davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-09

There were thousands of eyes in Bir- mingham last night before which fitted visions of the horrible death of Moody Chi,ders. the haunting memory of which. in spite of all efforts to dispel it. pur- sued every one of the thousands of help less people who saw the brave man make his heroic but futile fight with death.
 Seen from the press club at the top of the Jefferson County bank building, the scene was even the more impressive for not only the man struggling in the grip of fate, but the ampitheater containing the thousands of onlookers watching the grim spectacle were all together before the eye like scene in moving picture theatre.
 Childers put up the gamest fight of any of the men caught in the blaze. He didn't drop to his death three stories below because he was scared. Hanging there in mid air with the ralings of a window awing lis only support, death below and death above him, he chose the latter only when the flames had evil dently so burned his hands that the muscles of his fingers refused to longer hold their grip.
 Childers first came to the window when there was nothing but little smoke pouring from it. He stopped there and waited for help. None came. The demon inside roared louder and louder and louder, and suddenly Childers body was seen silhouted against a mass of red. Below the firemen were frantically work ing. They had just picked up the body of one man, limp and crushed. Childrers knew what it meant to jump. He knew just as well what it meant to stay.
 From the roofs and windows of sur rounding office buildings and stores thou sands of eyes were riyted on that one man, every person holding his breath to see what was going to happen. Childers
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-09

In reply and kept on talking over the phone His delay cost him his life
 Another narrow escape was that of Phlfer Smith, an employe of the en- gineerfng department. Smith was on the third floor and kept throwing ou, blue prints while the crowd kept after him to come down from the building. Finally Smith decided he had saved enough property and seeing that he could not come down the fire scape, he climbed to the roof and disappeared For long time 1t was reported that he was dead but at late hour last night officials of the Birmingham Rail- way. Light and Power company stated that Smith was alive and at home
 A pathetic account of Kysers death Is given by J. B. Bell. fellow em- ploye, who states that Kyser left the building and went to the Young Mems Christian association, where he lived to change clothes and take a shower bath. Mr. Bell states that Kyser had not been in the building more than
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-09
TWO STRIKING INCIDENTS
 OF YESTERDAYS BL LAZE

There are two features in connection with the fire which destroyed the Birming- ham Railway, Light and Power com pany building yesterday afternoon which, for the sake of history, should not be obscured. The one is the fact that just at the time when the railing of the wall gave indication that tke flames had done their worst. a stream of water refracted the light of the setting into seven distinct colors-and a rainbow, perfect and beautiful and comforting. hung in mid-air.
 It was not incongrous, this appearance of the rainbow. For who is so sardonic as to smile when he remembers that ages gone a rainbow came bringing the message which still it brings. After all, it is well. For I am with you yet"
 The other feature was the escape Of George Stone. Everybody knows George Stone. He was formerly an alderman. He Is now a trusted ernploye of the com pany. He is so large of frame that it
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-09

first street will be pulled down this morn- ing-this is if they do not fall before that time. The wall on Twenty-first street is leaning out two feet now and Is shaking unsteadily. It is not thought that 1t can stay up all night. The streets about the fire are still roped off and all persons are warned not to pass by There are policemen on guard at every corner leading to the scene of the fire
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-09
WOODWARD LEAVES
 FOR HOME TODAY

Orlando, Fla, May s.---J. II. Wood ward. tho capitalist of Birmingham. who has been seriously i'll at his win ter home here. will leave in a special car for Birmingham His condition is much improved. Mr. Woodward Is thu father-in- law of Representative un- derwood. House democratic leader t
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-09

