Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1895-01-05
FORTY SIX VICTIMS
Half the Population Of an Oregon
Town Barbecued.
IN A BURNING BUILDING
A Spectator st Christmas Tree ka-
terssiamsns Overturned a Goal
on Lamp.

Klamath Falls. Or. Dec. 2s.-cooped
up In the second story of a wooden lre-
trap. with a narrow stairway the only
means of escape, II men. women and
children of silver Lake. small town
IS miles from here, were burned to death
Christmas night. and 1--WE more win 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 hall. and
here most Of the population gathered
early IN the evening for a Christmas
| tree entertainments During the height
| OF the festivities d spectator jumped ON
| a chair "a get a better view ~ the tree.
| IN doing SO he overturned coaf~oif
lamp which was In "a bracket ON the side
| Of the wall ana the oil instantly caught
| ara Efforts 20 extinguish the nasnes
were II no avail. and before the audi
enee could realize the danger the wh01e
interior was enveioped In flames.
Some one shouted. "shut the door and
keep quiet: II can be put out" by this
time the confusion was SO great that the
people began scrambling in a wild en-
dcavor 10 reach the door. Women ana
children were trampled under. and -
there was only one exit 10 the hRi1 and
the iire being between the majority 0f
the crowd and the door many people
rushed hcadlong into the flames. The
dead are:
DEAD AND DYING.
MRS. JOHN BUICK AND TWO
CHILDREN.
MRS. owsLEY AND TWO Chill
DREN
III. BUICK AND DAUGHTER.
MRS. SMELLING.
/ MRS. HOWARD AND TWO chill
! DREN.
w. o. HEARST AND WIFE.
MRS. COSHOW
FRANK WEST, WIFE AND TWO
4 CHILDREN.
y ED BOWEN.
: MISS MCAuLEY.
h Il. J. LABRIE AND CHILD.
Il MRS. WARD
r MRS u. r. ABSHIR
- FRANK HoRNIGG.
y MRS PAYNE.
d MRS NETTIE WILLIAMS AND
/. 1 CHILD.
e w. cLAyMARrIN AND WIFE.
!. ROBERT SMALL
lr MRS. ELLA WARD AND CHILD.
N FRANK ROSS. MOTHER AND SIS.
TER.
CHILD OF ROY WARD.
IRA HAMILTON.
:. MRS GUS SCHROEDER ANr
CHILD.
,e The five injured and likely to die are
n Mrs. T. ]. I.abrie. Robert Smelling and
m sister. Ed Ward Payne and son.
n. SURVIVORS ALMOST CRAzED.
Y The town has about 100 inhabItantl
- and every home mourns the loss of reia
). tives. The few people on the outsid
4 could render no assistance. there wa
er no water at hand. and spectators stoo'
IL about wringing their hands and weep
ke Ing aloud as the shrlelxs OF the dyinl
a. reached their ears from the burninl
70 building.
y The few who escaped alive down IN
a narrow stairway had no time 10 e
-. back. for in five minutes the entir
% structure was mass of flames and Il
- half an hour was a smoulderinx mas
:. from which arose the sickening smel
~ Of burning flesh. Many OF the victim
Al could be identified only by portions q
N. clothing still adhering 70 the body. 4
\. several instances the entire family W
- found dead within radius OF 10 feet.
=, Half the population of the town In
"a | perished and the other half. distracte
~ with grief. with nerves shattered by a
awful shock. walked about until q
~s morning light allowed them TO remos
the remains from the dying coa1s-
II Silver Lake is In Lake county. 4
miles from the nearest telegraph ono
aas and no help eouia pc sscutea y -. ~
tod the dead. Rude pine board cofilns vel
AZ lmprovised, the graves dug and the II
- | anr,.Inaa .,arfnrrana hx The handful !