Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13
Capt. n. w. Wright,
No. II Engine Company.

arrived it was discovered that John Car
renS little shack in the rear of large
hotel was afire. The aged man lived the
life of recluse and prepared his own
meals. About o'clock his stove became
overheated and set fire to the little room
which was used as a kitchen. dining room
and sleeping room. Mike Downes
learned that the old man had not been
seen since the blaze began. but a few
faint cries for help had been heard.
Downes a Hero.
Although the little building was doomed,
Mike Downes stuck a wet sponge in his
mouth gathered his coat about his stall
war; form and began fighting his way
through the smoke and flames to the
shack. There he found Carren, veri-
table flaming torch. lying half dead ton
the floor near the stove. DoWneS brought
the man out, and he is living today.
DOWneS described the rescue as follows:
Il never thought l would get through
those flames. The smoke was so dense |
could not see where l was going. | knew
my place was where the flames were
thickest. and SO l ducked my head,
breathed through the wet sponge and
KEEP; going. When ] reached carren' S
room it was all abaze. but, in one cor
ner near the stove. the aged man was
being quickly transferred into coal of
fire. ! threw a blanket around him. put
him on my shoulder and started through
the Railways for the street. At that time
l did not believe | would ever get out OF
the place. for l was choked and Stit1ed
When l did get out the fresh air seemed
better than ever to me. 1t was nothing
great. l simply did my duty, and any
other fireman would have done the same
thing"
A thrilling and spectacular rescue was
made by Privates Mcpherson. Steele and
Parater of truck d early on the morning
OF April g. 1867 when the flats at 40
New Jersey avenue were set atire by a
careless smoker. who threw a lighted
cigar through the grating on the pave
ment. From the basement the fire eat it's
way rapidly to the floors above.
When the fire was first discovered most
of the occupants scrambled out through
the corridors and down the fire escapes.
MI. and Mrs. Hickman were sleeping on
the sthird floor and had not heard the
alarm of fire which had been sounded
through the building. When they were
awakened they rushed to the nursery
and grabbed their sixteen months old
child. After the infant was Snugly
wrapped in blankets the couple rushed
to the fire escape landing and shouted
for help. 1t was now impossible for them
to climb down, as did the others. for the
flames We're eating their way UP that
part of the structure.
Mcpherson. Steele and Parater We're
the first firemen to jump up the ladders
that were swung up to the third floor.
The little Hickman baby was handed to
Mcpherson. who descended repidly pass
ing the other firemen going up. Steele
rescued Mrs. Hickman. carrying her down
the ladder on his shoulder. Parater
sisted Mr.. Hickman to the ground.
Sylvester's Daring Deed.
Private F.. J. Sylvester was born to bat
tie with the flames and to be heroic at the
right time. He proved this when he stole
Mrs. Merrill from the flames that en-
veloped a house on l. street northwest
January >. 1905. Sylvester risked his OWE
life at a time when he was off duty. He
was walking along l. street when the
Merrill home was ablaZe. AS he APP
preached the house smoke poured from
the windows on the first and second floors.
The fire company had not reached the
scene He heard a frightened woman's
cry on the second floor. Mrs. Merrill had
been asleep in the upper story and the
flames had gotten such Roadway that all
avenues of escape were cut off. He saw
Mrs. Merrill cropping at one of the win
dows. He ran to the Dewey Hotel OBJ
tanned a ladder and threw it against the
bow window and scrambled up the wall.
Mrs. Merrill was gasping for breath when