The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-06-15
little GIRL IS
HEROINE OF FIRE
Saves Several From Montreal Hoio'
caust and Then Faints-Between
20 and 80 Dead.

MONTREAL. Que, June l4--De-
tween twenty and thirty persons ioS'
their lives yesterday when the sup
norts NJ the sprinkler system tank on
Ire roof OF the Herald building CAV
srav and the great mass OF metal anu
,vater weighing thirty-five tons. crash'
led to the basement. ,,, to
Fire started Immediately, ADDING It's
horrors 10 the disaster. The nremen
ldisnlaved splendid heroism IN rescu
hing scores of people from peIilous
tnoaftions In the tottering walls oone
liz the walls had 10 come down oe,oie
itbe work OF recovering the pooies
lcouId he safely attempted ana IL Ma1
tnot until after 6 o'clock last eVehins
mat the first body. charred anu
Bmangled beyond recognition
drought out che,
All OF those who escaped agree ina,
the first warning OF the impehu'ns
idisaster passed almost unhoelceu
IThere was a slight creaking. then
little more. somewhat more plv
Inounced. but II was not until the ce'.
ing plaster began 10 fall that rush
for the stairway began -
Before anyone reached II there oc,
Cured final deafening CRASH anu
then chaos.
Crawl Through Dense. Dust.
Some survivors tell OF falling one
and two floors before the AWFUL crash
f died away and then they found them
n SELVES able 10 crawl through the dense
dust TO a place OF safety. The major
n ify sought safety by rushing TO the
front building. facing on victoria
on,tare Fortunately all the noors
held for about 80 feet back from the
n front wall and to this is due the fact
that the death list does not run into
the hundreds, for there were nearly
500 people in the building at the ume.
when the first hook and LADDER
company reached the scene, the nre'
men found the windows OF the upper
fIoors crowded with people. and the
crowd ON the sidewalk urging them
not 10 lump. 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 Dindery
was located. II came between Two
windows. From one of these little
Girl crept along the coping until sle
could reach the ladder. Grasping
rune with one hand and placing loot
on another she lent helping hand 10
eight or ten girls twice her size. Wnen
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.
dozen injured persons were
brought from the ruins by the firemen.
many with broken limbs or these
s rescues that of Fred Vidal, stereo
typer. was the most daring.
Half an hour after the fremen
reached the building Vidal was heard
grooming and was located under a
girder. from which he could not be
dislodged. Despite the fact that the
y flames were creeping perilously near,
three firemen began to cut 1t away
!. and stuck to their task. In the crowd
i 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 a
.moment too soon. Both his legs and
some OF his ribs were broken
Every member OF the editorial
stan escaped unframed, their quar-
ters being in the front OF the build
ing; John G.. Walsh, the editor of the
paper. and the members OF his staff,
were rescued from windows by fire.
men.
The building was valued at s150,000
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 Ii is believed that the two news
paper presses. located in the basement
near the Victoria Square frontage.
were not seriously damaged. The re-
lmainder of the plant is hopelessly
wrecked. The insurance on the build
ing and plant totaled sl77.000.
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 32
years that the Herald has been burn
y 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. f76.
WILL ASK REHEARING.