The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-06-14
LITTLE GIRL IS
HEROINE Of FIRE
Saves Several From Montreal Holo.
caust and Then Faints-Between
20 and 80 Dead.

MIN NEAL. Quc., june lf-Dc-
tween twenty and thirty persons lost
their lives yesterday when the sup
ports of the sprinkler system tank on
the roof of the Herald building gave
way and the great mass of metal and
water. weighing thirty-ive tons. crash
ed to the basement.
Fire started Immediately, adding its
horrors to the disaster. The fremen
displayed splendid heroism in rescu-
ing scores of people from perilous
positions In the tottering walls. Some
Of the walls had to come down before
the work of recovering the bodies
could be safely attempted and 1t was
not until after o'clock last evening
that the first body. charred and
mangled beyond recognition, was
brought out
All OF those who escaped agree that
the first warning Of the impending
disaster passed almost unnoticed.
There was a slight creaking. then
little more. somewhat more pro
nounced. but 1t was not until the coil
ing plaster began to fall that ruoh
for the stairway began
Before anyone reached It there &C.
Cured a final deafening crash and
then chaos.
Crawl Through Dense Dust.
Some survivors tell OF falling one
and two floors before the awful crash
died away and then they found them
selves able to crawl through the dense
dust to place OF safety. The major
ity sought safety by rushing to the
htttl tpn tnn nj lot In
square. Fortunately all the floors
held for about 80 feet back from the
front wall and to this is due the fact
that the death list does not run into
the hundreds. for there were nearly
300 people In the building at the time.
When the first hook and ladder
company reached the scene, the fire.
men found the windows of the upper
floors crowded with people. and the
crowd on the sidewalk urging them
not to jump. Not one did jump. Lad
ders were quickly placed in position
and those in danger brought to the
ground.
One ladder was hoisted, reaching to
the fourth floor. on which the bindery
was located. II came between two
windows. From one of these a little
girl crept along the coping until she
could reach the ladder. Grasping a
rung with one hand and placing a foot
on another she lent q helping hand to
eight or ten girls twice her size. When
all the girls had reached the ladder
and had been brought down to safety
she came down alone.
BY this time the fire had started
and smoke was pouring from the
front windows. The little girl tainted
when she reached the bottom of the
ladder.
Released In Nick Of Time.
A dozen injured persons were
brought from the ruins by the firemen,
many with broken limbs. or these
typer, was the most daring.
Half an hour after the firemen
reached the building Vidal was heard
groaning and was located under
girder. from which he could not be
dislodged. Despite the fact that the
flames were creeping perilously near,
three flremen began to cut II away
and stuck to their task. In the crowd
outside was FIR Martin. When he
heard Of the fight against death he
went into the building and admins
tered the last rites OF the church to
the semiconscious man.
Finally. however, the beam was cut
through and Vidal released. not
moment too soon. Both his legs and
some OF his ribs were broken.
Every member of the editorial
staff escaped unframed, their quar-
tiers being in the front of the build
ing. John c. Walsh, the editor of the
paper and the members Of his staff.
were rescued from windows by fire.
men.
The building was valued at $4,000
and was owned by the Herald Co.,
while the valuation of the plant Is
placed at 100000. About half the
linotype battery remained In position
and it is believed that the two news
paper presses located In the basement
near the Victoria Square frontage.
were not seriously damaged. The re-
mainder OF the plant Is hopelessly
wrecked. The insurance on the build
ing and plant totaled $177 900.
The Herald appeared this evening
as an eight-page paper arrangements
having been made with the Gazette
to continue its publication until new
quarters can be obtained.
This is the sixth time In the last 80
years that the Herald has been burn
ed out.
Two bodies recovered last night
were identified as those Of Campbell
Morrison and Lena Amerse, forewo-
man in the bindery,
The list of missing, as made up by
the police. totals q persons. includ-
ing Duncan j. Miller, president of
Typographical union No. 176.