The morning call., 1894-07-02
FATAL FIRE ON MOB HILL.
Futile Efforts to Save the Child S
Life.
ENCLOSED BY WALLS OF FLAME.
Oldest Of Seyen-t1is Mother Left
Him, Thinking That He was
Not in the House.

Death in one of its most awful forms
came last night to a bright little boy whose
home is overshadowed by the palaces OF
Mob Hill. The child was Lynn, the r.
year-old son of Frank Smith, book
keeper who moved into an old house at the
END OF Frank place two or three months
ago. The place is short, narrow street
running westward from Mason, between
California and Pine. The boy was the
eldest of family of seven. bright beyond
his years. and general favorite in the
neigh5orhood.
One OF the seven children was injured
during the day by falling from morse
and the father. after sitting by his side
for several hours, left the house with him
about $3.50 O'Clock in the evening to stroll
around the hill Mrs. Smith was sitting
in the kitchen preparing the younger chill
dren for bed when the lamp that lighted
the little apartment fell to the floor and
exploded. The blazing oil ran over the
carpet and set fire to the chairs. The chill
dren screamed with fright, and Mrs.
Smith, after throwing few pals OF water
on the flames. decided TO leave the house
and call upon the neighbors for assistance
Lynn. the eldest boy. was lying asleep
on the floor Of an adjoining room. and his
mother, thinking that he was not In the
house, gathered the little ones about her
and rushed out of the building, leaving the
kitchen in flames. She fastened TO the
house OF friend in the nelghborhood ana
asked man that she met on the way TO
sound an alarm. The man took his time,
and several minutes had passed belore the
bell on Brenham rlace struck the number.
Meantime crowd nad gathered III the
narrow alley, ana the men who looked into
the burning building saw the child lying
on his back and completely surrounded
Dy flames. His hands were clasped over
his face and he lay still. They made sew
eral efforts to reach him, but were driven
back by the intense heat. which rapidly
burned the body into ciBder. When the
firemen reached the house they. too, tried
TO reach the body, but were driven back
until the room had been drenched with
water. Then the black inanimate form
was taken out and laid upon little bank
of earth, where it remained until the
Cor0neI's wagon came.
The unhappy father and mother soon
learned of the awful fate that had over.
taken their first born. She heard of her
af1liction from neighbor. and rushed
screaming and wallllg back to the build
ing, which Was burning from foundation
to the roof. Kind hands pulled her back
from the spot where the child's body lay,
and led her half fainting TO the dwelling
of a friend or Mason street.
Smith reached the scene before the fire.
men had succeeded IN removing the body
from the house. He was beside himself
with grief and passed the narrow alley
back and forth like one in dream. When
he saw the remains of his child he sobbed
and wept as If his. heart was breaking.
Fearing that his mind would give way If
he were permitted to remain he was in
duced to leave the spot, and subsequently
made his way to the house in which his
wife and children were surrounded by
sympathetic friends. They will remain
there until they are able TO find another
home.
The house, which was owned by Fl. n
Spauldlng, was rendered unfit for habita.
ton by the fire, and the furniture owned
by the stricken family was ruined. Their
loss will amount to about $500. The own
er of the building will lose about $1,000.