The record-union., 1895-01-23
Two CHILDREN BURNED TO DEATH.
The Awful Af7ction That BefeI the
Silva Family.
Fire-Plugs Choked With Mud Rem
dered it Impossible to Save the
House-Heartrending Affair.

House-Heartrending Affair.
Many mother in this city, as she
pressed her babes to her bosom and lay
them down to rest last night, offered up
fervent prayer to Heaven that they might
be spared the awful fate of the two chill
dren of Mr.. and Mrs. Charles d. Silva,
that were burned to death yesterday
while the firemen stood helpless to save
them because they could not get water
for the engines. $50
At 1l:3O o'clock yesterday morning the
residence OF Charles D. Silva, situated at
the corner of the alley on Fourth street,
between r and S, was destroyed by fire
and his two youngest children were
burned to death.
The fire started in the kitchen in the
rear of the house and obtained considera
bic headway before the arrival of the fire
department.
Mrs. Silva had left the house but a
short time before the fire was discov-
cred to take her husbands dinner to him
to the railroad roundhouse, where he is
employed.
Before her departure she locked the
front and back doors of the house, leav
Ing her two youngest children-J oseph,
aged years, and Thomas, 20 months
inside, as the storm was so severe it was
impossible for them to accompany her.
The two older children were at school.
AS nearly as can be ascertained, the fire
was first discovered by Mrs. Smith. who
lives in the adjoining house on the south.
She gave the alarm, and almost at the
same moment Mrs. Norton, who resides
across the alley, knowing that the little
n a II n a
front steps OF the Silva residence and at
tempted to force an entrance. Finding
the door locked she called two Portu-
guese who were in the vicinity to her as
sistance, and informed them where to
procure axes for the purpose of breaking
down the door.
AS soon as this was effected one of the
men attempted to enter and rescue the
children, but was driven back by the
dense smoke, and few seconds later the
whole building was wrapped in flames.
THE MOTHERS AWFUL GRIEF
In the meantime the frenzied mother
arrived and attempted to force her way |
through the assembled crowd with the |
Intention OF rescuing her little ones or |
dying with them in the nerce flames.
When restrained by the united efforts of |
several strong men from accomplishing |
her purpose, her piteous screams could be |
heard Tor blocks, and with tears stream |
ing down her face she wildly impIored !
them to allow her to fly to the rescue of /
her babies. By main strength the |
frenzied mother, whose reason seemed to |
be quite dethroned by the terrible affair, |
was carried 10 neighboring residence |
and kept there under restraint.
PLUGGED-UP FIRE-PLUGs.
The fire department was greatly handi- |
capped in its labors by the large amount
of sediment deposited in the neighboring
hydrants from the river water and there
is little doubt that had clear water been
instantly available for the use of the en-
gines the lives of the little ones might
have been saved.
THE BODIES FOUND.
When the flames had been extinguisbed
instant search was made for the bodies
OF the children. Carefully the debris was
turned over by the axes and implements
of the tiremen, until at last, in one corner
OF a room, covered by the burned trag-
ments of what had once been bed, the
charred remains were discovered.
The youngest child, Tommy was found
lying on his back, his arms crossed be-
fore his chubby face and his tiny fingers
clenched within the palms OF his hands.
which were thrown outward and upward |
as though to ward Off the fierce flames
that were rapidly enveloping him.
The body of Joe was lying across that
OF his little brother, and at their feet was
found the remains OF their faithful dog
which had chosen death In company
with his little playmates rather than es-
cape by dashing through window into
the open air.
y GRIEF-sTRICKEN BROTHER.
When the news of the finding of the |
bodies became known Charlie, who had T.
just returned from school, and who was
weeping bitterly, begged the firemen to
allow him to enter the house, and men
and women were moved TO tears by his
piteous cries.
'Oh. my little brothers! my darling
little brothers! W he cried, 'when they |
bring you out / will hold you in my |
arms! Only to think when l left YOU
THIS morning you were so cute and cum
nlng, and now you are dead! Oh, my
little brothers! What shall we dor'
The father of the children came from
his work as soon as he was notified OF the
terrible catastrophe, and was almost be-
side himself with grief.
The origin of the tire will never he
known, but the supposition is that the
elder boy, on being left alone, could not
resist the temptation of PLAYING with the
stove, and in this way set fire to the
mouse. Then, IN his terror, he fled to
that refuge OF childhood, the bed and
throwing himself across his baby brother.
they met their fate together.
The house was a frame structure. and
was erected somewhat over a year ago.
The loss is covered by policy in the
New Zealand Insurance Company in the
sum of $1,000.
SHALL IT ALWAYS BE so?
When the subject of a clear water spn-
ply 1or the city was being agitated the
RECORD UNION repeatedly called atten-
tion to the fact that so long as the debris
laden river water was used, lust so lone
would life and property be at the mercy
OF fires; that the pipes and hydrants were
clogged with mud, and that sooner or
later some terrible calamity would result
from that cause.
The calamity has come. If the fremen
had not been baked in their operations
yesterday by the hydrants being clogged
with river water debris, those two inno-
cent children would now doubtless he
safe within the arms OF their parents. in
stead OF their burned and blackened
little bodies occupying collins at the
Morgue, and their mother would not be
threatened with insanity.
But there are houses in Sacramento vet
to be saved; there are little children
whose lives need not be sacrificed to re-
morseless flames, if the authorities of
the city will but do their plain duty bv
abandoning the muddy river water and
giving the community the clear and pure
article that lies at hand and for which the
hyy, .; /