Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-01-17

. Dallas, Tex, Jan. 16.-Fire completely
destroyed the Buckner's orphans home
near here early this morning. Sixteen
children were cremated and nine in
jured, three of them fatally.
The search for bodies was completed
this evening. Sixteen corpses were taken
from the ruins.
The following Is the list
OF THE DEAD:
BERTHE BRITTON, 10 years old
MARTIN and MILTON BRTTTON,
twins, 10 years old.
CARLOS JONES, 6 years old.
WILLIE RICHARDS, years old.
GROVER CLEVELAND YARBOR-
OUCH, IL years old.
OSCAR JACKSON, IL years old
PRESTON KRfBLER, 10 years old.
WILLIAM MILLER, years old.
VTRGIE= NELSON, 9 years old.
EUGENE BLACK, 9 years old.
RICHARD MARKS, years old.
ARTHUR w. EDWARDS, 10 years old.
OSCAR COWARD, 7 years old.
RAY KING, 6 years old.
CHARLES o. BANNON, 10 years old.
INJURED:
DICK RICHARDS, 10 years old, ia
tally.
DANTE GRAY, years old, fatally.
P. CHARLES FRIEND, 10 years old,
fatally. =
SADIE BRITToN, IS years old.
BENNIE WARE, s years old.
SAMUEL HENDERSON, II years old.
EARLE DOODLE, Z years old.
JAMES SCOTT, 5 years old.
FRANK CdAFFIN, z years old.
All the dead, except one, were buried
this evening in the cemetery of the home.
Mr nome
officiated. The home physicians are in
attendance on the injured. All the farm
ers in the vicinity turned out and assisted
in making collins, digging graves and
burying the victims. There were LAT boys
and more than 100 girls in the home. All
are accounted for rVA
The fire was discovered about midnight.
Mrs. Britton, the boys matron, had been,
in bed some time when she was awaken
ed by a smell of smoke. She jumped to
the floor but found 1T SO hot she could not
stand on it, and she Immediately raised
the cry of fire. The attaches were hasti-
~ aroused and sent in all directions to
rouse the children. Such was Mrs. Brit
toms anxiety for the safety of the in
mates that she forgot her own children
and despite her frantic efforts at rescue,
they were burned to death. The fire is
believed to have originated in the room
under that occupied by Mrs. Britton.
Before Mrs. Britton retired for the
night she had the boys clean out and
prepared stove situated In the room just
under hers, for the morning fire. She
then sent one of the large boys to see If
the work had been properly done. He
reported that everything was all right,
but it is believed some live Goals were
scattered on the carpet near the stove
which igpited and soon spread to the
woodwork. The building is of wood and
the fire communicated to its various
wings with incredible rapidly. The
children were hastily aroused and hur-
red out of the building wrapped in their
night clothes and bed quilts All were
badly frightened, and when the shrleks
of those who were being cremated in the
roaring mass of flames reached their ears
they became almost unmanageable and
were with difficulty prevented from rush
ing into the fire in an effort at rescue.
The building was soon destroyed, and
at daylight the work of searching the
ruins was taken up. All the children
were accounted for by noon. The home
is ten miles from Dallas and 1T would
have been impossible to get aid out in
time had it been requested. The matter
will be investigated o.