New-York tribune., 1910-07-13
SWINGS ON TINY LEDGE
TO SAVE LIFE AT FIRE
Grasping FIimsy Shutter, Which
Breaks as Help Comes, Fire.
man Does "His Duty"
RESCUES BEDRIDDEN MAN
Goes Back to Quarters from That
Blaze and Rushes TO Another
to Garry Two Children
TO Safety.

to Safety.
James McGrath Of Hook and Ladder
Company a. of Williamsburg. per-
formed an act OF heroic bravery last
night which added a new page TO the
already splendid record Of the New York
Fire Department Creeping along a
three-fnch ledge. he made his way TO
where an old man. weighing 1SO pounds.
was moaning in agony on a window Sill.
with smoke and flame all around. and
with only slight window shutter as a
support he picked the old man from the
periIous position and swung outward.
holding a footing on the ledge until a
ladder could reach him. just as the shut
ter was giving way
Then a little later McGrath saved two
children. five and three years old. at an
other fire. and took them 10 safety on
the roof Of a building He tried 10 make
more rescues, but the smoke knocked
him out
We are not supposed to say anything
about the work OF the department" was
his only comment when asked how he
felt wEile waiting for help to come from
below
But he added. all I could hear was
that poor old mans groans. and il was
I'D to me TO save him or go down NY
self. It was part of my duty and all IN
days work"
Wife Forced to Seek Safety.
The fire started through the explosion
of an oil stove in the home Of Sebastian
Kuntz, on the top floor Of a four story
tenement house at No. 14S Grand street
Williamsburg Kuntz. who 10 sixty-tVe
years old. is an invalid and was confined
10 his bed His wife was getting supper
when the explosion occurred and she
tried to save her husband The flames
spread quickly, however. and caught IN
her clothes and she had to run out 10
save her own life.
Running out into the hall the fright
ened woman called out Fire. fire., az
the top of her voice. and the cry was re-
peated. with the result that a panic en-
sued. and every one tried 10 reach the
street at once Someone had enough
presence of mind 10 pull the nearest IRE
y.
pany "a came rushing to the scene. with
Engine Company 121 close second
McGrath was the first TO rush into the
burning building He met Mrs kuntz-
who told him that her poor old husband.
unable to move was still in his bed and
McGrath started for the fat The thick
black smoke which issued from that por-
tion Of the house beat him back at first
however. and he was forced to so down
on his hands and knees Finding that
he could not penetrate TO the fat, he
made his way into the one next door.
The next thing the crowd IN the street,
BY that time two thousand strong. saw
vas McGrath crawling out OF the win
dow nearest the Kuntz fiat and making
his way along the three-inch stone ledge
Through the smoke which issued from
the windows the crowd saw the form OF
old man Kuntz. who. in an agony OF fear.
had found strength to crawl 70 the win
dow. where he lay moaning McGrath
could hear his means. but those, below
saw only the danger 70 which the IRE
man was exposing himself and no hope
that he could help the old man. even
should he reach him. Inch by inch the
fireman edged along. until he grasped
shutter of the window
Balanced by the Shutter.
Go back. go back shouted the fire.
men. and the citizens below. but Nc
Csrath did not hear. or. if he did. paid
no heed. He steadied himself on the
shutter for a second. then swung him
self inward. threw ar arm around The
old man and swung out again. with the
weight of $50 pounds on one arm Three
of the Stats of the shutter gave way
and cIattered down to the street nearly
seventy feet below. Every second the
crowd expected 10 see MCGrath and his
burden come down the same way. but
the framework Of the shutter held for
the time being
Firemen had reached the roof. and
tried TO send some help down 20 their
comrade. but they could no nothing
from that point Citizens joined the
hremen below in sending up extension
ladders. Just as the first reached Nc
Grath the shutter gave way But It
had served it's purpose. and rescuer and
rescued were brought down to the street
where the thousands who had gathered
cheered themseIvs hoarse as McCzrath
stepped down and resumed his work Of
fighting the fire
Hes none of the cigarette smoking
Civil Service fremen we's been reading
about exclaimed some one in the
crowd. and the cry was taken uD- Bat
TALON Chief Hauck stopped a moment
to shake NcGrath's hand which showed
that McGrath's feat was no ordinary
one but the young fireman did not seem
10 think he had done anything more
than his duty and went about his work.
The ffremen worked for about an hour
and a half on the building. but finally
managed to control the blaze Dr. Nc
Alnster. who had been called from the
Hospital when kuntz
was brought down. gave his services To
a fireman who was hit in the eye by an
axe which slipped from the hands Of
another fireman. He was removed 70
the hospital. while Kuntz vas taken TO
the home of friends near by.
Not Much Time TO Rest
Hook and Ladder Company u had
barely reached the firehOuse having left
the engine company at the blaze when
- - ..,,o,,,S vrara all put when an alarm