The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-05
Tragedy IN THURSTON CO.
.rr CHILDREN BURNED TO
DEATH At SOUTH BAY.
- p.rents Were Attending En-
x-.x.snment Their Dwelling Was
.-..~d and With II All but One
child, who Heroicaiiy ESCAPED.

r., r,,snatch to the Post-Intelligencer.
4, yupIA March IA terrible fatality
...-red AZ South Bay. in this county, at
late hour last night. John
..,es and Emma Werner. aged
and years respectively, were
- 10 death, and Elva, a
~ 70 wears Of age. escaped from the
80. onIy after terrible struggle. The
.1s,,rs we're children of Charles Wenger,
ussse home is on South Bay, about one
~ southwest of Puget City and eleven
It's northeast Of Olympia.
y.st about dusk last evening Mr.. and
- Weugcr and their two oldest girls
q, home and went to Puget City to at
IA dance They left the four young
- children at home, the oldest girl,
r,val being deemed sufficient to care for
~ voun9er children. Before leaving the
ssrents put out the coaloil lamps but left
snall fire In an alright heater. and
~ ne children to bed in a room on the
s.rond floor Of the house. At II o'clock.
~biye the parents were enjoying them
elves at the dance, man rushed into
I. AZ ballroom and told them that their
Nome. mile away. was aplaze.
4 nm was made by the terrorized par
ants and others for the burning building.
Vhen they arrived at the scene of the
AZ the Oldest girl was all that was to be
bund OF the children left at home, the
shfse youngest having been burned with
~ house The girl who was saved was
ba6Iy burned but will recover.
From Elva IL is learned that she was
awakened by smoke coming up through
liz eoor, but II was so dense and the
6ames were 80 hot that she was almost
stIned. With striking heroism the little
one pulled her brother and sister out OF
~ and dragged them to a window. In
An instant she had broken the window
out. but the flames becoming hotter and
ia smoke denser terrorized the children
snd Elva was unable to save them. She
used eli the force at her command to lift
"a push them through the window. but
III their fright they fought her we'll meant
skostA
Finally, when her night clothes were
abIaxc and her hair burning she gave one
dash through the broken window and fell
ten feet to the ground below The last
shs recalls OF the dreadful scene was
hesriu9 the shouts and groans OF her
brothers and sister In the burning build
Ing Jumping up from where she had
fallen Elva started on run for the
house Of her grandfather, John wenrer.
81 eighth OF a mile away. but soon met
nm on the WAY 10 the fire. He could do
nothing as, when he arrived. the fire had
almost consumed tho building and its
human contents.
The grief Of the parents. particularly
ths mother. was heartrending in the ex-
IRENE. and nothing could comfort her.
NJ had left the children at home alone
against her wishes. Mrs. Wenger Is a
hafd-working and devoted mother and
h4d been persuaded to seek relaxation NJ
the canoe. this being the only occasion
when she had ever left the children alone.
when the fire had ceased to burn a search
~ made for the bodies and up to noon
today but two OF tho charred remains
could b. found The other body Is m
countedly In the debris. The fire, be-
aess the terrible affiiction, will impover-
~ Mr.. and Mrs. wenger.
The origin OF the fire Is Supposed To
nave been the explosion of the alright