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

lighted match dropped on Il mattress
started a blaze in the furniture store.
threatening to destroy that portion of the
business section. 1t was a raw, cold and
disagreeable day. When the fire COM
panies reached the scene the interior of
the structure was a mass of flames. and
from the windows great volumes of smoke
emitted.
Mrs. Cook was penned in. and from the
fourth-story window she screamed out for
help. The firemen realized it was almost
equivalent to death to attempt a rescue.
Several men of the company hesitated,
but as quick as a flash Sullivan volun-
teered to take a chance and when the
thirty-five-foot ladder was raised he went
up the rungs like squirrel But the lad
der failed to reach Mrs. Cook. who, al
most choked by the sitting smoke. was
leaning near the window. Sullivan cried
out for another ladder, and Private Percy
Lowe brought up twelve-foot scaling
ladder. This was fastened to the window
ledge. but unattached to the other ladder.
Mrs. Cook was brought out on this seal
ing ladder by Sullivan. who. before the
gaze of the watching thousands. success
fully landed on the other ladder and de-
scended to the ground in safety. with Mrs.
Cook half-conscious in his arms. Sullivan
was cheered to the echO-as the rescue
was made under most hair-raising circum-
stances. Il never expected to come down
that ladder alive remarked Sullivan aft
erward But | did nothing more than
my duty. When | reached the window
with the scaling ladder l was almost
knocked off when Mrs. Cook accidentally
struck me in the mouth with her feet
while | was trying TO get her out Of the
window. i shall never be able to de-
scribe how l transferred Mrs. Cook to the
main ladder. Such a descent is difficult
for a man to make when he hasn't a
frantic. trembling woman in his arms
Another person who rega rds Capt. Sui
Ivan as a lifesaver worthy of wearing
laurels is DR.. William Munroe of GIG
18th street northwest He was impris-
oned in a ird-foor room by flames
which started in a bookstore beneath. on
the night of November 5, 1908. DR.. Mum
roe was seen peering out the window
yelling Fire" and Help" An alarm
was sounded and Lieut.. Sullivan. with
his truck company. responded in few
moments. Sullivan saw the man just in
the attempt to jump to the ground for
the fire was Gazing its way through his
apartment. and he was almost choked
with the smoke. Sullivan was again on
the job. and spectators declare that he
saved DR.. Munroe from what appeared
imminent death
Il really had to grab DR.. Munroe from
the flames" said Sullivan. 1T certainly
looked bad for him for a few minutes
But | ran up the ladder. took him in my
arms and carried him to the ground. My
hair was singed little and the flames
did some of their back biting, but Dr.
would have been suffocated had he re-
manned in the room much longer -
The irrepressible Sullivan again distin-
guished himself on the morning of De-
cember 30. 1905. when, with the assist
ance of three other firemen. he rescued
from the jaws of death four women at
an apartmnt house on G street northwest.
The rescued were Mrs. f. McCafferty,
Mrs. f, A Meredith. Miss Nellie Mere
dth and Miss Mary Meredith
sullivan's Story of It.
Sullivans own story of the thrilling
incident Is as follows: IAN alarm came
in shortly before l o'clock in the morn
ing. Our driver got his horses into the
harness IN record breaking time. and
within few seconds after the last tap
of the gong had echoed through the truck
house were on the way TO the fire.
Our magnificent horses seemed to put
their hearts in the great run OF that
night
"When we pulled up to the burning
structure we saw the four women stand
ing in their night clothes at the third
story windows. They had their arms full
of clothes and were screaming and weep
ing Historically. The boys shouted to
them to stay where they were and we
would get them out In safety. 1t was
absolutely impossible to get them down
through the stairways, which were burn
ing, and the whole building was on the
verge of collapse. The women scrambled
repeatedly to the stills as though they
were going to leap out. They were ter
ribly dazed. A second after the long
ladders were raised l went to the win
dow. followed by Private Taylor Be-
hind him were Privates Wollard and
Davis.
wrapping my legs around the top
part of the ladder, 1 held out my arms
to the women. and In an instant had
one of them in my grasp and passed
her down to Taylor. The other won en-
were gotten out quickly. The job Lad
to be a quick one. but we were a bit
uneasy for q time. when il seemed he