The Parker post., 1916-07-22
PARKER HAS
A HOT FIRE
THE PRESTON RESIDENCE AND
LODGING HOUSES ARE CON-
PLETELY DESTROYED BY FIRE
FAMILY LOSES EVERYTHING.

Fire broke out in the residence of
a. l., Preston ON Friday of last week,
about p. M, and in a very short
time the dwelling proper, together
with the four lodging cabins connect
ed herewith, a stable chicken house
and pigeon cote We're reduced to
ashes. The barn and corral adjoin-
ing, belonging to the Parker Meat
market were also destroyed Just
how the fire started is not known
but it is believed to have caught
from the kitchen stovepipe
Mr.. Preston was at his ranch down
on the reservation at the time and
Mrs. Preston was at home with the
two smaller children. She had been
quite i'll for some time past and on
that day had left her bed for the
first time to move about the house
Cn crutches.
When the fire was discovered by
neighbors and the alarm given, will
ing hands rushed to the scene but
could do nothing toward eXtinguishin9
the fire as it had got fairly under
gay and but little water was avail
able. so the attention of a part of
hem was directed toward rescuing
Mrs. Preston, who was rendered
HELPLESS from the excitement, and
taking her to place of safety,
Will others tried to save what they
could of the household effects. So
rapid was the progress of the fire,
however, that the six or seven men
thus engaged, together with Mrs.
Preston came very nearly getting
caught under the caving mass Of fire
when the ceiling and roof of the
'front.' portion of the house collapsed.
1t was by the barest chance that
they escaped. When the flames be-
can to dart down from the ceiling,
someone in advance who was drag
Sing out large trunk, abandoned his
burden in the doorway in order to
make his escape, and Julian Gibson
who followed, in trying to get over
the obstruction, in some way got Sc
curely hung UP by his overalls' bib
to the door fastening, making the
blockade of the only exit more COM
plete. The flames were approaching,
he heat was growing more intense,
aud those in the rear crowded those
nearest the door. Finally Gibson
with a desperate effort, tore loose
from the fastening, permitting all to
escape-and none too soon for just
as the last person emerged from the
building the ceiling and roof fell in.
Mrs PrestOn's hair was singed while
her right shoulder and arm were bad
ly blistered.
The fire quickly spread to the
structures and they were soon con
sumed.
Quite strong southwest wind was
prevailing at the time, carrying the
sparks directly over Kings lodging
houses, and this was a fortunate cir
cllmstance as Kings houses are roof
ed with corrugated iron. Had the
wind been blowing from any other
quarter other houses and possibly
The greater part of the business
portion OF town would have been de-
stroyed.
i'he Prestons lost practically every
thing, including $65 in paper money
which was in the house. and there
was no insurance on the property.
Mrs. Preston was taken to the
Club restaurant building where she
was made as. comfortable as possible
and terderly cared for by kind
friends, and where she lay in a crit
lcal condition for several days.
Immediately after the fire a sub
scriptlon list was passed around to
raise funds for the immediate relief |
of the stricken family, and everybody |
In town responded generously, about |
$3.50 being raised inside of a couple
of hours. The unfortunate family ia
surely deserving of the sympathy of
uhe community for they have had
more than their share of misfortune |
OF Late. That home and buildings |
(and it was a home to many in fact |
as no wayfarer was ever turned !
away because he lacked the price of |
a lodging) represented the fruits of
strenuous toll during all the Years
they have been i'm Parker, and that
1t should aid be Lost as it were in the
twinkle of an eye, is cerainly sor