Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-07
Fremen | Have Known

/ beyond the third story jump. Two
! fremen had dashed up the burning
staircase, they made the third floor
through flame and smoke just in time
to hear a crash behind them, for the
stairs had burnt through and fallen.
! They knew they were trapped, but up
to the fifth floor they made their way
under conditions almost beyond hui
man endurance, and | can still hear
the shouts and applause when black
helmet thrust out of the window by
1 the side of the frantic woman. By
/ this time she had released one hand
holding the child; in an instant a fire.
man had the little girl back in the
room and she with her mother We're
soon being carried down an aerial lad
der to the street and safety.
A similar incident to the above &C.
Cured in a tenement house. Many
families had been taken out by the
firemen, when a woman rushed into
the fire lines Historically calling for
her two babies. A fireman heard her
say, Back room, sixth floor" He hur-
riedly entered the building, which was
densely charged with Smoke and it
did not seem as though anyone could
live in there, but in a very short
space OF time helmet came falling
to the street.-the man had thrown ii
comrades. Just then a change of
wind partly blew the smoke aside
and there he stood on the roofs edge
with a baby under each arm. Lad
ders were quickly shifted and the
children were brought to the ground.
The mother ran toward the fireman
and he said: Better get them to the
hospital quick, the little ones are
pretty near gone" and one of them
lived, the other died
Most of us know something of the
danger and difficulty of lighting a
sub-cellar fire, and not very long ago
a captain in leading his men missed
his footing in the darkness and
smoke, and was plunged into water
possibly six feet in depth He was
rescued at great personal risk by two
men of his command, and while thor
oughly wet through, with winter
weather outside, he refused to go off
duty, and stayed with his men until
ordered to quarters by his superior
| tell you, friends, that it takes
a steady nerve and a strong heart
in the fire-fghting business, and I
feel that the members of any fire de- /,
partment hold a place in civilization
second to no man, irrespective of
their standing. The thrilling scenes
of battle, whether on land or sea,
never furnished greater history for
any nation than the daily incidents
in the life of a fireman. These men
are trained for hazardous duty, each
and every one is willing to risk his
life to save others, but it must be re-
membered that opportunity creates
the honor roll, and we should not
forget that while the rescues are be-
ing made others must get the water
on the fire. And due credit should be
given those who stretch in the hose
and arrest the progress of the flames
in the quickest possible manner that i,
water can be delivered, and in doing
so take the dose of smoke mingled
with heat and danger.
The engineers and stokers should
not be overlooked, as they stand by
the apparatus for hours in all kinds
of weather, keeping the water pres
sure in play, and in reality furnish
ing the ammunition to 1.-THE men be-
hind the guns"
Something also should be said of
the Salvage Corps, and while these j.
men are employed by private cor
porations, they actually do fire duty.
They answer every alarm, they will
lingly assist the fire department and
they make rescues, too. l have
always found them to be a fine,
courageous lot of fellows, and while
their work principally requires them
to cover merchandise to prevent
water damage, in doing so they not
alone help themselves but they help
the fire department in keeping down
the damage loss. These men must
work fast in most dangerous condi-
tons, and their efforts are worthy of
the highest commentator.
In concluding this crude article on
"Ffremen Have Known" / wish to
explain that my interest in the sub
1ect is probably intensified by the
fact that my father was a fireman
and the world is better for the life
he lived and the examples Of heroism
he showed, and l. too, want to be a
soldier in a war that never ends
until l cross the great divide where
no hearts break and no ties sever
and no one goes away incidentally
trust therei will not be any
1lres over observation-disclosures Matt.
Stratton in the Fire Engineer.