Evening star., 1914-11-29

hind them too came gallopng horses dragging the big
emergency engines from the high pressure district.
A DOZEN engines and two water towers were work
\ ing in the avenue and in the side streets when
Twenty Truck drew up block below the Hotel Du-
mont and Captain Grogan forward to receive his
orders from the Deputy Chief. Two other trucks were
already stationed on the side. The Chief of
Department, who had fastened from his night head
quarters when the third alarm struck in sprang from
his car an instant after the arrival of Twenty Truck.
He stood listening while the Deputy hastily sketched
what disposition of the engines had already been made.
take your apparatus to the rear, Captain Grogan
said the Chief then turned and fastened away, with
the Deputy by his side
Smoke from the engines rose like black pail on three
sides of the building Through it the driver of Twenty
Truck guided his horses and turned the into
narrow side street which skrted the hotel Pale
gray smoke sitting through dozen of the lower
windows Lights burned in many of the upper rooms
Some of the windows open. Ben, an eight-pound
AK hand stood ready for the order from his Captain
Suddenly there was explosion, nuffed roar from
somewhere near the center OF the building The big
structure trembed. Like pistol shots the windows
across the whole expanse of wall cracked, and the
spntered glass showered like hail to the street. One of
the firenen went down. A avelin of glass had struck
him. Through the broken windows high up as the
fourth floor belched volumes of smoke, blacker now
Here flame licked out beyond the window sill. There
a curtain famed the draft foated it through the
empty window frame.
Captain Grogan started for the rear door, followed
closely by Ben and the others, all except the who
had fallen. They battering in the door when an
engine company crew, dragging line of hose from the
avenue Joined them and together the two companies
entered. Through the wall of smoke that met them the
remen the dull glow of blaze to the right and at
the extreme end of what appeared to be soreroom.
The kitchen beyond. 1t was there the explosion
had apparently occurred gas explosion dreaded al
ways by iremen.
n a
a stream PLAYING in the direction of the dull glow. On
through the storeroom pressed Grogan and his men,
Ben close upon his Captains heels Through window,
which shattered under a blow from Bens AK, the men
crawled into open courtway around which the hotel
built. Fire escapes zigzagged up the four walls
Flames licking from many of the windows.
The work of rescue had already begun. Firemen
bearing who had tainted or had been overcome
by smoke pressed past Grogan and his men. One
Lieutenant from an East Side district carried child in
his
1.-TWO of you get back raise the ladder and have
it ready!' shouted Grogan -Four of you get out the
life net! Get help to hold it! There will be people
jumping from those outside windows before long
But Ben not among those who returned to the
street. He and the Captain swung themselves up the
drop ladder to the fire escape the south side of the
court. Through the smoke they went to the fourth
floor, climbing silently Grogan leading the way Above
their heads fire roaring through the windows. Smoke
was thick on the fourth floor too; but the two remen
entered there. Ben lost sight of his Captainnor
did he see him again!
CROPPING his way along the wall of what appeared
- to be corridor, Ben reached a stairway. The
smoke blinded him; but following the steps he reached
the corridor above. The wall led him open door
way, and Ben groped bindy to open window, leaned
far out, and filled his lungs with air. Then sight came
back, dimy first. He returned to the doorway and
listened. There sound along the corridor except
the crac1e of fire, somewhere off to the right. The
pants of that floor at least had escaped.
Again Ben ventured out, this time crawling on his