The Washington herald., 1912-01-10

eeedcd, and the heroic deed OF Ehsmter
Davis. who prevented the explosion OF
the huge boilers by seven hours OF nm
aided toll. in which time he drew all the
fires while the great building was con-
suined over his head.
Seek to Restore Order.
Men worked all night to bring some
physical Encouragement out OF this awful
confusion in financial circles. They hope
10 have matters placed in some temporary
order tomorrow, 50 that the affairs Of
the clearing house and the stock exchange
may proceed with order.
-Four hundred policemen and detectives
and dozens of private watchmen and spe-
cial police guarded the great district to-
night. protecting the masses Of valuable
records. books. and papers which had
been carted out OF the fire range into
makeshift places, where great firms OF
yesterday will endeavor 10 transact their
business and collect their scattered
thoughts tomorrow.
Facing weather conditions which were
frightful. with a wind that was almost a
gale urging the fire fiend on, the city fire
fighters worked under direction Of Chief
Kenlon until they froze to their posts.
And as each battalion. benumbed and sti-
fed, was dragged from its post, another
relay leaped into the ice breaches and
kept up the work.
Feared Spread OF Fire.
Every resource was brought into play
to control the fire and prevent its spread
10 the grove Of towering skyscrapers on
every hand. The one block was doomed
practically from the moment that the
chief arrived. He knew that He also
saw that the pressure at hand would not
carry against the powerful wind to the
upper reaches OF this great building.
Telling this to subordinate commanders
as fast as they arrived, the veteran sent
them scurrying with their men to the
roofs of the great adjoining ONCE build
ings From these points OF vantage along
Broadway. Pine. Nassau, and Cedar
streets, they poured nearly a hundred
streams down into the seething furnace
OF the Equitable ruins.
1t was Just after this system had got
into good working order that Walsh lost
his life. With three companions he man.
aged to reach the fourth floor OF the
doomed structure from the Nassau street
side. Great blocks OF stone were crack
ing with the heat and hurting TO the
sire he dashed up the ladders, and,
urging his men to follow, fought his way
with a nozzle toward an opening Into
the high-domed center OF the Equitable.
Suddenly those working At his side saw
a menoer OF the party Kan. ONeiSo
with the smoke. Then a great crash re-
sounded as the huge dome crashed
through the building.
Told IN save Themselves.
Every man for himself! Run! Rum"
shouted Walsh. The fremen scrambled
to the windows and yelled for aid. and
ten men sprang to draw them out. But
they came without Walsh. Just as the
third man of the party was lifted from
the window the entire floor caved In and
Walsh was seen no more. All night |
members OF three truck companies tun-
neled through the debris OF what had |
been the Nassau street entrance to the |
Equitable Arcade in search Of Walsh's |
body.
At this time on the Broadway side OF 1
the building another thrilling act Of |
rescue was being performed. William |
Giblih, president of the Mercantile Safe /
Deposit Vaults Company, had been sum \
moned from his home and insisted upon
entering the vaults TO safeguard valu- 1
able papers. In his great haste he left
the keys inserted in the lock, the huge
door swung shut and the lock held 1t.
Giblin was Imprisoned with every win
dow barred with great steel strips and
the fire raging above him. He had with
him three porters.
DOOr soon blOckcos
A dozen fremen with axes battered at
the great door in supreme efforts TO re-
lease the imprisoned man. But ten
minutes desperate work made no i'm
The keys were lost and falling
stone soon blocked the way to the door.
At last GibIfn attracted the attention
Of other firemen in Broadway as he
waved a handkerchief from a grated
sidewalk window. Two brawny firemen,
armed with steel saws, set to work on
these bars. For two hours they sawed
away while other fremen kept playing
streams upon the imprisoned banker and
his porters. When, at last, two bars had
been sawed through, scores of firemen
grabbed a long rope which had been at
tached to these bars and they pulled
them far enough apart TO hberate the
men. GIbIin was dragged through, then
,ame two porters. But the flames made
another sweep downward just as Father
chaplain Of the department,
was administering the last rights to the
mperiIed men, and the firemen were
iriven away.
The remaining man, John Campion,
vas caught in the swirl of flame A Sec
ond later two hands clasped the broken
bars from within and an agonizing face
oeered close against them. But the rope
had snapped, a huge granite block fell
directly before the window, and the i'm
orlsoned man gave one Shrek and ex-
FIRED.
Hands Remain at window.
For hours the hremen and spectators
zazed at the tightly clenched fingers that
sncircled the bars Of that window.
Finally a bright sheet of flame revealed
he fact that the body had disappeared.
put still the hands remained, clasped
about the window bars. It was one Of !
he most horrible sights OF the fire.
The heroic act of Night Engineer Davis
vas not revealed until after noon, when
ae staggered into the Albany street
,fices OF his employers to tell how he
lad drawn the--fires from beneath the
seven h1ge boilers. No one knew until /
hat moment that the engineer had done
he work alone.
Davis made light OF his heroic act. All (
le would say was thar ne felt cut on
rom the world AID kept thinking OF his
wife and children. HIS clothing was
tzen stiff. and he vas hardly able 20 !
move when he managed TO force his way I
through the ice-jammed corridors TO the
Itreet.
discovered cat $40 A. NJ.
The blaze was discovered at sac q. m.
n the rear Of the savsrin restaurant, IN (
he basement Of the Equitable Building. !
Employees were fighting the IRE when
sent in an alarm. BY the time ,