Evening star., 1924-11-16

underwent the utmost physical strain
in performing this work. The slight
est misstep. hesitation, or loss of time
would have destroyed the effective
ness OF the entire maneuver.
The use of the human chain" re-
quireS not only great courage on the
part of it's links. but spiritual re-
sourcefulness must be backed up by
the exhibition of unusual physical
strength. 1t is not only necessary
that the f1remen have the indomitable
will to do this work and the courage
to attempt it, but they must also be
sustained by the physical force neces-
sary to carry it to a successful conclu-
sion.
In this instance, the firemen stand
ing on the tops of the window had to
hold themselves while passing the
bodies of excited people from hand
to hand AT times the entire weight
of these persons actually rested on
the arms or frames of the flremen.
Only men in the very best physical
condition. whose muscles responded
to every impulse OF the will and who
had almost superhuman strength and
endurance could have done this
work.
A n extraordinary rescue that comes
to mind was performed at a fire
at % East One Hundred and Twenty
eighth street, Manhattan. Firemen
participating in this rescue were:
Nelson and others of Hook and Lad
der Company No. IA. Firemen
| O'Connor and Nelson, on reaching
the scene Of the fire, three-story
| building, placed 25-foot ladder
against the front of the structure,
but on reaching the top of this lad
| der OConnor was met with a blast
of heat and flame. which prevented
| him from entering the building at
this particular point.
Soon after an aerial ladder had
been extended to the roof and fire
men were attracted by screams and
sesticulations of persons In an apart
ment house opposite. Looking over
the edge of the roof, they saw man.
weighing over 200 pounds, standing
| on a window ledge on the third floor
and preparing to jump to the street.
The building at this time was en-
| tirely enveloped in smoke and flame,
SO much so that il was almost i'm
possible to enter the structure at
any of the usual points of vantage.
AS dense smoke. evidently attended
by much heat, was pouring from the
! window behind the man, it required
the most urgent persuasion TO pre-
vent him from jumping.
Firemen O'Connor and Nelson laid
themselves down on the roof while
Lieut.. Weber and Fireman Kinstler
let them over the parapet by the
legs. The two fremen were thus
able to reach the man on the ledge.
who was instructed to extend one
arm up above his head as far as
possible so that the fireman could
grasp him by the wrist.
Just at the moment when their
greatest efforts were being eXerted
to swing him into space. the metal
gutter of the roof, on which their
combined weight was resting. sank
down. and its sudden giving away
brought the entire weight OF the huge
man directly to bear on the human
chain above, straining 1t to Its ut
most and almost to the breaking
point. O'Connor retained his hold on
the mans wrist and the chain thus
swung into space. Like a pendulum,
the suspended men seemed to mark
age-long seconds. Appalled, witnesses
in the tenement opposite and in the
street below, tightly held their
breaths, expecting to see the line
break at any instant and dash them
to death.
With a grip of iron. however. the
another hold on a portion Of the
mans clothing. BY the eXertion OF
extraordinary muscular power. he
and his companions succeeded in
working back and drawing the mans
body up to the edge of the roof cop
ing, where other waiting hands
pulled him and the firemen to safety.
The man rescued was feet
inches in height and weighed 203
pounds. He afterward declared that
at the moment the fremen reached
him he had practically given up all
hope: he was almost overcome and
had actually said last prayer be-
fore deciding to jump. Then, to use
his own words. he heard voice
above him, "as if from Heaven" tell
ing him not to jump. He obeyed the
instructions of the fireman, who told
him to raise his arm above his head.
Thus he was raised to safety. The
window from which the man was res
cued was in direct line of the path
Of the fire, being just at the head Of
the stairway, up which smoke and
flames were pouring.
Another rescue requiring excep-
tional strength was that per-