heroic
feats In saving the lives of helpless
men and women. Notable on the fire
department list of daring and brave
deeds was the thrilling rescue of John
Patterson and his wife, parents of Nan
Patterson. and several other occupants
of the burning Berwick fats. 14th
street and Park road. February 4, 1906
About o'clock on this morning the oc-
cupants of the flats We're aroused by
ear-splitting cries of Fire, Fire, Fire.
Those on the lower floors leaped from
their beds. grabbed their clothing and
ran to the street. Others on the top
floors, failing to hear the startling cry.
Slumbered on peacefully. An alarm was
IL tn
company came on the scene the flats
were mass of flames.
Lieut. Smiths Valor.
Lieut.. Smith first caught a glimpse
of six frantic persons at the third-story
windows, screaming at the top OF their
voices and imploring the firemen to
save them. The window castings were
frames for pictures of the most abject
horror, and the bright glare of the
flames furnished a crimson background
which seemed to tell the end of six
human lives Those whose lives were
imperiled were Mr.. and Mrs. Patterson,
Charles Patterson, Mrs Lowell, Miss
Olga Lowell and Miss Helen Lowell
All possible haste was used in throwing
the ladders to the sills of the third
floor windows.
"Heartrending screams and entreaties'
Lieut. Smith declares, came from frantic
women on the third story. The flames
were leaping up behind them and oc-
casionally they would shoot from the Win
dOWs. The cost of human life meant a
matter of seconds and we flung the lad
ders to the windows and shouted words
of encouragement to the imprisoned per-
sons.
Il jumped on the ladder and went I'D
two rungS at time. Privates Green
Mckay and Holmes followed close behind
me. When l reached point on the lad
der opposite the third floor windows the
women were standing on the sills ready
to leap to the ground. They had lost
their composure entirely and We're suf-
fering from nervous excitement | shouted
to them to keep quiet and we would save
them.
lone of them handed out a little child,
Charlie Patterson, who was wrapped in a
blanket because he was slightly burned
while asleep. l passed the little fellow
down the ladder to the boys. Mrs. Pat
terson. the Misses Lowell, Mrs. Lowell
and Mr.. Patterson were then taken down
the ladder to the ground. 1t was tough
job. It's a wonder those people were not
stified. for the smoke was SO thick at
those windows that you could cut it with
knife. The flames also caused trouble,
for they were famed because a draft had
been created through the falling In of
charred wall. When l reached the ground
l was almost suffocated."
Lieut.. Smith and the members of his
company We're commended IN high terms
by Chief Belt and the District Commits
sioners. Mckay has been in the depart
ment six years. Oliver B. Holmes has
served three years. Private William
Green has served in the department three
years.
Private Michael A. Downes, strapping
big Irishman. six feet tall, won renown
as a fire fighter the first year he entered
the service December 23, 1905, the menu
bers of No IA engine company. stationed
CTR no1 y,,
response to a telephone alarm for a blaze
at Sth and + streets. When the companY