The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-13
Four Families in East Side {. Driven Into Frigidity of Streets When Flames Visit Crowded Building Fire Captain Rescues Aged Cripple from Death. Connor's Clothing Store, Corbit's Photo Shop and Lees Clothing and Shoe Store in East Main Street Swept by Blazes- Fire men Coated With Ice.

Two spectacular fires early today caused a total property loss estimated at approximately $3O,OOO, endangering the lives of two score of persons who fled or were carried in their night clothes through smoke filled railways and tenements into the frigid atmosphere of the street.
 The first fire broke out shortly after 8 o'clock this morning, in the business block at<1156 Main street, occupied by Bin's Hat Store and G. M. Stadler, feather merchant, and at 1154 Main street by the J. w. Connors Clothing Co. and L. H. Corbit, photographer, who occupies the second and third floors over the sclothing store. The loss to- the four concerns, Connors being the greatest suf- ferer, will total $15,OOO.
 Hemmed in by. great pillows of smoke. four families occupied the sec ond and third floors of the tenements at 589 and 591 East Main street, were saved from death by suffocation, at o'clock, by heroic f1remen who ef- fected many thrilling rescues, and one woman suffering from shock had to be taken to the hospital.
 The block in which the fire oc- cured runs from 5S7 to 593 East Main street. The first floor is occu- pied by the owner Benjamin Lee, who conducts a shoe store at 593 and a clothing store at 587. The entrance to the two tenements is situated be- tween the two stores.
 This morning James Lynch of 173 Nichols street, built fire in the stove in the rear of the shoe store and went into the cellar to chop some wood. Lee was reading 8 paper near the stove when he observed the counter on which lay piled number of blankets afire. He lost his presence of mind and fled into the street yell ing "firev'
 The flames spread with startling ra- pidity and soon the entire exterior of the block front and rear was aolaze. Great pillows of smoke poured up through the tenements where despite the lateness of the hour all of the families were still in bed asleep.
 John Connery, who occupies the floor directly over the shoe shop, was ill in bed and his sister-in-law, Miss Mary Eager, 65 years, lay in an ad- joining room, ill and unable to move hand or foot, owing to rheumatism. Smelling smoke he was about to get out of bed when he noticed tongues of flame coming up through the floor
 Jumping out of bed he grabbed his daughter, Winifred, seven months of age, and told his wife to carry their other daughter, Ethel, seven years 70 the street. As he opened the door leading to the hallway, clouds of smoke rushed in upon them. All the family were in their nightclothes
 Connery took his wife's hand and groping through the hallway they made their way to the back stair and thence to safety.
 In the meantime, the fire ap- paratus having reached the scene, Capt. Arthur Platt was told that an invalid was lying in the tenement.
 He started twice up the front stair and each time was driven back by smoke and flame. The third venture he got down on his hands and knees and managed to reach Miss Pagers room. Throwing a blanket over her head the fire captain held her se- curely in his. arms, half staggering and half falling down the stairs to the street with his burden
 Miss Eager was removed to Freed man Brothers furniture store at 585 East Main street and the emergency hospital corps was called to the scene, the woman having become hysterical from the shock of her experience pr. s. I. Aranki tookaher to the Bridgeport hospital.
 Losing sight of his older daughter and wife during the excitement, Con- nery had to be restrained by fremen from rushing back into the building in search of them. His fears were quiet ed by f1remen, who told him they had searched the rooms and all had es- caped.
 The tenement above the Connery family is occupied by Mrs. Katherine Olson and her two little children one an infant and the other babe of two years. She was reused from bed by the cries of Connery who shouted to her to flee. With great difficulty she rying child in each arm. Relieved
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