In another window from the third floor Moody Childers witnessed the death of his comrade as he waited vainly for as- sistance. At times he disappeared from view only to reappear as the whirling smoke shifted suddenly in the win and left him haggard, but grimly calm out lined against the flames. Gradually as the heat became unbearable he climbed out upon the sill and balanced himself dizzily upon a broken ledge. The firemen below hurried a net to the scene, but the black wreaths of smoke made it impossi- ble to see the doomed man above. Childers prepared to jump and someone in the crowd cried to him to wait. Evidently he heard for he waved his hand to the throng and grimly smiled. The crowd held it's breath as the man above now maddened with the terrific lseat reached out, grasped an awning above the window and hung suspended over the fire and smoke that gushed up from below. Again the fire men tried. to get the net under him, but again he was lost in the swirling smoke. The crowd yelled to those holding the net, but their advice was lost in the confusion of voices. Childers dropped-first one hand left the awning and he swung for a mo- ment in mid air swaying fitfully in the wind, and then his body pitched forward, feet first and he shot down through the smoke and fire to the earth below. His limbs were crushed, but he still lived as he was carried off by fire men and was hurried away.
 Watching the two men leap to almost certain death, young woman leaned forward from a third story window, wringing her hands, but evidently afraid to risk safety by jumping after the hor- srible spectacles she had witnessed She wept frantically she pleaded to be saved The firemen raised ladder gainst an adjoining window and prepared to ascend. The girl leaned far out of the window as if to reach them, but sud- denly a gust of whirling smoke followed by huge. forks of flame enveloped the window. With bated breath the crowd waited as the flames disappeared-but the window was vacant. The firemen waited vainly but she never again appeared.
 These tragedies were witnessed by horror stricken people, and whatever oth- CTS were enacted within sthe burning structure are locked in the breast of the lcrim son flames and lost in the charred and smoking ruin which stands a grim reminder of the holocaust of yesterday.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-09

requires no skilled eye to detect him. It requires. therefore, no unusual talent to miss him. And he was certainly among the missing. There was grave appre- hension. There were expressions of pity. Everyone was asking, Where Is stone?''
 It afterwards developed that an hour before the fire broke out in it's fury. and, as if determined in seeking vengeance to destroy everything ana everybody with In it's fearful reach, pierced the roof and leaped through every aperture, that George realized that the weather was be- coming unusually warm. And the thought came to him that at that very moment tho Barons and Peicans were springing at each others throat So Stone with out notice or warning, for he did not care to set an unsavory example-stolen away like the Arab in the night.
 And while his friends despaired in the thought that perhaps hf was gone to his fathers, George was roasting the umpire and incidentally the Barons two miles away puffing assiduously at the same time. Colorado stogy and slipping the dope from the neck of the bottle which his neighbor had bought for him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-09
TWO KILLED AND
 SEVERAL HURT IN
 BIRMINGHAM FIRE
tcontinued from Page One,

(Continued from Page One)
 missed the net by about 10 feet, and then we tried to catch Moody Childers, who was desperately hanging on to burning awning. but when he fell his feet only touched the edge of the net and he was also killed by the fall. roth Childers and Keyser were dead when picked up and horribly mangled.
 Others Tell of Scenes
 'I saw some others on the roof-es- pecially two men with blue pints un- der their arms. They came to the edge of the roof and cried out something and the firemen put up ladder but big cloud of smoke and fire drove the men away and l never saw them anywhere. I don't know whether they got out. There was also little giri who came to the third floor window and waved her hand but the fire and smoke drove her away and l never saw her again. I guess she's dead.
 ''There was a whole lot of excitement in this fire. First, the firemen arrived ard stretched out their hose while bunch of people were coming down the fire escapes, all hollering and crying and some with their clothes on fire and everybody was kept on the jump. Then those fellows jumped and got killed and the fire kept getting worse and worse. It kept me pretty busy. but I managed to push the crowd back on First avenue 90 that when the roof caved in and about 10 tons of brick fell in the street none of the spectators got hurt"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-09
West End Holy Name Society

The Holy Name society of the Blessed Sacrament parish, West End, wi, re- ceive communion in a body at tf.e,7 O clock mass tomorrow morning.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-09
A FOOzler

