The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-12-19

home of Lawrence Talbert, vel!
known rancher in the Cowiche val
ley, at o'clock Friday evening,
three children of Mr.. and Mrs. Tai
bert were burned to death. They
were:
HUGH TALBERT, aged 10.
NELLIE TALBERT, aged s.
ALICE TALBERT. aged 9.
Another little girl. Ethel, younger
than Alice, was so badly burned
that she cannot long survive. Her
eyes are burned out, lungs terribly
injured from inhaling flame, and the
skin is burned from extensive areas
of the poor little body. The child is
about five years old.
No more horrible sight could be
thought of that a parent might wit
ness than Lawrence Talbert and his
wife were called upon to stand and
witness Friday evening. The supper
hour was over, and their children
tired with play, had gone to their
little beds. The father had gone a
little distance from the house to the
corral and was milking. The mother
had taken pail and stepped from
the house to get bucket of water,
when piercing scream was heard
and they turned to see the upper por-
ton of their two-story dwelling in
flames. and through the windows
downstairs saw the angry tongues of
flames spreading over the room like
a hideous thing of life. Mr.. Talbert
ran swiftly to the window. broke 1t
in, jumped into the room where he
knew little Ethel lay asleep but a
few moments before, and carried her
out. Two others, babe of one and
a half years and a little fellow Of
nearly four, were in the kitchen at
the rear of the house, and the
mother got them safely out without
difficulty.
The three older children were up
stairs and had extinguished the
lights in their rooms. A lamp was
burning in the room where Ethel
Law, and 1t is believed this exploded
or in some manner became overturn-
ed: that the flames spread first about
the foot of the stairs and were then
carried by draft to the rooms above
and enveloped them before the sleep
ing or sleepy children had any init
nation of their danger. When they
were aroused to an understanding OF
their terrible condition all means OF
escape was shut off Clasping their
little arms around each other they
stood in the midst of the fiery fur
mace, screaming for papa and mamma
TO save them. Neighbors who hur,
ried to the scene as soon as they saw
the flame-lit sky, say that they heard
the pitiful screams above the crack
ling and roar of the fire. But Meth.
er the frantic parents nor the terror
stricken neighbors were able to dc
anything but stand helplessly by un-
til merciful death ended the horri'
BILE sufferings and the voices were
stilled forever.
When it was known that the three
children were past human help and
that nothing in the house could be
saved, the father. mother and little
ones left to them were led away
from the scene that the coming E
years and the greatest sorrows OIL
Joys of life can never efface from
their memories. They were taken
to the home of Thos. Thompson
where tender hands ministered tc
their wants and sympathetic friends
tried to soothe them in their sor'
row. A physician was summoned
from this city, DR.. Nagler leaving
Immediately. The distance from
North Yakima is about Ia miles. the
Talbert home being about half a
mile from the Cowiche postoffice. A
message received by the Herald at q
very late hour stated that the child
Ethel. was still alive. but that she
could not possibly survive through
the night. The opinion Of DR.. Nag
Ter, however, had not been obtained
All that the house contained. the
dwelling and contents being valued
at fully $1,000, was total loss. Nc
insurance was carried, according to
a neighbor with whom Mr.. Talbert
had talked on the subject but few
days ago. Fortunately. the family
was in a prosperous condition. Mr..
Talbert being fairly well of. He re-
Gently sold 40 acres of his ranch for
good figure and still has 80 acres.
The three children whose lives
we're lost in the fire were attendants
at the Cowiche school. their teacher
being Mr.. Herman vesper. They were
hrfpht nlaasantmannernd and pen