Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-05
RUSHES INTO
BLAZING BARN,
SAVES CHILD
TOT SETS FIRE TO STABLE;
SINGS TO FLAMES
MAIL CARRIER AT RISK OF LIFE
RESCUEs LITTLE ONE
Three-Year-old Babe Plays with
Matches and Narrowly Escapes
Being cremated-Photographic
Supplies Consumed

Manza Daniels, a mail carrier of
Hollywood, Tuesday became the hero
of a thrilling rescue of q child from an
awful death by fire. Vernon Bliss, the
beautiful 3-year-old son of II. G. Bliss.
a photographer, narrowly escaped the
terrible fate of being burned alive in a
fire that the child had set and which
consumed his fathers barn and photo
graphic studio at the rear of the resi-
dence at 747 Ell Centre street, Cole
grove, despite the fact that the Holly
wood fire department quickly responded
to the alarm.
Daniels had been calling on some
friends in the vicinity of the Bliss home
and was passing the place when his at
tention was attracted by the voice of
a child singing to the accompaniment
of cracking flames. The man entered
the yard, and as he turned the corner
of the house he was transfiXed with
horror to see the child sitting with his
little bare feet swinging out of the up
per window of the hayloft and the
red tongues of flames reaching up to-
ward him from the lower part of the
building.
Child Disappears in Flames
With a cry, Daniels sprang forward
but before he could reach the burning
building the child had disappeared from
the upper window, and the hay upon
which the little one had been sitting
was on fire. AS the man ran he
shouted again for help. Then he heard
one shrill prolonged cry that ran the
scale from fear to pain as the hungry
tongues of flame Tapped the bare legs
of the baby in the burning hayloft.
Daniels dashed into the open door of
the barn, but was at once driven back
as a gust of wind sent the flames out
ward and around him. He heard an
other Shrek and saw through the cur
tain of fire the falling body of the
little one as it plunged from the floor
above to a stall below half filled with
hay.
AS the wind swept the flames aside
for minute the man saw the child
lying white and still In the midst of a
clear space but within vortex of
swirling flames. The upper part of
the entire structure was burning
fiercely and the brands were dropping
all about the man.
Rushes Into Blazing Furnace
Daniels tore off, his coat, thrust his
hands into the arms, drew the garment
around his head and dashed into the
roaring furnace inside the burning
building. Falling to the floor where
the binding smoke was less dense, he
groped his way forward. The roar
above and around him was steadily in
creasing like the deep diapson of a
great organ pealing forth death dirge,
At last he found the child's apparently
lifeless body. AS he grabbed the little
one in his arms the man again bent
low in the building, choking heat and
smoke and drew into his lungs a deep
breath. Then he stood erect and blind
ly dashed forward for breath and life
outside the wall of flames that blocked
his passageway.
Those who had gathered by this time
saw the white-faced man stagger out
through the circle of fire and fall al
most exhausted to the ground. A look
at the child showed he was severely
burned about the face, but Daniels
face and hands scarcely bore mark,
owing to his presence of mind in cover
ing himself with his coat. The child
also suffered from having inhaled
smoke.
Building Consumed
Fire was carried by the wind to out
buildings in the vicinity and consider
able damage resulted before it was ex-
tinguished.
The Bliss child had been left in the
care of his elder brother while the
other members of the family were away
from home. In some way the little one
had obtained some matches and set fire
to the building as a method of diversion
during his loneliness. After he had the
blaze comfortably under way he de-
cided it would be fun to ascend, to the
loft and there enjoy the bonfire he had
started. So well pleased was Vernon
with his idea and the progress of the
blaze that he burst into the song which
attracted the attention of the rescuer.
The loss to the building and photo
graphic material is estimated by Mr..
Bliss at $4O0. He loses two valuable
cameras, a large number of highly
priced negatives and considerable
Photographic supplies.
Vernon has decided that bonfires are
no good and declares he will eschew
such frivolities in the future. Mr..
Daniels modestly denies any heroism
and says he is not a candidate for a
Carnegie medal for bravery.
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