From the Boston Evening Transcript.
 He-"1s your uncle good at golf"
 She-"Mercy. no, He's very profane"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-09

for certain and that several others were thought to be dead.
 E Officials of the Birmingham Railway. Light and Power company were about on the scene with the exception of A. H. Ford, tine president of the company, who is in New York. The minor officials of the company were busy checking up the employees who had escaped from the build-
 ing. As the time keepers books were destroyed 1t was almost impossible last night to establish just how many had gotten out of the building alive.
 The fire of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company is the most dis astrous that has visited Birmingham in some years. It is also the most serious of a series of bad fires in the last three months Fires in the last few months have caused an estimated loss of nearly $1. 100000
 The news of the big fire spread quickly. As it was ladies day at Redwood Field that were many thousands there, and it was just about the seventh inning when it was rumored throughout the crowd that the Birmingham Railway Light and Power offices had caught fire and that four people had been killed. There was immediately an exodus from the grounds, which even a batting rally on the Bir- mingham side could not prevent
 And in the crowds which immediately gathered on the scene of the fire on First avenue and Twenty-irst street and Second avenue and In the windows of adjoining buildings all were in sombre humor for relatives and friends of the deAd and oth- CTS who were reported dead were contin- ually passing to and fro, and on every tongue were tales of heroism and how Moody Childers had >1eaped from the window coping and hung on the awning bar while the awning had caught fire and burned him off. It was told how the late MT. Childers never screamed, and that as the flames scorched one of his hands off the awning he held on with the other until the fire. ever hungry. burned loose his hold and then he fell to the walk, missing the life net which was stretched out to receive him. Others On Roof
 Others told tales of four young girls who were on the roof and who screamed for help until the smoke and fire drove them away, and they were not seen again. Whethor they are dead only thorough investigation will disclose. Still other ac- counts tell of another man-name unknwn l-who. on being told that there was girl on the third floor waving her hand, and who had fallen back, had boldly leaped within the building in search of her. He. too, was never sen to come and tho polico
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-09
Ward On Scene

George Ward, president of the city com
 mission, dressed in overalls and overcoat and dripping wet from wandering about near the firef1ghters, remained on the
 scene until after : o'clock ard directed { the hrenghting and movements of the police in guarding the crowd In per ! oUn. Mir. Ward expressed great regret e bolng told that two lives were lost
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
Started in Dining Room.
tBy Associated Press1

st. Louis, Mo-, March 9.-The fire
is believed to have originated in the
third floor dining room, though the
police are investigating to ascertain
II safeblowers were not responsible.
Three persons we're killed in head
long dives from windows. Theodore
Levy of Jackson, Tenn, clung to a
sixth story window until both hands
were . AIRED black and just as he
was about to let go, firemen rushed
to him. He said two other men had
jumped from his window. The flames
were shooting from the roof and all
the windows above the third floor
when the firemen arrived. Men we're
jumping from the windows, a dozen
of these, at least, being saved by fall
ing on the roofs of nearby buildings.
Some climbed down ropes OF bed
clothing. Many who had escaped ran
about the streets in bath robes or
nigth clothing, apparently frenzied.
The telephone operator, young boy,
remained at his post on the ground
floor. even after the firemen began
pouring in water. Many guests credit
ed their escapes to him.
Twelve men escaped from the fifth
floor by sliding down a rope made of
two sheets They were awakened by
screams to find the stairways ablaze
One man was heard crying in the cor
ridor, 81 am blind; don't leave me
here to die" He was taken into
room with the others. who tied the
sheets together. sliding down them
fifteen feet to the roof of a store ad-
joining. One who jumped from this
roof broke his leg.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
NEW POSTOFF|CE
BUILDING NEWS
inquiry by Congressman Rufus Hardy
Brought Statement that Bids
Would Be Asked In 60 Days.

The following correspondence rela
tive to the new postofHce building fol
Bryan is self-explanatory:
Washington. d. C. March 3, 1914.
Mr.. ]. A. Myers. Bryan, Texas.
Dear Allen-Replying to your letter
! am enclosing you copy of letter re-
ceived from the Treasury Department
on January 27, another copy of which
was transmitted to Mr.. l.. NJ. Hewitt
OF Bryan at that time. The letter
was written at the instance OF some
inquiries from him, and think | will
ass that you have this letter publish.
ed. II you care to do so. am keeping
1t out on my desk, and shall take the
matter up again with the department
about the goth instant. unless | hear
from them before that date.
Would be glad to have both letters
published. | mean my letter to you,
and the letter from the Assistant Sec.
retary OF the Treasury.
Sincerely your friend,
RUFUS HARDY.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
COMMITTEE REPORT
ON COAL STRIKE
The Report Shows the Leading Causes
Responsible for the
Trouble.
lBy Associated Pressl

