The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-11-21
HEROIC ACTS At
The MARIANNA
sIs.ar, S4oIssslsaOo0kH0
TIW UUWLKUUO
Many Sacrificed Their Lives
In Attempting to Save
Others iii Building.
EVERYTHING DONE
TO SAVE INMATES
So Fast Did the Fire Spread
That Had Officers At
tempted Any Other Meth
cd Than That Followed
the Loss of Life Would
Have Been Appalling.

There were numerous acts OF hero
ism displayed at the fire which de-
stroyed one of the dormitories of the
state reform school, and several gave
up their lives in attempts to rescue
others. Furthermore had the officers
and attaches of the school adopted
any other method Of getting the boys
out OF the building than that which
they pursued, the loss of life would
have been appalling.
These facts became known last
night upon the return from Mari
anna of J. H. Sheriff. Of the board
of trustees OF the school, who went
to the scene on the first possible train
and remained there until last night,
during which time the board made a
thorough investigation of the fire. In
sofar as the investigation related TO
the origin Of the disastrous confla-
grafton, Mr.. Sheriff. would make 10
statement, for the reason that the
board had agreed with the coroner's
jury to withhold any portion of it's
report dealing with this feature.
I'VE found said Mr.. Sheriff.. that
the officers of the institution used
every available means to empty the
building of it's inmates and had the
boys followed orders every single in
mate would have gotten out Of the
building in safety. So quick did the
fire spread that had an attempt been
made to leave the building by the
fire escapes the loss would have been
appalling"
MANY WERE AWAKE.
The night watchman was awake and
on duty at the building when the fire
80
officers of the institution. sleeping up
stairs had come down to the first floor
using the stairway, and had returned
to his room only about ten minutes
before the fire was discovered. He
had just gotten In bed when he heard
a roaring and opening his door looked
down the stairway to find II a mass
of flames.
Mr.. Hardesty of Pensacola, was
spending the night at the school and
he gave evidence of the quickness Of
the spread. He was awakened as soon
as the fire was discovered and slip
ping on his pants looked out the door
and saw the building afire. He then
slipped on his shoes and coat and
started throug hhis door, only to find
the fire already had reached there. He
then broke out a window, but before
he could get out by that means the
fire was burning the furniture in the
room.
GAVE UP HIS LIFE.
Joe Wetherbee, a boy from Jack
sonville, gave up his life, Mr.. Sheriff.
said when he went back into the
building to arouse Acting Supt. Bell,
whom he thought was asleep in the
building. He was heard to state Just
before he dashed back into the burn
ing building: IT cannot leave Mr. Bell
up there" Some keys which the hoy
carried were found in the debris, as
well as some articles which he mad
thrown from Mr.. Bells room.
Another instance of heroism, said
Mr.. Sheriff., was that Of a boy known
as Toto" who went back into tEe
building after he had lined up the
boys and gotten them to safety, and
arouSing other boys piloted tn I'm
through the binding smoke to safety.
There were numerous other acts, said
Mr.. Sheriff., of officers and boys,
which deserve great commendation.