SAVED BY A STRING.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1122, 2 November 1883, Page 3

SAVED BY A STRING.

A thrilling incident occurred at New York during the progress of a tire in a big eight-s oreyed Mock of buildings. To cheek the advance of the flames the’cluef of the Briga le sent fourteen men upstairs with a line of hose an 1 lire axes. The men were only able to get at the fifth floor. Here what is called a “black draught ” suddenly filled the.room they were in with smoke It came so fast and in such volume that the firemen, to save their lives, threw them selves flat on the floer. Some distance away, overlooking a courtyard, were two windows. Towards these windows the suffocating firemen crawled. They were cut off from the stairs and from the only fire-escape in the building by the smoke. Their only hope lay in getting aid from the outside through the windows. They shouted for help, but the men below, busy with the fire, diil not hear them. Suddenly two of the imprisoned men, Tnite and O’Brien, of the engine company, fainted, and were apparently in a dying condition. Their companions gesticulated out of the windows and uttered frantic cries. The racket made by the puffing engines drowned their cries, and the word was passed one to another to jump—into ceitaiu death it seemed—when someone below looked up. With renewed hope the twelve imperilled men repeated their cries for help, but to their horror the request was misunderstood. It was thought they wanted another line of hose, and no haste was being made to get it to them, when Chief Gicquel’s attention was called to the rpot by se-ing the men below getting the hose rca-ty. He shouted up, “ What is wanted ? ” “We are ent off Hurry up, or we must jump,” came back the answer “ It’s a life line they want,” shouted Chief Gicqu 1 to tbos ; about him, who for sonv' reason had not been able to hear the thrilling -eply to Inf question. All over was an excitement at once. A forty-five foot extension ladder was quickly brought and placed mrn position. It was too short by 20 feet. Out on the window sills were two of the perishing firemen ready to throw themselves down. Chief Gicqnel motioned to them hack, and they obeyed. He then found by signs that they had a piece of string, which, however, would not retch the top of the ladder. This lie directed them to lower. Then two firemen went up the ladder, ami with difficulty tie 1 the ett I of the st.ing to a small rope, by which a larger one was immediately drawn up. No time was lost in making it fast above. Assista.-t-foreman Heeney started to come down fir-4, as he was very faint and the most exhausted of all. He began lowering himself hand-under-bnnd, when his strength gave out, and lie slipped fully GOft., tearing the skin from both of his hands. Fot Innately a fireman caught him when he struck the ground and prevented more serious injury. An employee in the building was the next one down, and then came the rest. As the lust man left the window sill flames hu ft from it out over the courtyard. The exciting scene was witnessed by a spellboitn I throng that cheered loudly at its sr.ccess'ul completion.