Washington, March 9.-The Senate
subcommittee report on the West vir-
ginia coal strike at Paint Rock was
filed by Chairman Swanson today. In
addition to the operators opposition
to the men forming unions the report
noted among the causes of the trouble
that the miners were discontented be-
cause there was no opportunity to pur-
chase homes, no cemeteries except In
company grounds. only private roads
to schools and stores, operators dispo-
sition toward and espionage over all
strangers, and postoffces in company
stores.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09

Washington. d. c.. Jan. 81, 1914.
Hon. Rufus Hardy, NJ C.. House of
Representatives. Washington. d. C..
Sir-I have the honor to acknowl.
edge the receipt OF your letter of the
21st instant relative to the status OF
the proposed new postoffce building
at Bryan, Texas. and in reply have
the honor to advise you as follows:
The public buildings bill of June %.
1910, authorized the purchase OF site
and erection thereon OF a postoffice
building at Bryan. Texas. at cost
OF $4,000. The site was acquired by
the government June 16, 1911, at an
expenditure OF $3.50, leaving si4,250
available for the construction OF the
building.
The working drawings for this build.
ing have been completed, and when
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
Sanders Laconlc Comment.

Dispatches from Austin, the State
capital, quote Governor Colquitt as
replying to a question as to whether
he cared to comment upon the situa.
tion as saying: Some people might
call this invasion, but it is not. We
wanted vergara's body to determine
the manner of his death. and we have
it. do not care to talk further until
have more details"
Ranger Captain Sanders laconically
wired the Governor as follows:
Il proceeded to Hidalgo, secured
Vergara's body and brought it to La
redo"
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
BOUGHT OLD COUNTY JAIL.

The regular monthly session of the
commissioners court convened this
morning at the court house with full
attendance of the commissioners. The
old county Jail was sold to ]. T. Law
Ter of this city for $3.50. The iron
work in the building will be retained
by the county and the cages will be
shipped to the county convict farm
and will be used to confine the county
convicts The contract calls for the
removal of the building within ninety
days after the 18th of March, 1914,
Mr. Lawler intends to use the material
from the building in other building
purposes.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09

FIRE IN
ST.,L0U|S
THE SEVEN STORY LETIc
CLUB WAS BURNED, WITH A
LARGE LIST OF DEAD, MISSING
AND INJURED, WITH PROPERTY
LOSS RUNNING HIGH.
tBy Associated rressY

st. Louis, Mo-, March Six were
killed, twenty-six missing, and thirty
injured in fire which destroyed the
seven-story Missouri Athletic Club, be.
ginning at o'clock this morning, and
which was still burning at noon. The
loss was $S50.000. Nearly a million
and half in cash is buried in the
vaults Of the Boatman's Bank beneath
the ruins. A search for the missing
will not start beforfe tonight or to-
morrow.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
URGES PROTECTION
FOR FOREIGNERS
[By Associated Pressl

Washington, March 9.-Senator Fall
urged the use of the United States
army in the protection of foreigners
in Mexico in a speech in the Senate
today. Senator Fall charged that
more than one hundred Americans
had been killed, murdered or outraged
in the last three years in Mexico. He
gathered the list himself.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
RECOVERED
VERGARA'S 5
BODY
FORCE OF TEXAS RANGERS UN.
DER CAPTAIN J. J. SANDERS
CROSSED THE RIO cRANoE BY
NIGHT AND RECOVERED THE
BODY FROM CEMETERY.

