East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-08-07
DETAILS Of TRAGIC
DEATH MADE KNOWN
RELATIVE OF LOCAL WOMAN
MEETS END IN FOREST FIRE
NEAR ROSEBURG.

Details OF the tragic death of John
Durfee, whose wife was formerly Miss
Ella Wilson OF this city, are contained
in story in the Roseburg Review.
George Hughes and Albert Safley,
two other young men were also burn
ed To death. The following extract is
from the Roseburg papp:
According 10 the story told by
companions of the victims of the
tragedy at the official investigation
held under the direction of Coroner
n. T. Jewett early today, the dead
men, together with several other en-
ployes OF the Leona Mills Company.
We're employed in the forest falling
timber and loading logs onto cars
preparatory to shipping them to the
mills at Leona, when the accident oc-
Cured. AS had been the practice for
Years past, when n log OF unusual
proportions was encountered II was
dynamited," or severel into several
sections before being loaded onto the
cars. This was done. IL is under
stood, to facilitate the handling OF
the timber both in the camps and at
the mills.
1T was while 'dynamiting' one OF
these huge logs that the terrible ac-
cident occurred. AS the charge OF
black powder exploded and the log
crumbled into several pieces tongues
of fire came in contact with the
packing and other inflamable ma
terial In another instant the flames
shot upward and confusion prevailed.
Famed by a stiff breeze the fire
spread with alarming rapidity and In
less than five minutes the men real
/ lied fully the danger Of the situa-
/ ton Ever alert 10 labor in the best
interests of their employers, Rurfee.
Satley and Hughes decided to fight
the flames and thereby save the near.
by timber. Other employees OF the
camp attempted to dissuade them
I from remaining in the timber. but to
) no avail The victims of the tragedy
I had labored hut a brief time. how
ever, when they realized that their
efforts were futile. But Il was too
/ late. The fire, which at first ap.
/ peared TO be nothing unusual. had
/ spread so rapidly that the men were
completely surrounded and cut off
rom outside assistance. That they
died n horrible death there is little
doubt. Hiram Applegate and several
{ other persons who risked their lives
In an effort to save their companions
were badly burned and were COM
PEELED TO retrent TO safety
! As soon as news Of the triple
tragedy reached Leona, word was
sent to Roseburg and Coroner Jewett.
/ who was camped in the Coast Range
/ Of mountains, was notified. The cor
! oner left here at II O'Clock last night
/ and upon arriving at Leona was driven
10 the scene OF the fire. There he
viewed the charred remains of the
three young men. The bodies OF SAT-
ley and Hughes were badly mutllated
The heads, arms and legs were char.
red or missing and all that remained
to tell the story OF the tragedy was
their trunks. Durfee's body was not
badly burned. and it Is benerallv be.
lieved that he died from suffocation.
rather than In the flames
John Durfee formerly lived AT
Drain. where he conducted watch
repairing shop. He occupied quarters
in the store Of Ira wImberly. He left
Drain about two years ago and went
to Coos County later returning 10 T,e-
ona. He is survived by wife and
two children