The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-01-26
ouR WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFno~ or SPECIAL OoaHrsroSDEsr.I
WAsH1NGroN. Jan. 13. 18S1.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13, 1881
Tuesday night the dwelling Of
Timothy Gavin (of the firm Of Cod
wise and Gavin contractors Of tie
Somerset and Cambria railroad) on
his farm about four miles from
Gaithersburg, Nd, on the Metropol-
itan Branch Of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, and about 2i miles
from Washington, was destroyed bv
fire and Mr.. Cayn's two sons, aged
II and 13 years respectively, and an
employee, an Irishman about 10
years old, were burned 10 death.
The GTe originated from n wood fire
IN the kitchen stove. The family,
consisting Of Mr. Gavin, his wife,
FIVE children and hired man, had
retired for the night. The parents,
with their younger children, cccu-
pied rooms in the front of the house,
while the two boys and the hired
man occupied a room over the kitch-
en. The hired man, John Falb-,
was deaf and the two boys sound
sleepers. Mrs. Gavin was awaken
cd by the roar of the flames, and
cracking Of the burning timbers,
but did not realize for . moment
what the noise meant. Starting up
she aroused her husband and child
ren and then went to the door com
municating with where the boys
slept. When she opened the door
q cloud of dense smoke poured in,
and she found that the room was
completely enveloped in flames
Calling her sons by name there was
no response, and, frantic with grief
she was about to plunge in the
flames, when she was forced back
By her husband. He had barely
time to open the front window and
throw his wife and three children
out in the snow, then leap after
them, when the flames had complete
ly enveloped the room they had Just
left. Scantily clad in their night
clothes, and clasping the frightened
children in their arms, the unhappy
father and mother rushed through
the snow to the rear of the house in
the hope Of finding their boys. The
terrible truth was soon forced upon
them that the boys had not made
their escape. The mother was near
" distracted, and the unfortunate
parentst turning from their home, now
completely enveloped in flames,
hurried to the house of a neighbor a
half mile away. Exposed to the
| severe cold of that winter night, the
journey was made with difficulty.
st last the houseless and half fro
zen family reached the neighbor' 5
house. Mr.. Gavin procured some
clothing. hurried back and found
amid the ashes Of his home thecrisp
bodies Of his two boys and the hired
man. Besides this terrible loss of
life, the family lost al their wearing
apparel and valuablcs. In fact
there was nothing saved except
themselves. 1t is supposed the VIC
Tins We're suffocated BY the smoke
before the fire reached them. The
bodies of the three victims were
brought to this city to-day and bur
led at Mount Olivet Cemetery. They
were accompanied by the priest from
Rockville, the relations and friends
Of the deceased, and number of
neighbors. The bodies were each
encased in a neat coffin and were
borne by the pall-bearers-six men
for that of Mr.. Falby and six boys
for each Of the dead sons Of Mr..
Gavin, to the hearses in waiting at
the depot, and were conveyed to st.
Aloysius' church where the funeral
services took place. The funeral
was 4 very large one and the people
deeply sympathize with the heart
broken parents.