Gilpin observer., 1916-07-13
w. M. KIRK RETURNS
FROM klNGMAN, ARlZ.

w. M. Kirk, of Russell Gulch, re-
turned Friday evening of last week
from kingman and Gold Roads, Ariz.,
a serious accident experienced by his
sen, w. NJ. Kirk, Jr., and wife. The
accident happened on the 18th of
June at Gold Reads and it is a mira
Gle that the younger Kirk and his
wife We're not burned to death. AS
it was both were painfully burned
about the hands and body and only
the closest medical attention can
pull them through.
From Mr.. Kinks account of the
fire, it was started in a very care
less manner. His daughter-in-la
was cooking breakfast on a gasoline
stove and the supply of gasoline ran
short. The only reserve supply was
in the sons car and he took wa
ter bucket and filled it from the car
tank. When he returned he set the
bucket down among other buckets
which contained water. In filling the
coffee pot, the hot water kettle was
emptied and the wife went to the
water buckets to get one to refill the
kettle. Unfortunately she picked up
the bucket containing the gasoline
and when she poured a portion of
this into the kettle, the gasoline
ignited, catching her clothing and
setting the kitchen on fire. Her
husband rushed to her assistance
and in attempting to tear the clothes
from her body was burned fearfully
about the hands and arms. When the
fire started the little six-year-o
daughter ran out of the house and
was uninjured.
Mrs. Kirk was removed to a hos
pital at Gold Roads. where physi-
clans are exhausiing every means
to pull her through. Her body from
below the neck to above the knees
was burned to crisp in places and
the pain she suffers is intense. The
doctors claim that if she lives this
week, they may be able to save her.
Her mother. Mrs. Clara Hawkquitze,
Of Idaho Springs, is with her
Mr.. Kirk is confined in a hospital
at Kingman, with both arms and
hands ban6aged and suffering the
most excruttating pain. The pain at
times is so severe he loses his
mind and becomes violent. Several
times DIT has been necessary to place
him in a cell in the jail at Kingman
to prevent him from injuring himself
and others. 1t was some time after
the elder Kirk arrived at Kingman
before he could make the son recog-
nize him. The doctors think it will
be necessary to graft skin on his
hands and arms before the burns will
heal. Mr.. Kirk, Sr., will return to
Kingman within the next two or
three weeks and il the boy is able
to be moved will bring him to Rus
sell. II the wife RECEIVERS, it will
be weeks before she can bear the
pain of being moved.
While in Arizona, Mr.. Kirk visit
ed the Oatman section. which is only
a short distance from Kingman and
Gold Roads. He saw w. F. Gray and
wife, former residents of Central.
Mr.. Gray Is one Of THE Officers and
heavy stockholders in the Times
group, near Oatman, one of the big
gest propositions in the district. MIR.
Kirk says the surface improvements
would indicate that the Times com
pany has already expended between
$3.50, 900 and 100000 and are work
ing a force of upwards of thirty men.
He says the ledge formations pre-
vailing in the Oatman and Gold
Roads districts are immense and
produce wonderful tonnage. Mr.
Kirk found the heat unbearable in
Arizona and said while. it may be
very rich country he wouldn't live
there in the summer time for all the
gold in the state. Mr.. Kirk says
the heat is SO oppressive one has
to stay up all might in order to get
little sleep in the morning and that
on two or three occasions he was on
the verge of losing his mental equili
brum and when he saw insanity ap-
preaching, thought that 1t was time
to vaca.e.