St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-11-03
NINE PERISH
Continued from Page ~

and Mrs. Z. L. Hamlet. rope hre eS-
zane in their apartment furnished the
means for Mr.. Ranlet's unsuccessful at
tempt and his wife's successful attempt
TO escape. After she had seen her hus-
hand faint and fall 80 feet to his death on
the pavement below, Mrs. Ranlet brave
" grasped the same rope and let herself
down to where Daniel Ring on the lad
der could reach her and steady her to the
ground.
1t is thought that Mr.. and Mrs. Tan
ner who roomed in the Ranlet tenement,
were aroused but some think Mrs, Tan
,er went to the floor above to arouse the
Cushmans and that her husband tried to
find his valuable Spitz dog. Both bod
les were found with those of the Cush-
mans near the fire escape.
The only other person on this floor was
Mrs Georgia Craig, who, two weeks ago
took rooms in the Davie tenement She
heard the cries of fire but until she saw
the reflection of flames on the frosted
glass window of her room did not think
clothes she made her way through fire
and smoke so hot that it started the
blood from her lips and melted celluloid
hair pins in her hair. Shoeless and with
no protection from the cold she ran to
the home of her father, NJ. N. Hoyt, on
Cherry street, arriving in a historical
condition.
OK THE Top FLOOR.
The top floor was occupied by the
Cushman, Dubray and Darling tene-
ments. The roomers on this floor were
w. L. Pope and son. Roy Smith, Guy
Cheney, and Rose Massey with Mrs. Leo
Dubrav and Miss May Hubbard with
Mr.. Darling. Mrs. Dubray was
awakened by the smoke and as her win
dows were partly opened she heard the
fremen and Others shouting directions
in the street below. Realizing the situa-
ton at once she aroused everyone of her
roomers, and to those who answered
ain lust a minute" she replied me, not
a minute, come now, to the roof" After
assuring herself that the others under
stood her directions and would follow
her to the roof and safety she started for
the stairs, and is sure that Miss Rose
Massey was directly behind her. The
last person Mrs. Dubray saw in the
building was Mrs. Cushman, in the
door of her tenement near the stairs
which led to the roof She spoke to the
woman saying, Come, this is your
only way out. /" Then shielding her
face with her hands against the terrific
heat she mounted to the roof and made
her way to the Merchants Bank block
and thence down the stairs to the street.
She was slightly burned about the face
and when on the roof she stumbled over
wire slightly injuring one leg. She had
time only to throw skirt on over her
night clothes and put on pair of shoes.
She was escorted by a passerby to the
home of her mother Mrs. Sarah Dea, on
Main street.
Mrs. Dubray was also burned com
pletely out in the Ward block in the big
Railroad street fire of II years ago Mr..
Pope and son Leonard had the corner
room in the Dubray tenement, and were
obliged to go the whole length of the
hall to the stairway. The young man
was frantic and fought all the way tc
release himself from his father. They
were both terribly burned about the
head and arms and after reaching the
street walked to DR.. Fitch's Office, ant
from there were taken to BrightlooE
hospital.
Roy Smith, another roomer, respond
ed to the alarm, drew on a pair OF trous
ers, and then opened his door to face
what seemed certain death. With {
thorough knowledge of the building
however he shut his eyes and ran the
entire length of the hall and down thu
three flights of stairs to safety Al
idea of how bewildered he was can b.
gained from the fact that after reaching
the street floor he still thought ther'
was another fight of stairs and turned
back to where the fire was the wors
and would have plunged in head fore
most if a fireman had not grabbed hin
and thrown him to the street. Almos
crazed he walked the streets nearl,
naked until bystander took him up tt
the Avenue house office. He was after
ward treated for severe burns on fac
and hands at DR.. Fitch's Office and thei
taken to Brightlook hospital.
RESCUE OF Guy CHENEY.
The most remarkable escape was tina
of Guy Cheney from his room on the tol
floor and the work of those who tool
part in his rescue, Oscar Hall OF tn
Hook and Ladder company and ASSIST
ant Engineer Harley Caswell, although
they take no credit, will go down as
piece of heroism seldom equalled. Chene,,
was hanging out of the window and hi
screams were more than the stoutes
hearted could stand. After several IN
successful attempts ladder was mail
raised inside the wires only to find tina
it reached to the ledge of the wlndov
below where he was hanging. Seeln
the predicament Mr.. Hall grabbed
short ladder and mounting the So foote
placed the shorter ladder on the top
the other and straight up against tn
building to the window from whlc
Cheney was hanging. At that tim
Engineer Caswell came along an
hearing the screams of Cheney an
Halls calls for help he went up to hel
the ladder man. Together they held TT
ladder and after much urging Chene
came down to where they were and the
dropping into Halls arms he wa
carried to the street and safety
Cheney had hung out OF the top VII
dow for upwards of 20 minutes, viii
his hands and arms were burning, an
his cries were heard for over mil
Twice he called to the crowd he was G!
ing to drop, and blankets were mel
while the firemen were struggling wit
theladders. When he reached the groun
he fold of seeing a woman drop at his tee