New-York tribune., 1912-01-08
MANY RESCUED At FIRE
Engineer Slides Down 80-Foot
Ladder, Carrying a Woman.
"C0PS" PASS 5 TO SAFETY
Street Crowd Cheers Men as All
Escape Unhurt from Burn
ing Harlem Flats.

\ fireman sliding down an S0-foot ex-
tension ladder, carrying n woman in his
arms: two patrolmen passing five
youngsters from one story 10 another,
screams OF terrified women and hystcri-
cal JOY when il was learned that two
girls supposed 10 have perished were
saved, were incidents at fire AZ Park
avenue and l27th street last night. The
actual damage was not more than $1,000.
The fire started in the cellar OF the
three story building at No. 1860 Park
avenue, on the first floor Of which Is the
grocery store OF Frank Asscnlcr. Fire
men were OF the opinion that II had been
smoldering for a long time. Patrolman
John Mclaughlin. Of the East 126th
street station. was the first TO see the
flames shooting through the floor OF the
store. He ran 10 the house of Engine
Company 36. at Park avenue and l:6th
street. and gave the alarm
He then ran back TO the burning
building, where he was Joined by Pa
trolman Schleuter. They broke I'm the
door Of the store and the door leading TO
the flats above, but were driven back by
the flames and smoke. Meanwhile. three
families in the building were seeking 10
escape by way Of two rear extensions,
the lower one story high and the other
two stories high, which front on l21th
street.
Their screams attracted the patrolmen
from the front 10 their side Of the build
ing. Rushing across the street the pa
trolmen unlocked a long iron fire escape
ladder and mounted this 10 the roof Of
the one story extension. Dragging il
after them they mounted 10 the roof
OF the second story extension.
Mrs. Lizzie Carvell and her five
months-old baby, James; her cousin,
Miss Mary Miller, and the five younger
children Of Mrs Mary McCabc-Bernard,
thirteen; Cecilia, twelve; Alice, eleven;
NJ lrgaret. nine. and Dennis, seven-wcre
all there. and helpless. one patrclmdn
stood on the roof of the extension and
the other at the top of the ladder TIE
children were passed from one cop to
the other, who lowered them to safety
on the one-story extension. Mrs. Car
vel and Miss Miller were helped out Of
danger i'm the same way.
The firemen OF Hook and Ladder Com
pany II had put another ladder up. IN
Guiding the extension ladder, and this
enabled the grown folk TO reach the side
walk IL was thought every one was out,
when a womans screams were heard
from the top foor. Looking up, the fire.
men and policemen saw Mrs. McCabe
gasping for breath at the rear window.
She did not know that her youngest son.
Dennis had been taken down, and had
remained behind TO look for him.
Engineer Barney Morris, of Engine
No. 80. which was AT hydrant on the
1o7th street side Of the building, saw her
drst He sprang up the extension lad
dor and in a few seconds had reached
the almost unconscious woman. Taking
bor in his arms. he slid down the entire
length of the ladder, while the crowd in
the street checred.
Mrs. McCabe was soon revived and WAS
,,,ofuse in her thanks to Morris for res
o,,ine her. She was equally grateful TO
the patrolmen when she learned not
orIy that Dennis had been saved. but
,hot her elder girls, Mary and Loretta,
had got out through the halls at the
first alarm.