THE FIRE AND THE FIREMEN.
The firemen arrived at last; the station agent had reached the spot
before them. All was haste and confusion. No orders, and no one in
command. The wounded were already coming up the bank. Citizens, as they
came, had taken the survivors from the wreck, and were now helping them
to a place of safety and comfort.
Appalled by the scene and confused by the horror, none knew what order
was to be given or who was in command.
Mr. Apthorp was in the employ of the road, and was supposed to have
some control. As Mr. Strong hastened to the rescue, he asked, “What
shall we do?” The reply was, “Get men to help up the wounded.”
As the chief fireman met Mr. Strong, he asked “Where shall we put the
hose?” “Where shall we apply the water?” The echo of Mr. Apthorp’s
remark was the only response--“We want to get out the wounded, never
mind the water.” A second time the question was asked, as the station
agent appeared in another place, and a second time the response was,
“We don’t want water, we want to get out the wounded.” “Get all the men
to clear a road to the wreck.”
Again, as the firemen undertook to lay the hose, another official of
the road used a vulgar illustration and saying there was no use in
throwing water on the flames. The impression was thus given, by those
in command of the wreck and the road, that water was not wanted. The
chief fireman was not a man to assume the responsibility under such
circumstances: he was dazed and confused and did not seem to know
what to do. The horses stood hitched to the steamer. The hand engine
“Protection,” also stood, with the men waiting for orders. Some one ran
up from the wreck begging, for God’s sake, that water should be thrown,
but both engines stood waiting.
The call for buckets, went up from below. One old man, seventy-six
years old, was in the midst of the wreck, chopping for dear life and
calling for buckets at the same time. His son, arriving late, plunged
into the midst of the fire and began to work like one made desperate
with despair. Others took pails and undertook to go out to rescue
bodies that were burning.
The driver of the steamer took the engine to the cistern and stationed
it there, but no orders were given; and the hose carts were ready to
be unreeled, but no orders were given. The whistle of the steamer was
sounded for hose and the men stood ready to lay it; many wondered at
the delay and talked excitedly, but still no orders.
The captain of the steamer asked the station agent if he should apply
water, but the same answer was returned. The chief fireman still
remained stupid and passive, and gave no orders. At last he went,
himself, to the wreck and began to help remove the wounded, while the
men still waited and the engines were idle. The men became impatient,
but they were held by the authority of their chief. The fire was still
burning, but that answer of the station agent held the chief fireman
and he yielded to the direction and abandoned the engines and his men.
A man who has seen two persons still living, underneath the wreck,
comes up and begs that water be thrown, but the engines stand idle, and
the firemen dare not work without orders. The more determined of them
leave the engines and go down to the wreck to work without them. Pails
are procured from the stores, and with them the firemen work. Great
exertions are made to extinguish the flames in this way. Desperation
has taken possession of the citizens.
An hour has passed, and it is stated that there are some still living,
but the engines stand idle. There is talk, even, of disobeying orders
and assuming command, but the law is quoted and that is prevented.
Men fly here and there, anxious to save the living; others assist the
wounded. Some stand on the banks, with hands in their pockets, and look
on unmoved, but the fire still burns. A few seize a rope and fasten
it to the locomotive, and try to lift it off from one poor wretch who
lies beneath it, but the time passes and the flames are not subdued.
A line is begun for the purpose of passing water, and so putting the
fire out, but a voice was heard from the top of the abutment, saying:
“You don’t want water there.” “Don’t put any water on the wreck.” A few
rushed for the hand engine, thinking to take it down the steep bank to
the creek; the arrangements are made and a hose is attached, but the
decision of the foreman is, not to take it down. Still, a few persevere
with their buckets; the flames in one place are put out by this means,
but no effort is made by the engines, and the men stand waiting.
Horses become restive; the captain of the steamer remains at his post;
the firemen await his command, but the order is never sent. Lives
cannot now be saved, and the bodies are burning. A woman is seen in
the midst of the wreck; life is extinct, but the body is held by the
iron framework, high in air. Her clothes caught fire, and she begins
to burn like a martyr at the stake. The spectators are horror-stricken
by the sight. A few form a line and, with buckets, throw water in that
direction, until the body falls and lies buried with others. The fire
at the engine is next attacked, after the fireman is rescued. The poor
dog, which has kept up his piteous howl, was also taken from the same
place. This is the last living creature taken out, but the bodies still
burn. The wind blows cold, but the fire burns on.
The strangest misunderstanding has taken possession of all. Whatsoever
the motive of those in authority, the effect was, to keep the engines
from playing upon the flames. There were tanks on both sides of the
track; the engines were both on the ground; there was hose sufficient,
but the misunderstanding made everything useless, and the department
was held back and did nothing. The indignation of the citizens was
openly expressed, but the fire continued. Mr. Stebbins, a citizen,
asked the captain of the steamer, why water was not thrown? and was
answered, that the chief would not order it. He exclaimed, “We had
better hang him, then,” but the fire continued to burn until, in
places, it burned itself out, and there was nothing more to feed upon;
nothing was left except the bodies, and these were almost consumed.
The fumes of the burning flesh filled the air, and the horrid
consciousness haunted the hearts of the spectators, but the fire burned
on, and the strange suspense held the people.
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