The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-22
BURIED IS ALIVE.

| DVBAb6S ~ bBAu -
Continued from Page One0
extreme cold weather which froze the
wet ruins into an almost solid mass
| It was one of the coolest mornings or
| the present season and the rescuerS
suffered keenly in the wintry weather
Lying face downward with tons CT
bricks less than foot above his heao
and with his lower limbs pin1oned to
the pavement, William Glazier, mem
b~r of engine company No. g. at dahgnr
held frequent conversations with the
| scores of firemen and policemen who
were straining every effort to reach the
m 1chinery which held him prisoner.
Brother firemen of GlaZier were able
to crawl beneath the debris and pro-
vide him with Stimulants to make MIN
as comfortable as possible. huge
tarpaulin was dragged into the narrow
paSSageway to the helpless fireman
and spread about his body to keep his
clothes from becoming saturated by the
water which was being thrown upon
the smoldering ruins.
GIazier Is Rescued.
Some of the injured were able to ex-
tricate themselves. Others were pull
ed out by a leg and some men could
be seen, but could not be reached.
Glaciers escape from death bordered
on the miraculous. His head could be
seen from under the mangled body of
Fireman Chas. Edelmon; when the i'm
prisoned man was found by the rescu-
ing gang he called out:
I'm feeling pretty good; I'll hold
out as long as I cam
Father Englest of ST. Peters Cathe-
dral was sent for and he crept as close
to GIazier as he could and administer
ed spiritual comfort.
Am I going to die? Do you think %
asked Glazier of DR.. H. B. Owen, chief
surgeon of the city staff.
mo, old man. not bit of it" re-
piled the surgeon cheerily, we're go
ing to save you. You'll get Christ
mas dinner
In an effort to SHE'D Glazer from a
possible fall of debris two jacks were
put in place and across these the fire
men attempted to lay board. Be
fore the board could be adjusted more
bricks and mortar tumbled down on
the hapless man and his face was
contorted with pain
Il can't hold out much longer" he
cried. Cheer up shouted one Of the
physicians. Were getting to YOU"
All right; I'll grin and bear it," Glaz-
Ter said.
Fireman G1azier was rescued at
1880 a. m. after having been held
helpless by heavy timbers for thirteen
hours.
He was conscious and was rushed to
hospital. There the doctors said he
could not live as both legs were brok-
en-, and he was injured internally.
The police at this hour said thirteen
were known to be dead.
The number of firemen and policemen
injured will total nearly so, of whom
several may die. The injured are seal
tered in about adozen hospitals
Origin of the Fire.
The fire, which originated on the
first floor of the Friedlander factory. a
| fiUp-cfOrU hriPl< structure at 1116
1920 North Bodine street. IN the north
eastern section of the city. had gained
considerable Roadway before it was
discovered, shortly before 10 o'clock
was further impeded by the fact that
all the fire plugs in the vicinity were
frozen solid. Before they could be
thawed out. the entire body of the
building was mass of flames.
The firemen, under the direction of
Chief Baxter, began a systematic at
tack. Truck No. I. a huge modern
water tower, and engine company No
% were gotten into position on the
Bodine street front. Lines of hose were
also run from Third street through a
number of small houses.
Hardly had the work begun when
the Bodine street wall collapsed, car
rying with it members of the COM
pany who were leaning against it on
their extension ladders. A majority
Ol the l1SH at ludl point were
thrown into the blazing ruins. A mo-
ment later the south wall and the east
wall near Third street fell. The roof
of small house on Third street, from
which Chief Baxter was directing the
work of his men, was cut in half and
the veteran leader narrowly escaped.
Bodies in Cakes of Ice.
The falling bricks extinguished
most of the flames, but those firemen
who escaped the fire and shock had
their lives further endangered by the
freezing water which filled the base
ment. Some of the bodies were re-
moved frozen solid in cakes of ice
AS the firemen fell back exhausted
from the work of rescue. the police re-
serves were called out from all sec
tions of the city.
Disregarding the menace of the
north wall, which was still threaten
| ing above them they went manfully to
the assistance of the firemen, in the
hope of rescuing those men who were
still alive in the ruins. Thirty of them
were trying to remove girder which
| imprison ed a fireman when the threat
ening wall crashed down upon them.
At least fifteen of these lost their
| lives The bodies of ten were recov-
cred almost immediately. It was one
| of the worst disasters which has over
taken the Philadelphia fire depart
ment. Although the monetary loss will
| not exceed $4,000, the loss of life
lamong the firemen was greater than
at any previous fire in the history OF
| the department.
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