Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-03-13
AN APPALLING HOLOCAUST.
Four Human Beings Meet Death In
tho Flame and Smoke Of
Burning Building.

|
tho Flame and Smoke Of
| Burning Building.
Few of our citizens who have read from
time to time in the papers of the terrible
tragedies of fire, with all their sickening
detail Of horrors, have realized the added
horrors which attach to the scene when
enacted in our own community; its vic
Tins our own friends and neighbors. The
cold, gray light of Monday morning fell
chill and CHASTITY upon such a spectacle
in our own city. The Westinghouse Of
George L. King, situated in the block
south of the residence of J. B. Donnan,
ESQ, on the west side of the river, was
burned to the ground, and in the flames
and smoke persisted four members of his
family, he only remaining.
The circumstances attending this ter.
rible tragedy, as we have been able to
gather them, are as follows: Mr.. Kings
house was twostory building, facing
the east, with an attachment used as the
kitchen, Of one story, on the west side of
the main building. The family, consist.
ing of Mr.. King, his wife, his wife's mo.
thcr, Mrs. Morris, aged 70, his step.
daughter, Emma Bell, aged IA, and his
son and only child, Frank, aged 10, slept
in the upper story of the main building,
the stairs to which were separated from
the kitchen by q thin partition. Near
the bottom of these stairs was the door
leading into the latter apartment. About
halfpast three o'clock Monday morning
Mr.. King was aroused by Emma entering
his room with the intelligence that her
room was filled with smoke. He imme.
diately arose, dressed, and went down
stairs. He opened the door leading to
the kitchen, when the pent up flames
leaped out upon him like savage beast.
He then made an attempt to return to
the upper part of the house to rescue the
family, but the flames had in the mean
time made fearful Roadway, and he was
repulsed after desperate endeavors to as
cend the stairs, during which he was Sc
verely burned and inhaled quantities of
the thick smoke which filled the entire
house. Baffied here, smarting with pain,
blinded by the smoke, and half crazed by
the impending calamity, he opened the
east front door with the idea of ascending
the porch to the upper windows. In this
attempt his strength failed, and he seems
to have wandered of to the garden,
where he was afterwards found, lying on
the ground in a semi-unconscious state,
moaning with pain.
During all this time, which scarcely was
longer than it takes to read this nara.
tive of it, Mr.. King was alone in his en-.
deavors to rescue the unfortunate family.
At this juncture help appeared in the
persons of Mr.. NJ. j. Baker, Thatcher
King, Mr.. Artus, and possibly some
others. A ladder was procured by these
parties, and raised to one of the upper
windows on the front or east side. Mr.
Baker, a man of stalwart proportions and
iron nerve and courage, mounted and
entered the room occupied by Mrs. King
The smoke was so thick and sitting That
he had to grope around on his hands and
knees He found the bed, without an
occupant, but when he returned to the
window tor air, he heard gasping in a
corner of the room. After filling his
lungs with fresh air he CROPPED his way
to the corner, and there found Mrs. King
lying insensible across the body Of her
little boy. Mr.. Baker raised her body in
his arms. and, with the assistance of the
others, succeeded in conveying it to the
open air. She was already dead from
suffocation, however. Subsequent at
tempts to enter the room were baffled by
the advancing flames, and the rescucrs
were compelled, reluctantly, to leave the
other occupants of the chambers to their
fate. 1t is altogether probable that death
by asphyxia came to their relief before
the flames reached them From this
time the fire made terrific progress, and
the building was soon mass Of ruins.
n few hours later the firemen dug what
remained Of the unfortunate victims from
the debris in the cellar. The bodies were
burned to indistinguishable masses of
flesh and bones, and were most sicke-
ming sight They were placed in collins
and taken to the Presbyterian church,
where they remained until the funeral on
Wednesday. The services ON this &C.
casion were conducted by Rev. W. b.
Phelps, pastor Of the church, of which
Mrs Morris and Mrs. KING were regular
members. Mr.. King was kindly cared
for in the family of Mr. Baker, who VEN
tured so much to save the unfortunate
women and children.
This unfortunate accident has cast
gloom upon our entire community which
time only can efface. Much sympathy
is rendered the husband and father thus
cruelty bereft of all he holds dear, and we
are glad to see that this feeling is taking
practical shape for his benefit. Mr. King
is poor, Woodworking man, who has
the esteem and confidence Of all who
know him.
Mrs. Morris and Mrs. King were also
highly esteemed, and the sorrow atten
dant upon their frigbtful death viii be
sincere and heartfelt in many homes not
related to them by consanguinity.
Mrs Morris was the mother of w. G.
Morris, jewcller, formerly Of this city