Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1895-01-18
That Terrible chrIstmas Fire,


i The Lake View Examiner publishes
the following from Rn eve witness de-
scriptive OF the scenes at Silver Lake at
the time of the terrible holocaust:
1t seems that for a time, while the
burning lamp lay near the door, there
was comparative quiet, although even
then women, children, yes. and men
too, were being held back by those try
| ing to control them. Possibly the dis
aster might have been less direful had
not some one at the moment inmped
through the flames and reached the
door, thus exciting others to initiate
him. One young lady approached the
fires edge, doubtless with the intention
OF making her escape in the same man
ner. She hesitated for moment rs il
about to leap, when tongue Of flame
reached ont and caught her dress.
Some of the less excited people went
to rescue her, and in that way their at
tention was taken from those thev had
been restraining. Whether the domi-
nant idea in the minds OF the most ex-
cited was that the only route to freedom
lay through the doorway, or that the
sight of the lady's burning apparel mov-
ed them to frenzy of fear, or both, is
not known, but wild rush was made
toward the door.
A little girl, at disadvantage from
her stature, was pushed or fell down and
was trodden upon. Her mother cried,
For Gods sake, don't trample on my
child" and bending to lift her, was her
self forced down by the crowd, others
stumbling over them, and the flames
from the oily floor enveloped all who fell.
The scene cannot be even imagined by
one not actually present at this or some
similar catasthrope, said the eve wit
ness. Now and then, for an instant.
when the though of self or the help of
others was not nppermost, some express
sion of face would catch your eye and
leave its expression on your memory
forever. In many face was the express
sion of terror mingled with pain and
fear. On top, trying to crawl over those
erect, could he seen some with ewes pro-
truding. One such sight leaves with
You memory never to be forgotten.
The expression of those eyes said plain
er than any words, and said nothing else,
Life life l must have life
Amid this scene, however, there were
examples of manly courage. One man
who tried to rescue a little girl, whose
clothing was ON fire and who undoubt-
edly wonld have been trambled upon in
another moment, burriedlv went to her
assistance, picked her up and held her
on his shoulder, at the same time with
his bare hands trying to smother the
fire which was rapidly consuming her
garments, the flames from which all the
while tapped his head and and face.
He remained cool and apparently aware
OF the seltishness of pushing onward or
backward to the injury of others. Sud-
denly he was seen to stagger and sink,
evidently having inhaled the flames
from the girls burning clothing.
1t is known that three men, who had
made their escape, went into the burn
ing building to save some relative and
were never seen again.
Clay Martin came out with T. ]. La
brie's child in his arms, but seeing that
bis wife was not there, he started back.
Several people tried to keep him out,
but he pushed in, with the child still in
bis arms, saying, 81 am going to save
Becky" This wife). He and the child
were not seen again.
Wood Hurst, familiarly known as
"Senator" Hurst, who had recently
been married, could not find his wife
outside, and, notwithstanding the many
entreaties to stay out, he went back to
save her. He was lost. Frank Ross
did the same. His mother was inside
and he wanted to save her. Without
doubt each one Of these men blocked the
narrow passage and prevented Others
from getting out.
Mrs. DIR. Owsley and her sister, Mrs.
Smelling, when last seen were kneeling
side by side, praying fervently, as il
they knew it was their last moment on
earth. Others we're seen to be running
aimlessly about, seemingly dazed, and
might have escaped had they not lost
their presence of mind.
During the heat of the fire the front
doors Of the store were broken in and
Cope West and others tried, with
large piece of wood, to punch holes up
through the floor, thinking some might
escape that way, but without success.
alu for holm uara hoo ~ frandinD