The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-14
FATAL FIRE.
4 Woman Burned to Death in a Farm
House Near Napa.

NAPA, July 13.-Further particulars
were brought to town to-day of the burning
of the farmhouse of W. 81. Bachelor last
evening, three miles east of this city, and
the burning to death Of Mrs. Hoober. Mr..
and Mrs. Hoober were employed by Mr..
Bachelor on the ranch, and while Mr..
Bachelor and Mr.. Hoober were engaged n
the mik-house, short distance from the
dwelling, they heard an explosion, and
upon going to the door found the dwelling
in flames. They knew Mrs. Hoober had
been in there getting supper. but when they
reached the place the fire had such start
that they could not enter the house, aud
they saw Mrs. Hoober enveloped in flames
within. 1t is presumed she was filling Iamps
or else had undertaken TO light the fire with
coal-oil, and it exploded and set the whole
place On fire. The property loss was not
large. probably a few hundred dollars.
There was no insurance.
AS soon as he discovered the fire Mr..
Bachelor called to Mrs. Hoober to run
out the front door, and judging from the
position in which her body was found the
unfortunate woman started for the front
door, hoping TO escape thereby, but fell in
side OF 1t and persisted miSerably. All that
was left OF the body was a black, unrecog-
nizable mass. The limbs and head were
burnt entirely off. The remains were taken
by the neighborS from the mass of Goals
after the building was practically consumed,
by means OF a device made of wire and at
tached to a long pole. The dwelling was
very dry, cloth-lined, and burned like
yeritable Undertook. In three minutes from
the time the first explosion was heard no
one could approach the house, so fierce was
the heat and in an almost incredibly short
time 1t was entirely consumed. A storage
Shed adjoining was also burned.
The little daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. H loo
Der, aged years, had just few moments
before the fire broke out left the house and
gone into one of the out-houses. Had she
there would probably have been two terrible
deaths to record instead of one.
How the fire originated is and always will
be mystery. The explosion was probably
caused by coal-oil, though this is entirely
matter of conjecture. Whether Mrs. III.
was Frightening the fire, filling lamp or
how the flames started which caused her
During the progress of the fire second ex-
plosion took place. 1t was caused by the
igniting of three sticks of giant-powder and
several caps, which were in MIR. Bachelors
bureau-drawer. 1t scattered the fire on to
the adjoining buildings and into the grass,
but by hard work of those present it was
Kept from spreading.
The loss Of property is considerable.
Everything in the house was consumed,
furniture, clothing. accounts and $50 in coin
belonging to Mr.. Bachelor, AMI $50 in
money, the property of Mr.. Hoober. The
total actual loss will Approximate $1,000,
though the dwelling contained articles be-
longing TO Mr.. Bachelor which he would
not have parted with for twice that sum.
There was no insurance.
Coroner Lawrence held an inquest and
the jury rendered a verdict in accordance
with the above facts Deceased was
native OF Switzerland, aged "A years.