Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-22
Home and Young Life Destroyed by
the Flames.
CAUSED BY EXPLOSION OF 4 LAMP
Destruction of Dwelling Owned and
Occupied by Wilson HaIstock.
CONTENTS ALSO BURNED

The explosion of coal oil lamp in the
house of Wilson Hailstock, near 18th street
and Massachusetts avenue southeast, a
short distance from the JAIL resulted in a
fire about 8 o'clock this morning that
rendered the family homeless and caused
the death of child. The child was Ray
mond Creek, four years old, a grandson of
Hailstock. When the flames were extin-
guished the body of the child was removed
to the morgue and the coroner gave GER
tificate of accidental death ...
Wilson Hailstock owns his humble little
home one-story frame shanty, and earn
ed a livelihood by raising vegetables and
chickens, which he disposed of at the Cen
ter market. Besides himself and his wife,
his son-in-law, Edward Butler, and fam
ily occupied part Of the house. Raymond
Creek, the child who was burned to death,
was the son of Samuel and Maria Creek,
who are employed as domestics in the
northwest section of the city. They sell
dom get an opportunity to call on the old
people, their child being cared for by
the grandparents. Early this morning
Wilson Hailstock went to market with
few herbs, vegetables and eggs, and Butter
and his wife went to their work soon AFTER
ward. Matte and Edna Butler, eight ana
four years old, respectively, were left III
the sleeping room of the house, while little
Raymond Creek occupied bed in the room
of his grandparents.
When the GRANDPA Their was ready to start
for market he went, as was his custom, IN
to the little room where Raymond was
asleep but did not arouse him to say good
bye. On the foot of the bed lay the pet
cat of the baby, and later, when the grand
father was summoned home by news of the
fire he found that both the babe and the
cat had persisted in the flames.
Discovery of the Blaze.
Mrs. Hailstock, the grandmother went
to the pump for a bucket of water about
o'clock, and when she started back home
she was startled at seeing her home ablaze
and being rapidly reduced to ashes.
She screamed for help and begged that
the child be saved but the flames had taken
complete control of the house. and it was
impossible to enter the burning structure.
The fire, it is said, had started in the room
in which the Butler children were, and
was caused by the explosion Of a lamp.
Just what caused the explosion is not
known.
The two Butler children made their es-
cape from the house uninjured. In few
seconds the whole shantY was enveloped In
flames, and to save even a piece OF furnl-
ture was impossible. The sight of the
grandmother appealing for the little one
was heartrending.
Firemen reached the scene of the fire in a
few minutes after the alarm was sounded,
and soon had streams of. water pouring IN
upon the blazing mass, but all that was
saved was a small amount of clothing. Ia
the hen house, not many feet from the
dwelling, We're many chickens, and the
doors still fastened. These doors We're
opened by the firenen and the chickens
were liberated, soon reaching a safe dis
tance from the flames and smoke. The de-
struction of the house was the work of but
few minutes, and Hailstock, who had been
summoned from market, reached the burn
ed building while the crowd still stood on
the commons viewing the wreck Those
who knew Of the death of the little one ex-
tended their sympathy to the old couple,
and one charitable man gave Hailstock a
So bill.
The case was reported to the Associated
Charities, and the East Washington agent
was sent to make an investigation. Neigh
| bors of the homeless people opened their
| doors and welcomed them to shelter.
\ small sum of money that was left in the
house this morning was destroyed. Mr.
| and Mrs. Creek, parents of the child whose
| life was lost in the fire, were notified Of
! the affair, but when they reached the
premises the charred remains of their little
| one had reached the morgue. They will
| have the body prepared for burial and in
| tered in a local cemetery, probably tomor-