Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-30
PTTILESS FLAMES.
Holocaust of Family at Huron.
town, Mich.
THE FIRE FIEND's AWFUL WORK.

Father, Mother and Nine Children, One
aVisitor, Meet Their Fate in the Fiery
Embrace-Unavailing Attempt at Res
cue by Two Brothers, Awakened by the
Screams of the Dying-Ten Lives Lost
in a Railway Wreck in Virginia-Other
Fatalities.
HoUaHToN, Mich, Dec 30.-Eleven per-
sons were burned to death at Hurontown
early yesterday morning, and their bodies,
charred beyond possibility of recognition,
now lie piled in horrible confusion on q
sled at the engine house. The victims were
Theodore Gross, his wife, eight of their ten
children and Miss Lizzie Erb, daughter OF
Theodore Erb, of Lake Linden, who was
passing the holiday vacation with the fam
lily. The names of the unfortunates who
thus met horrible death are as follows:
Theodore Gross, the father. aged 81 years.
Mary Gross, the mother, aged AZ.
Katie Gross, aged 25
John Gross, aged 10.
Anton Gross, aged ID.
Mary Gross, aged II.
Lizzie Gross, aged 10.
Joe Gross, aged Q.
Michael Gross, aged @.
Lena Gross, aged 2.
Lizzie Erb of Lake Linden, aged IA
Roasted In Their Rooms.
Mr. and Mrs Gross and their daughter Katie
attended an old peoples dancing party Fri
day night, and returned home Saturday
morning shortly after 2 O'Clock, and immedi-
ately retired, Katie occupying the same
room with Lena on the ground floor. Theo-
dore Gross, Jr., who is employed nights in
the Huron staIsp-mill, came home quarter
of an hour later, and was soon asleep with
his brother Nicholas in a room on the second
floor. Shortly after he was awakened by
his brother Nicholas, who heard screams
coming from an adjoining room occupied by
three sisters and three little brothers. Both
sprang out of bed and ran out into the hall.
which they found in mass of flames. Smoke
and fire were ascending the stairway from
below, and the boys were unable to reach the
occupants of either floor.
No Rescue Possible.
Almost naked, and closely pursued by the
flames, they jumped through a window in
the hall, carrying the sash with them, and
fell upon the ground below, badly cut I'm
mindful of their own wounds, or of the fierce
blizzard which beat upon their nude forms,
the boys made heroic efforts 20 rescue the
eleven helpless victims who were being con
sumed with the burning dwelling Again
and again they hurled themselves against the
doors, but they were securely fastened, and
would neither break nor open. Then they
broke a window, but were driven back by
the flames, which soon enveloped the entire
building Meantime the agonizing screams
of the inmates told too plainly that they
were already beyond hope of aid.
Recovering the Charred Bodies.
Seeing that all efforts to render assistance
unaided would be futile they ran and
walked several neighbors, but no sounds
came from the burning building, and it " as
clear that all within had persisted In the
course of three hours searching party went
over the ruins and discovered the charrei
remains of eleven bodies, distinguished only
by the size of the bones. The charred re-
mains were gathered in three by six sleigh
box and deposited in the engine house. The
origin of the fire is mystery. Theodore
Gross, Jr., says it might have been started
from the lamp he supposed he eXtinguished
when he retired. 1t certainly emanated from
a source inside the house.
Their Birthplace Their Pyre.
Rumors are afloat that il was through the
CareleSsneSs OF the parents, VINO are alleged
TO have been intoxicated when they returned
from the dance. \ son, Peter, aged -, who
works at the Osceola stamp mill was not at
home at the time of the fire All of the
children were born in the house in which
they were consumed.
The calamity of yesterday morning was
the second one of the kind which has oc-
CURED in this place within two weeks, two
women and a baby having been roasted
alive only few days ago.