The Cairo bulletin., 1914-04-10
Dire Disaster Leaves Orphans Bcreft
Of Home and Parents---0rigin
of Flames Unknown.
HELPtTS: BABES PERISH
OLDER CHILDREN SAVED
Efforts of Neighbors to Save From
Flames Proved Futile.--SIr-
v..vors Painfully Burned.

Il
Death dealing flames took the
toll Of lives in !, small settlement
between Rossland and Ragland,
about is miles from Cairo. Wcdncs-
day niaht when Malon ]. Ford, hin
Mifc, Viz toria, IS, and their two
children, Pclly. aged 5. aud Louise
aged 3. were burned to death when
/; fire totally destroyed their home
-Four otner children s,apcd with
slight burns after they had been
awakened by their father. WHO was
attempting to resc;o his wife and
two younger babies when tho roof
of the house fell Ia on him.
Whlo tho origin Of tho fire will
always remain mystery, opinion l.;
divided as to whether the blazo
started by the explosion of an in
cubator or by a defective iiue in tho
fitchen.
Some time between TO and /
o'clock Roy Lamb. who resides on
a farm adjoining that on which
Ford lived was attracted by the
glare Of fame and summoning aid
Il rriel TO thu Ford home.
Upon tho arrival of Lamb four OF
the Ford children were found star
i, ing inso the sea OF flames and crying
hysterically.
Couldn't Get Out"
Mamma and papa ard little
Polly and Louise arr burned tp."
cried one OF the younger girls.
They couldn't get out"
According TO the pitiable story
told oy the four children VIII }
escaped, when their father c"NNt
them the roof of the house was i1s'
about 10 fall in. Jump out OF ( ir
windows" the children say their
father cried to them.
The three girls obcycd tho COM
Tand OF their father. but Erin. the
second son, three years the senior
.of the younger hoy, who wa,
burned. darted down what was once
q hallway, n"rried through two
doors and reached the outside Just
before several heavy timbcrs col
laprNd. The four children thor
gathered about the blaze crying for
help and over tho loss of their par
cnts, sister and brother.
Three Never Walked.
1t is believed that Mrs. Ford and
Gated ny the smoke and died with
out awakening The husband and
father after warning the four cEil-
dren VINO escaped and who slept in
a room adjoining taat in which
were Mrs. Ford and The two bottles.
rushed to his own bedroom to save
his other loved ones when he was
overcome Oy the excessive neat.
The Ford nome was practically
dc stroyed when Wyatt, Lamb and
, several Ecighbors arrived in answer
to the calls of help from the four
survivors. II was valued at $1,000
Coroner May n, 7rice was not
notified until about 9 o'clock this
morning. He lett Immediately fry
tho scene of the disaster to conduct
an inquiry.
Ford was one of the most popular
farmers in the Rossiugton section
aud moved to this county SIX years
ago from near Dawson Springs. A
, brothe~ William Ford who resides
in the Ragiand nciahborbood. and
another brother who lives in Okla
homa Lrc the only near relatives
reside in Muhlenbcrg county and
were not notified until early this
morning.
Erin the oldest son, who escaped
With his sisters. sustained sligh t
burns about the face as result OF
what is believed to have been an
effort on his part TO save his little
sister and brother. He refused to
| follow his sisters when they jumped
4, from window in his bedroom, but
| instead rushed down the hall.
The youngster received the atten.
tion oil DR.. X. Holt, OF Grahamville,
who was summoned TO the WYATT
home early this morning.