The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1911-04-14

then sat down TO walt until some one
came who would lead them from the
cellar
Ths did not happen for four hours
by which time the cellar had become
so filed with water that Mcshcl and
his companions had trouble at times in
keeping their heads above the level OF
the water
Rescues by Law Students
Refusing to admit that he had play |
ed the role of a hero, Professor Frank |
II. Sommcr Of the New York unlvcrsl- !
~ law school which adjolns the Il, !
futcd loft building, said that the lions |
share Of credit belonged to the stu
dents OF his class, Professor Sommer
said:
II was lccturing to n class OF about
fifty boys All was quiet and serene,
when suddenly we heard the toOt OF
whistles and the sound OF gonGs and
fire engines threw open the door OF
the lecture room and then the door OF
the law school faculty room, which
opens on an areawny separating our
Some of the boys followed me, and
we saw the ten story building across
the areaway was on fire. The open
space between VS. and that building
was filed with smoke There were
ear piercing shrieks, and girls appear
ed at the windows Of the lofts in
which was the waist factory.
De NIL n.
ing. where two ladders had been left
by painters, and the boys used these
in the work of rescue. They worked
| like beavers. apparently never giving
thought 10 the possibility that their
own building might catch fire from the
| flames that were eapng out into the
| open space.
How It was done don't know, but
in a surprisingly short time about fifty
girls were brought across the ladders
to safety. The boys paid no attention
| to the thick smoke and risked life and
limb to steady the terror stricken girls
| on the ladders. Some Of the rescued
were pitiable sights. In some cases
It was necessary to beat out the flames
that had caught their clothing. and
many or theh hau oiacNe"cC i"'eS
anu ''
Evidence of Heroism.
Fireman II. j. Aichman, who was
stationed on the ninth floor, said:
There was one brave llttie HISS
jumped to her death from thls noor
and | think there were lot or nero
ines if the truth could only be known
The girl / refer to was found crushed
to death on the pavement below with
water bucket ClaSped tightly In her
arms. She had been trying TO night the
fire. poor child. They had to pry the
bucket out of her arms
Thinning "A little inside court where
about twenty-five bodies were found
is fence OF iron palings. Most OF
the bodies found here had struck the
tops Of the palings and had to be pull
ed away from the top Of the fence by
main force. In one case the body of
a man after being pierced by the
metal points Of the palings struck the
top crossplecc Of iron which holds the
pAlingS together n few inches below
| their points WIN FORCE enough W Dcuu
the rail downward for many inches.
Two roddaro Di6r,t Roach
a. 49, 1900 - . rintb s+orv window
= .,nI,, ,,eod ei,ontIr motcbinc IN.
wv e." NV a,., sro .nr,orotrs
"r,,.,o a - t,,o n;r,, moda q mov,
WV" ir T'no o+hnr raItro;ned har
=, ~ 49, :, rou tnot,n,d a. sh. III,
:, 80, 49, tne ,o.nhod eramo,, rt,, ,ha lad
\ 5o... nn oc,tn.1 tha wall They saw
W.. IVY w. ,a1dnr uttoa and onsnnd inf,
place. They saw that it reached onl.
the seventh cor
For the third time the more fright
e ened girl tried to leap, The bells o
e arriving fire wagons must have rise
c to them. The other girl gesticulate
in the direction OF the sounds, Blu
n she talked TO ears that could no 'onge
n hear Scarcely turning. her companio
r Owed head first into the street
o The other girl drew herself cree
The crowd III the street were stretci