The Detroit times., 1914-05-25
STOPS TRAIN TO
EXTINCUISH FIRE
in FARM HOUSE
p. NJ. Conductor Saves Pafaly.
tics Life and Arrives Here
on Time
PASSENGERS FORM
BUCKET BRIGADE
Put Out Flames, Hustle TO Train,
and Make Detroit COnnec-
tons

Conductor Charles Dryer, OF c. II.
& ID. train No. 81, the Florida Flyer"
who is known as the lucky Irish con
ductor." Won fresh laurels Monday
morning, when. short distance from
Romulus, on the Pere Marquette. he
stopped his train, organized q bucket
brigade. saved the farm home OF
julius Parsons from destruction and
carried the owner, a paralytic, TO a
place Of safety To top the list OF
his achievements, he arrived at the
/ Detroit station exactly at $40 O'Clock
on time 10 the second.
interviewed by Times reporter
I'm his home, No. 500 Hubbard-aye.
Dwyer. a big wholesome-looking fell
low who appears really young despite
8 years OF hard railroad service, told
his story
1T really wasn't much" he began
'and about the only feature OF the
thing is the fact that it probably
couldn't happen under the same con
ditions in another hundred years OF
rairoading.
I'VE were ahead, and were killing
time when, about half mile from
Romuius, ! heard four short blasts OF
the whistle which indicate danger
ahead ! locked out and saw farm.
house in flames, about 10 rods back
from the track ! didn't think much
of the consequences OF my act al that
time, but signalled for the train TO
stop and back up to the place where
the fire was. My engineer, George
McGarry, No. l45 Sherman-st.. had
! seen the blaze before | had and had
slackened speed or his own accord,
I'VE organized bucket brigade
! from among the members OF the crew
and the passengers. and using the
emergency equipment on the train,
we put out the fire ! think the fire
originated from a defective chimney.
! Had we been Ave minutes later, we
couldn't have done thing except
watch the place burn
Tho man OF the house was a par.
alytic and there were three small
! children-about the size OF my little
ones here. | helped carry the man
Out. He did not seem to realize what
was going on and that he would have
persisted had we not come along just
when we did, as his wife was a frail
little woman who couldn't have lifted
him. had she presence OF mind
enough to try.
AS soon as saw there was no
more danger; | began 10 think about
my train and ordered everybody back
into the cars.
Believe me. old No. 81 famed II in
| double-quick time after we got start
ed. and we landed here right on time.
The only thing I'm sorry about IS
| that | did not take up a collection for
those poor folks. IL looked like pref
| ty hard times about the place. was
in such a hurry that forgot about
that. though"
Engineer McGarry and Fireman
| Donnelly played important parts in
/ the rescue from the flames, Donnelly
| in particular being a leader OF the
bucket brigade
The entire occurrence did not take
more than 20 minutes, according TO
Conductor Dwyer.
You know a railroad is a peculiar
sort Of thing to work for" said Dwyer
II didn't realize II just at that time,
but II might have made serious
trouble for me If | had not landed
here on time, as practically all my
passengers were to make connections
with other trains, and had been late,
! would surely have been reported by
some crank Then it would have been
| the carpet for mine"
pwyeI has been with the company
! for 81 years, starting his railroading
career when very young lad He is
universally known as the lucky
Irish conductor" and the feat OF Mon
day morning seems TO prove that the
name rightfully belongs to him
! The division superintendent con
graduated Dryer when he arrived in
Detroit, the feat Of bringing in his
| train on time. doing away with all
necessity for calling"
DECORATION Day. Str. CITY OF CIeveIana