Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-06-14
SPLENDID AND DARING
HEROISM is DISPLAYED
Supporters to large SprinkIlng Sys-
tenn on Roof Gives Way and Tons
of Debris Falls to Basemens--litt'e
Girl Saves Herself from Flames
Following and Reseues Others.
[ny Associated rressl.

(ny Associated rress1.
MONTREAL ONT. June 13.-Be-
tween twenty and thirty people lost
their lives today when the supports
of the sprinkler system, tank on the
roof OF the Herald building, gave way
ana the great mass OF metal and
water, Weighing 80 tens, went crash
ing to the basement. Fire broke OUT
Immediately. add ng its horrors to
the disaster. The ilremen displayed
splend d heroism in rcseuing scores OIL
people fiom perilors positions In the
totterlng walls. Some OF the walls had
TO come down before the work or re-
covering the bodies could be safety
attempted. and II was not until at,er
6 O'Clock this evening that rhe nrsl
body. charred and mangled beyond
recognition, was brought out.
First Warning Not Noticed.
All of those who escaped agree that
the first warning OF the impending
disaster passed almost unnoticed.
There was slight creakine. then
Little more, somewhat more pronounce
ed. but Il wes not until the ee1rihx
plaster begsn to fall that rush
for the stairway began. Before auy-
enc reached II there occurred a final
deafening crash and then chaos
Some survivors tell OF falling one ana
two floors before the awful crash died
away and then they found themselves
able TO crawl through the dense dust
TO a plsce of safety. The majority
sought safety by rushing to the Ione
bu lding. facing en- Victoria square.
Fortunately all the floors held for
about thirty feet back from the front
wall and 70 this Is due the fact tnat
the death list does not run into the
hundleds, as there were nearly 3Uu
people In the building at the time.
When the first hook and ladder
company rescued the scene, the fire.
men found the windows OF the upper
floors crowded with people, and the
crowded on the sidewalk urging them
not to jump. Not one did jump. Lad
dcrs were gu ckly placed in position
and those in danger brought TO The
ground.
Little Heroin. at Work.
One ladder was hoisted. reaching
to the fourth foor, on which, the f9pd-
cry was Iocstedi It came ;bebsSsn !
TWO WINDOWS. From enc of stH4
little girl crept aigtig.sthe. sgGFs sn-
in shelcculd reack the laas35 sp.
lfngsa fIfng with one hand .45d jlas;ng<
a foot, On, another. che lem "a shetxng
| hand to eight other girls 'twke her
size. When all the Girls had feache-
the ladder and had been brought
down to safety she came down aione-
BY this time tine fire nsd started and
smoke was pouring from the front
windows.
The little girl tainted when she
reached the bottom Of the ladder
A dozen injured people were
brought from the rims by the ire
men. many Of them with broken
limbs OF these rescues. that Of FRED
VIDAL. a stereoiyper. was tie most
daring. Half an hour 7ftcr the nre-
men reached the building. Vidal wao
hcerd grooming and was located I'M
der a girder from which he could not
be disiOcged. Despite the fsc; that
the flames were creeping pcriiously
near. three 6rencn began TO CIT II
away end stuck 10 their task.
IN the crowd outside was Palmer
Nzrtin. When he heard n The Hgnt
a. sinst death he went INTO the buiid-
ing and administered the last rites OF
the church 20 the semi-conscious
man. Finally. however. the beam
was cut through and vidal released.
not a mcm~nt too soon. Both his
iegs srd somc Of his ribs we're
brosen.