The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-05-02


over 500 feet from us. A blaze from
the ruins of the drug store lad enter
ed the next building.
In this block Immediately east Of
us were many highly inhanmable
stocks of goods, including three whole
sale liquor stores, whose contents,
when ignited would be liquid fire.
Not a hand would be lifted to fight
the flames, which must spread, IN
checked by human means. This meant
that when the corner was reached, the
leaping Of the street by the flames and
the destruction of the Beckel house,
followed by that of the whole block
was apparently inevitable.
There was hurried whispered con-
| sultation, but only for moment We
must get as far away as possible from
the fire, if only to prolong life.
Then began remarkable march of
retreat. Some two or three hundred
people clambered, climbed and crawl
ed from one end Of the square On Third
street from Jefferson to Main. Just
how it was done in every particular
no one can ever tell. We got out on
the roof of the Beckel annex. We went
I'D and down fire escapes. We eau
tiously crossed frail looking sky
lights We scaled fire walls. We took
ladders along, and from slippery roofs
got to open windows passed through
buildings, and from windows to roofs
again. We reached a ten foot alley.
A ladder was pushed across to the
next building and we crawled over,
one at time. This was done by men,
women and by one or two children.
1t was journey for life, but it was
not a mad flight 1t was done quickly
but quietly, and each helped the other.
Among those taken safely was a wo-
man with a broken arm, and Mr.. Ben
nett, the proprietor of the hotel, car
ried from his dying bed.
All made the perilous journey safe
ly. That the most Of us could even
attempt it, is simply because it was
dash for life.
At the Main street end Of the square
we could go no further, and We dis
persed into different parts Of the Cal
lahan building and that just adjoin-
ing.
Our situation was this, there was
the possibility at any moment of the
building as we had see others do, col
lapse and entomb us. A few hundred
feet behind us, and moving steadily
in our direction, was roaring, leap
ing pillar of fame devouring every
thing before it. In front of us was
the black hideous, drift filled current,
in which it seemed hopeless for a
stout swimmer to venture. If one
could pass through the icy waters and
escape with life for the moment, there
would be o heat, no dry clothing,
no succor, and it would seem that the
| exposure would be hardly less swiftly
fatal than by fire or by drowning.
Death threatening in every one of
four forms, and no one failed to real
ize it.
What little might be done was done.
Two men managed to cut cable in
the elevator shaft. We were in the
second story of the Callahan building,
opposite the old court house, where
was some open ground around it,
where one might be comparatively
safe. One end of the wire rope was
made fast to our building, and on a
rude kind of scow, it was managed to
float the other across the street
where 1t was caught and secured. Inc
scoE upset and that was the last 1
saw of it. One man came up in a
boat and helped little with the rope,
but could not or would not stay, and
his craft whirled away on the current.
That was the only boat we saw during
i, the food.
The life line was stretched and three
or four of the strongest, managed to
work their way hand on hand On it,
across to the court house. They were
almost torn from it, and each instance
were up to their necks in water,
drenched and icy cold, and dropping
with exhaustion when they had cross
ed. 1t was evident that this way of
escape would avail very few while the
high water and mill race current con-
tinued.
There was nothing left to do but