Laredo, Tex, March 9.-The body
of Clemente vergara, the Texas ranch.
man kidnapped by Mexican Federals
and later executed. was recovered by
a party Of Texas rangers who secretly
crossed to the Mexican side in the
dead OF night, and after disinterring
the body in the Hidalgo (Mexico)
cemetery, brought 1t across the Rio
Grande Sunday to American soil.
Vergara had been shot twice
through the head and once through
the neck. The skull was crushed as
though from the blow of a rifle butt,
and the charred left hand was taken
to indicate here that he had been tor
tured before being killed.
The little band of nine heavily arm.
ed men, ignoring diplomacy and brav-
ing the Mexican Federal soldiers, left
Palafox, Texas, at o'clock Sunday
morning. crossed over to Hidalgo,
then by a circuitous route rode by
moonlight to the Hidalgo cemetery.
While two men dug in the shallow
grave containing the body of the
American executed by Mexican FEEDER
al soldiers, the remainder of the band
picketed the cemetery to prevent their
work being intercepted.
The body was carried to Perrons
and brought across the Rio Grande in
skiff, conveyed by other skiffs con-
tanning the little armed band. wheth-
er the Mexican soldiers knew of the
expedition is not known, but in any
event they made no effort to thwart
the purpose OF the Invaders"
Sunday night the body of the Ameri-
can stockman lies at an undertaking
parlor. it having previously been turn
ed over to United States Consul Gar
rett Hundreds of persons surrounded
the undertaking establishment, hoping
to get view of the body: but a guard
kept the curious from entering the
place.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
Identified by Son.

Identification was made by the dead
mans son and by numerous friends.
The body was not badly decomposed
despite its three weeks burial, and in
addition to recognizing the features,
young Vergara took bit OF cloth from
the trousers which cothe the body and
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
President Wants Full Report.

lBy Associated t-ressl
Washington, March o. President
Wilson expects full report from
Governor Colquitt and American Con-
sui Garrett as to the manner Clemente
Vergara's body was returned to
American soil yesterday. The Presi-
dent and Secretary OF State Bryan
conferred at length on this incident.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
Rangers Did Not Go.

IBY AssOcIated PressI
Laredo. Tex. March Am investi-
cation here today brought emphatic
denials that Texas rangers were in
the expedition which crossed to Hi
dalgo, Mexico, exhuming Vergara's s
body. Captain Sanders would not talk
The widow, son, nephew and others
identified Vergara's body before it was
sealed in a metallic casket Their af-
fidavits will be used in the official re-
ports.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
TO ENJO|N SUGAR
TARIFF REDUCTION
louisiana Would Restrain the Reduced
Sugar Rates Under Underwood
Tariff Bill.


Washington, March 9.-The Su.
preme Court today granted the State
of Louisiana permission to file appli-
cation for an injunction against Sec
retary McAdoo's enforcing the re-
duced sugar rates of the Underwood
tariff.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
COMMERCIAL CLUB NOTICE.

The Eagle is requested to announce
that the weekly meeting of the Com
mercial Club will be held Thursday
morning at 10 o'clock. and that all the
members are earnestly requested to
be present. The time of meeting was
changed to Thursday because Presi-
dent McInnis will be absent in Hous-
ton on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
PARDON ONLY CAN
SAVE DYNAM|TERS
Supreme Court Refused to Review
the Cases, Which Was the Last
Step.
tBy Associated Pressl

Washington. March 9.-The Su.
preme Court today refused to review
the conviction in the dynamiting
cases Of Frank M. Ryan and twenty
three other members of the Iron
Workers Union. A pardon alone can
now keep the convicted men from the
penitentiary.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
colquitt Says No Rangers Went In

IBv Associated Press
Austin, Tex, March Gov. Col
quit reiterated that no rangers en-
tered Mexico. He said Capt Sanders
first message was misleading. He
further said he was ready to make a
report to President Wilson, if re-
quested.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09
REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS

Mary Z. Board to Frank Fickey, a
small tract of land in the city OF
Bryan; consideration, $50.
Percilla jefferson to Ed Franklin.
lot ?, in block s. in the city OF Bryan;
consideration, $50.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-09

st. Louis, Mo-, March 5th.-The st.
Louis club of the Federal League will
leave here today for Monroe, La, un-
der Mordecai Brown, manager. Seven
of his men are major leaguers.