Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1897-08-27
THE RECENT FIRE IN AR
LlNGTON.

We stated in last weeks Issue that We
had received correct report of the fire
in Arlington, but, as the letter had failed
to reach as in time for publication, it
would appear in this issue. Several
papers published the account of the fire
the same week ofits occurrence but they
were all erroneous. however. This ac-
count is from the GLoBE's correspondent
at Arlington and is as follows:
On Tuesday evening, the 10th inst,
Mr.. G. A. Shnrte left James W. Smiths
store, where he is employed, between
8 and 10 O'Clock p. m. His wife and Miss
Nellie France, young lady friend who
was stopping with them, met him on his
way home, and the three walked eis-
urely back to Mr. Shurte's residence.
Seen after arriving at their home the
usual family derotions were engaged in,
and the family and Miss France retired
to their respective rooms up stairs and
all were soon wrapped in peaceful slum-
Der. A few minutes before II p. M, Mr..
Shurte was suddenly aroused from q
sound sleep by some noise. He jumped
from the bed which himself and wife
we're occupying, ran down stairs and
discovered fire on the stand and floor in
the room where they had but recently
held their devotions, and where he had
but short time before blown out the
light He at once gave the alarm Of
fire, ran 10 the hydrant in the yard,
turned the water on and hastened to the
'front.' porch where be broke a large glass
out with his foot and turned the water
in on the rapidly spreading blaze, mean
time shouting fire! fire as loudly as he
could, hoping to arouse his neighbors to
come to his aid. He kept the water
turned on the stairway to protect the
way of escape for the occupants in the
upper story, expecting evere moment to
see bis wife descending with the chill
dren. After some minutes he came to
the conclusion thai they had not been
awakened. He then dropped the hose
and ran to the rear of the house, seized
a short ladder and by dint OF great exer-
tion reached the Kitchen roof, intending
to break through windows and thus reach
MS loved ones; but on getting to the
openings be found it impossible to get
through the roaring flames. He then
jumped from the roof and ran to the
front OF the honse in hopes that he could
reach the top of the porch and thus get
through the front openings, but to his
dismav ne found the fire had got under
too strong headway to admit anyone
getting in without force OF water were
following bim.
As he had heard no crys from the up
per room he thought possibly they bad
escaped without his knowledge. He
then ran to his nearest neighbor, Mrs.
Daggett's, and there found Miss France,
but none Of bis family had left the burn
ing building. He then gave up in dis
pair and was powerless to do anything
more. BY this time the citizens had
began to gather around the burning
structure, and a heavy stream of water
was soon turned on which enabled two
heroes, J. A. Hughes and J. L. Chand-
Ter by name, to get In to the second story
where they found the mother and two
children in the room where the father,
mother and the youngest child slept,
and found the children lying on the floor
covered with some bedding while the
mother was unprotected, and all were
unconscious. The fremen took them to
the open air and it was found that life
was extinct; death bad come by suffoca-
ton.
Mr.. Shurte states that he blew out
the light on retiring, but thinks some
fire must have remained on the wick,
and this caused the lamp to explode.
Evidently oil must have been scattered
in two of the lower rooms, as no fire
could have gained such headway in so
short time. 1t was not more than ten
minutes from the time he discovered
the fire until his family were beyond
help. In SO short time home, loved
ones-alI that men prize in this world
we're gone, never to be regained in this
life.
But little Of value was saved, and the
house and contents were insured for less
than tow-thirds their value. This is
recorded one Of the worst tragedies Gil
liam county has ever known, and Mr..
Shurte has the deep, heartfelt sympathy
Of the entire community in which he
resides and wide circle of friends and