The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-26
Nearly Suffocated ln
 Boarding House Fire

ing from one of, the upstairs rooms of the big two-story frame building. and led by Captain Grinlth. Bremen Sikes and OConnell. ..accompanied. by Policeman Hammond. plunged into tho smoke. Policeman Hammond. the hero of many fires. was overcome. and fell unconscious, and Ffremen O'Copneil dropped in the same room, Captain Griffth and Fireman Sikes continued their search, and were finally reward ed. being able to- carry the woman. Mrs. L. V. Hardt. of Dothan. to safety.
 Fearing for the safety of oConneil and Hammond. Captain Grimth ordered some one to search for them. and Ser geant Murrell and Policeman Cloud dashed into the building. and just in the diok of time dragged the -uncon- scious men to a place of safety.
 While searching for other possible victims of the smoke. the nnemen das- covered W. L. McCloud of Moss Pond. Miss.., and H. L.. Hillman. asleep and unconscious to the danger in which; they were placed. These men were dragged to the fresh air before they realized their narrow escape.
 Captain GriMth Hurt.
 After the work of rescue had been completed, Captain GriMth attmepted to work his way to the rear of the house, where the fire was putting forth. a stubborn resistance. and in passing through . window. the sash fell upon one of his ankles, very nearly breaking It. Imprisoned between the blaze and the smoke-filled house. the fireman was lK grave danger. but after . brief struggle, succeeded in freeing himself. reaching the fresh air just In the nick of time. -s..-1 The fire was discovered by Mrs. L. K. Kenney. . .boarder. shortly, after s:so o'clock. She sounded an alarm through the house. but as most of the guests had retired. she was not able to awaken them. Tho Madison Avenue depart ment was soon on the scene. followed by the men from the Scott Street. Highland Avenue and Five Points Companies. .@-z.-.fe as'~=
 A big wooden house. enveioped. in smoke and wedged in between two other structures was what greeted the firemen as they set out>upon their work of property saving. The fire was soon recognized. as one of. the. meanest to which the hremen had been called for some time. and because of the value of the adjoining property. threatened to be most destructive. The flames were confined mostly to the kitchen. but the big, wide corridors of the boarding house. permitted the smoke to circulate. and in few mo- ments the whole building was choked by the smoke. s.s e
 The fire chief sent one detachment of men to the rear Of the building. and
 with the other detachment he began the work of rescue. Those first on the scene had, heard the cries of a panic stricken woman, but were later of the impression. that she had escaped. When the fremen entered the building, how ever the appeal of the woman could be- heard coming from one of the up- stairs rooms. The voice was scarcely audible when the hromen began their
 search, and after they had proceeded
 but a short distance, died out altogeth- CT. The men continued to search. and their efforts were finally rewarded. but not until the fremen and the. police
 men had dropped unconscious In one of the upstair rooms:
 Ftremen Overcome.
 In the meantime a big crowd had conRregated in the front of the build
 ing. and as the fremen disappeared in
 the smoke of the upstairs windows, the crowd held its breath. The men were gone a long time and all that could be heard was the crackle of the flames.
 the hoarse cries of the -nghters. and the htss of the water, aseit fell on the burning wood.
 After what appeared to be an agoniz- ing length of time. but which was It, tie oyer a minute, two of the hremen stumbled out of the front door of the house carrying the body of a woman.