Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-01-04
FORTY SIX VICTIMS
Half the Population Of an Oregon
Town Barbecued.
IN A BURNING BUILDING
A Spectator at ChrIstmas Tree En-
tertainment Overturned a Coal
OIL lamp.

Klamath Falls, Or, Dec. 2S.-Coopeu
up in the second story of wooden hre-
trap, with "a narrow stairway the only
means of escape. Al men, women and
children of Silver Lake, "A small town
35 miles from here, were burned to death
Christmas night and five more will die
Ten were also severely injured.
The building was used by Chrisman
Bros. for a general merchandise store,
and contained the postofIice also. The
second story was the town hail. and
here most of the population gathered
early in the evening for Christmas
tree entertainment. During the height
of the festivities a spectator jumped on
a chair to get better view OF the tree
In doing so he overturned eoai-oil
lamp which was in a bracket on the side
of the wall. and the oil instantly caught
fire Efforts to extinguish the names
were of no avail, and before the audi
ence could realize the danger the whole
interior was enveloped in flames.
Some one shouted shut the door and
keep quiet; it can be put out" BY this
time the confusion was so great that the
people began scrambling in a wild en-
deavor to reach the door. Women and
children were trampled under. and as
there was only one exit to the hall and
the fire being between the majority of
the crowd and the door many people
rushed headlong into the flames The
dead are;
DEAD AND DYING.
MRS. JOHN BUICK AND TWO
CHILDREN.
MRS. owsLEY AND TWO chill
DREN.
u. BUICK AND DAUGHTER.
MRS. SMELLING.
MRS. HOWARD AND TWO chill
DREN.
w. o. HEARST AND WIFE.
MRS. COSHOW.
FRANK WEST, WIFE AND TWO
CHILDREN.
ED BOWEN.
MISS M'CAULEY.
r. J. LABRIE AND CHILD.
MRS. WARD.
MRS. IT, f. ABSHIR,
FRANK HORNING.
MRS. PAYNE.
MRS. NETTIE WILLIAMS AND
CHILD.
w. CLAYMARTIN AND WIFE.
ROBERT SMALL.
MRS. ELLA WARD AND CHILD.
FRANK ROSS, MOTHER AND SIS
TER.
A CHILD OF ROY WARD.
IRA HAMILTON.
MRS. GUS SCHROEDER AND
! CHILD.
! The five injured and likely to die are
/ Mrs. T, J. Labrie Robert Smelling and
sister. Ed Ward Payne and son.
SURVIVORS ALMOST CRAZED.
The town has about 100 inhabitants
and every home mourns the loss of rela
tives. The few people on the outsid,
could render no assistance. there wa.
no water at hand. and spectators stoo(
about wringing their hands and weep
ing aloud as the shrieks of the dyint
reached their ears from the burning
building.
The few who escaped alive down tn
narrow stairway had no time to g,
back, for in five minutes the entir
structure was a mass of flames and II
half an hour was "A smouldering mas
from which arose the sickenng smel
of burning flesh. Many of the victim
could be identified only by portions o
clothing still adhering to the body. Il
several instances the entire family wa
found dead within radius of 10 feet
, Half the population of the town ha
persisted and the other half, distracte
1 with grief, with nerves shattered by tn
awful shock. walked about until tn
morning light allowed them to remov
the remains from the dying Goals.
Silver Lake is in Lake county. II
miles from the nearest telegraph offic
and no help could be secured to bur
: the dead. Rude pine board collins WEI
improvised, the graves dug and the la:
services performed by the handful {