New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-12
captain JOE" RET|RES
Full Pay for "8ravest Fireman
That Ever Donned a Helmet
SO WALDO TELLS MCCORMICK
Saved Crew at Pratt Fire, but
Came from Hospital Grip
pied for Life.

/ Captain Joseph j. Mccormick. character
! ize6 by Commissioner Waldo as the braV'
est fireman that ever donned helmet, re-
| turned to civil life yesterday, after thirty
nine years in the service. and until he dies
will receive $3.50 a year the full pay OF d
captain.
/ It was for an act of heroiSm performed In
| 1885, when the Pratt oil works, in Brook
| iyn. We're destroyed by fire, that Captain
! Mccormick was awarded full pay, the first
| to be so distinguished In the history OF the
department. AT that time he was captain
of Engine II, and when mis- company re-
spCnded to the fire the oil works We're a
| roaring furnace Mccormick and his crew
battled valiantly with the flames, but the
odds were Overwhelmingly against them
and they were forced to retreat
| Suddenly there was a series of explosions
and the fire fighters were hemmed in by
flames on all sides. Mccormick gave no
thought to his own safety; he wanted TO
get his men out of the burning building
into which they had stretched their lines
He could have made dash and got through
the door hut waited until the last man had
reached the open.
.Dron that uipev' roared Joe" McCor-
mick. land every one of you lie fat on your
stomachs."
The firenen began to grope through the
fire and smoke. striving with desperation
TO reach the door Captain McCorihlch
hurled them to the floor.
Now get hold on that line. every man
tack OF you" he shouted, "and keep a
crawlng,"
He seized the nozzle of the hose ana
squirted on the ffremen while they crept
toward the open door inch by inch Ana
when the last man got through he mace
a dash for safety, staggered INTO the street
and fell unconscious. He was terribly
burned from head to foot. Both eEehds
were so badly burned that he has never
been able to close his eyes since; his right
arm was rendered useless and his left arm
shrivelled to half its normal size.
After many months in a hospital McCof-
mick came out. a wreck of his former SELL
The night of the fire, when he led his men
into the blazing furnace, he was hanu-
some strapping fellow. In 1889 he lett the
hospital and reported back for duty, and
the Commissioner assigned him 10 an easy
detail In the Office Of the fire marshal
on Saturday he came over to Fire Head
quarters in Manhattan and told Commas
sioner Waldo that he wanted to retire
i've got to undergo an operation Com
missioner" he said and I fear I'll never
null through. It's hard on the wife and
the five Riddles but there's just chance
and I'm going to take il"
Commissioner Waldo gripped the deformed
hand of the captain, and told him he was
the bravest man that ever served in the
department. And Chief Croker and Deputy
Chief LaIly agreed.
mo man in the department has a record
for bravery that equals yours, said COM
missioner Waldo, and fitting reward, TO
my mind. would be retiring you on full pay.
which | now do
CAPTAIN Joe as he is Familiarity known
in the service. is sixty years old and lives
at No 10i Macon street. Brooklyn. He was
appointed a fireman In 1871 and was pro
NOTED to foreman in 1885.