The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-01-15

The very saddesl chronicle IN the
hre history Of this city for many a
day, was made yesterday morning In
the FIRE that swept the little home Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Victor Burns. Of Up
psHown, out Of existanee, and which
involved the lives oi their baby son
and daughter.
Mr.. and Mrs. Burns, q young
couple In their middle twenties, ar.
rived In this city about the first Of the
present month and at once closed
negotiations whereby they took over
the boarding house on the south side
Of Exchange street, two doors west Of
Twen,y-ninth street, which included a
amalI, single story cottage In the rear,
In which they made their own habitat
they had two children, Arne Elmer, q
boy Of nearly three years, and a baby
daughter Of FIVE months, Agnes
With these they made their new home
and were happy In the fair prospects
their little mony and large energy held
out for them In the well-patronized
boarding house, and In the fact that
Mr. Burns had already secured a
place In the ciatsop Mills that paid
him fairly well. Both are workers
and savers, thrifty and intelligent, and
are entitled to and possessed Of the
general respect Of All who know them,
Yesterday morning, while her hus-
band was down in the city attending
TO some purchases for the house,
Mrs, Burns put the children TO bed
In the family cottage and fixing the
stove so that Il might be safe against
accident went into the boarding house
to make up the beds and prepare
things for dinner and the hungry
horde Of boarders that would as
semble there at noon She was busy,
singing over her work, and chatting
with the other women about her.
when the cry Of FIRE was sounded and
someone despatched call into the
department over the wires OF box No.
II. Rushing out to see where Il was,
Mrs. Burns was terrified to find her
home in flames and great Volumes
Of smoke pouring out Of every door
and window In the building. She
screamed for help and made q run
for the cottage, but when she reached
Il she found young man ahead Of
her, who told her he would go In and
do what could be done to save the
children, This was Peter Carlson, a
we'll known fisherman who resides at
900 Franklin avenue, who happened to
be passing at the time and saw the
flames back In the alley, from Ex-
change street, and suspected there
was something radically wrong with I
a building that was allowed to burn
to that limit In the very nest Of a
hundred homes crowded on the hill
side block, He broke into the doors,
but could see nothing for the dense
smoke that filled the establishment;
but feeling about with his feet and
hands, he soon came in contact with
the body Of the little boy lying on the
floor near the stove.
Mr. Carlson grabbed the little fell
low and put his head beneath his coat
to spare it from fumes and flames and
started into another room, but before
he had gone three steps he heard the
smothered cries Of an infant, and in
stantly began search for the babe,
This he found on the bed in one cor
ner Of the room and hastily picking It
ip, fled from the house which was
becoming intolerable from heat and
smoke. Once outside there were
plenty o., willing, womanly hands to
-elieve him of his burdens and he
urned the babies over to the first
woman he came to. In the meantime
Mrs Burns had tainted from terror \
md the crushing convictions borne in
lpon her, and was being kindly cared c
OF BY her neighbors and friends, a :
lumber Of calls for physicians were
ent out and Doctors Pilkington, Es- b
es and Finch responded swiftly, but Il
IS DR., Pilkiungton was on the scene h
irst the others Withdrew knowing Il
hat ali would be done Under his care h
ul ministfation h
The FIRE department assembled rap h