The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-07-15

lO dSICC WILL lhlC IL Voo SA~~ ply a current of air induced by the conflagration. But now an uneasy mo- ton began to take place in the crowd. Men elbowed their way here and there, met, conferred, gathered in knots. In less than a minute Talbot signaled us. We made our way to where he was standing with Sam Brannan, Casey, Green and a few others.
 : "Thank God the wind is from the northwest" Talbot said fervently. ''The Ward block is safely to wind ward, and we don't need to worry about that, anyway. But it is wind, and it's freshening. We've got to do something to stop this fire"
 As though to emphasize the need for some sort of action, second and stronger puff of wind sent whirling aloft shower of sparks and brands. We started at double quick in the di- rection of the ffmsy small structures between the old Fl Dorado and the Parken House. Some men, after mo- ment, brought ropes and axes. We began to tear down the shanties.
 But before we had been at work five minutes the fire began to run. The wind from the sea increased. Blazing pieces of wood flew through the air like arrows. Flames stopped in their stride and licked up their prey and went on rejoicing. Structures one min ute dark and cold and still burst with startling suddenness and completeness into rioting confagration. Our little beginning of defense was attacked and captured before we had had time to perfect it. The half dozen shanties we had. pulled to the ground merely furnished piled fuel. Somewhat de moralized, we fell back and tried rath- CT vaguely to draw a second line of de fense. The smoke and sparks suffo- cated and overwhelmed us, and the following flames leaped upon us as from behind an ambush. Some few men continued gropingly to try to do something, but the most of us were only too glad to get out where we could catch breath.
 Almost immediately, however, we were hurried back by frantic mer- chants.
 Save the goodsr was the cry.
 We labored like slaves, carrying mer- chandise, fixtures, furniture, anything and everything from the darkened in teriors of buildings to the open spaces. I worked as had never worked be- fore, and not once did know whose property I thus saved. At first ! groped in the darkness, seizing what 1 could, then gradually, like the glow of a red dawn, a strange light grew, showing dimly. and ruddily the half guessed features of the place. 1t glow ed, this light, increasing in power as heating metal slowly turns red, and then the flames licked through, and, dripping with sweat, l abandoned that place to Its enemy.
 All sense of time and, all sense of To- cality were lost. The world was a strange world of deep, concealing shad- ows and strong, revealing glares and g mist of smoke and hurrying, shouting excited multitudes. Sometimes found myself in queer little temporary ed dies of stiffness, where a certain calm and leisure seemed to have been insu lated. Then for a brief moment or SC I rested. Occasionally I would find myself with some stranger, and we would exchange brief exclamatory re marks.
 whole city Is goingw
 "Looks like it."
 Hear roof fell in and Killed twen ty men"
 Probably exaggerated"
 Probably. Don't catch me under nt falling roofs! When she gets afire get out"
 Same here"
 wen, I suppose we ought to try tt do something"
 Suppose SO"
 And we would go at it again.
 At the end of two or three hours nt man can guess time in such situation