The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-12-23

the walls bulge and he Immediately
shouted a warning. At the same time
he jumped from the platform himself
and was followed Immediately by ten
or twelve OF his men. None of these
lost his life, but their escape was mi
raculous.
Il knew Marshal Koran and Bur
roughs were beneath me with at least
two companies of men, said Mackey,
land shouted to them that the walls
were coming down. I heard some one
below shout a warning and l got my
own men and myself out Of the way.
Immediately after jumped heard
the groans Of the men who had been
beneath me and l knew .hey lnnst be
caught. Although nearly s!l OF my
men and myself were more or less
hurt, it flashed upon US that Koran
was among those trapped, and We bent
every effort to save them.
ut was beyond human power to do
anything for the moment, for tons of
bricks had come down. When the
bodies are found they will be beneath
this pile of bricks and mortar"
Hope for the firemen and the hun
dreds OF admirers of Fire Marshal Ho-
ran that the fire-fighter and his men
had not persisted was practically lost
when Battalion Chief Lacy, who was
II charge of the stock yards division,
tci.1 Ct seeing the marshal and Bur
roughs together with eighteen or
twenty men 90 down beneath the fall
ing Wall. Chief Koran was in front
OF the yiretnen." said Lacy. and Bur
roughs short distance behind him
directing the vori, Of pipemen, when
the crash came. l know. just whore
they were and am sure they had no
chance of escape. Dozens of the fire
men saw the same situation and many
of the men ran to the pile almost
frantic and began throwing the bricks
away with their hands. They were
like SO many Goals Of fire and any
work of that sort was useless
Il ordered them back to fighting the
flames with their lines Of hose, in
the hope that the fire might be stop
ped in time to find way to rescue the
poor fellows we had all heard go
down to what seemed certain dearn.
Il was determined to make every
effort within human power to save
the men, but the condition Of the
building made it suicidal for the rest
of us to try to enter it.
Il was in charge of the fremen
fighting the flames from the railroad
tracks. I saw one man fall near
where the men who were caught fell,
and l ran and catching hold Of his
legs dragged him on to the railroad
tracks and saved him. Then my men
and I made rush to save others,
but our way had been blocked by the
falling ruins and clouds Of dust and
debris
The first body was taken from the
ruins shortly after o'clock. It was
that Of George Murawski, pipeman of
engine company No. ~.
It was estimated at the general fire
alarm Offices that twenty-eight or
thirty firemen we're dead, after two
hours fighting to recover the buried
men.
It was said to be certain that Mar
shall Koran and Battalion Chief Bur
~oughs were among the number.
The entire crew Of engine companies
81 and 90 are said to be among the
dead In addition, six members CT
company No. 90 and few of company
No. 48 were killed.
Ptpeman John Kassenbock. "a years |
cid, was knocked down beneath a
shower Of falling bricks when a wall
Cell into LOOMS street. He was IN
ternaIly injured and was taken to the !
Englewood hospital.
Pipeman Edward Ochlar, struck on
top Of the head by falling brick. was |
taken unconscious to Engiewood hos
pital
Captain McGrath, Pipemen Anthony |
Harlan, John Miller, Thomas Carnev |
and Anthony A. Gland, all Of engine
company No. 46, were taken more or
less injured to st. Bernard's hos !
pital.
The building in which the fire start
ed was "a four-story brick structure
and covered an area bounded on the |
east by Loomfs street, on the west by |
Bishop street, on the north and south |
by Forty-third and Forty-fourth |
CT