Putnam County, Missouri News - Huston Fire

This newspaper article was published in the Unionville Republician of
Putnam County, Missouri on November 29, 1883. The fire occurred on
Wednesday November 21, 1883.


A HORRIBLE HOLOCASUST

THE RESIDENCE OF T. W. HUSTON DESTROYED BY FIRE

Early Wednesday evening last week the residence of T. W. Huston, located
just west of the Fair Grounds, was entirely destroyed by fire. Mrs. Huston
and her son Homer, aged about six years, perishing in the flames. The facts
connected with the terrible catastrophe as we have been able to glean from
the story of the boy James, who escaped, are as follows:

On Wednesday Mr. Huston had occasion to visit his farm in Jackson Township,
taking with him his two oldest boys Will and Lewis, expecting to be absent
until the following day. Mrs. Huston remained at home with her sons James,
aged 11, Homer, aged 6 and Charley, aged two years. Shortly after dark Mrs.
Huston covered up the fire in the fireplace in the sitting room and with
the three little boys retired to their sleeping room in the second story of
the building. They had been asleep but a short time when Mrs. Huston
discovered that the building was on fire and calling James, they went
downstairs, and upon opening the door to the sitting room, the flames
rushed out, enveloping Mrs. Huston and setting her night clothes on fire.
The flames also enveloped the boy, burning him terribly, and in his agony
and fright, he fled upstairs and got into bed again. He says that when his
mother came upstairs, her clothes were on fire, and she told him to jump
out the window and she would throw Charley to him. The boy obeyed, and
caught his baby brother in his arms as his mother dropped him from the
window. She then attempted to save her little boy Homer, but before she
reached the window again she staggered and fell, doubtless overcome by the
smoke and heat. In the meantime Mr. George Patrick and his two sons, who
were the first to discover the fire, reached the burning building and found
the two children standing in the road with their night clothes on, calling
for their mother. The boy James was terribly burned about the face and
hands, and also the legs below where they were covered by his shirt. The
little boy's left hand was also badly burned, but beyond a few other slight
burns, he was uninjured. With timely aforethought Mr. Patrick instructed
his sons to take the sufferers to his home, and the boys promptly pulled
off their coats and wrapping them about the shivering and naked bodies of
the children, soon had them sheltered and were on their way for medical
assistance. Other neighbors soon arrived at the fire, but were powerless to
stay the flames, which had already enveloped every portion of the building.
Gradually the flames died down, and a sight presented itself that sent a
chill of horror into every heart. Down in the cellar, imbedded in a mass of
fiery ember, lay charred and disfigured remains of her, who but a few
minutes before, out of the fullness of her mother love, had faced death in
its most appalling form in her efforts to rescue one of her darlings, and
by her side the little one for whom she had sacrificed her life. A
messenger had been dispatched for Mr. Huston, who arrived shortly after
midnight, only to find death and ruin, where but a few short hours before,
all had been peace and happiness. Kind hearted neighbors did all in their
power to lighten his grief and comfort his motherless children, but to
little avail, for the loss had driven all of them nearly wild with grief
and sorrow.

Drs. Berry and Brumbaugh dressed the burns of the two children, and for a
long time it seemed as if there were little chance for the recovery of the
oldest of the two, but he is improving at latest reports and unless some
unforeseen complication arises, will doubtless recover. As to the origin of
the fire, the most plausible theory is that it originated from a spark from
the fireplace, snapping out upon the floor and setting it on fire. As soon
as the ruins had sufficiently cooled to permit their removal, the charred
remains were taken out and placed in a casket and taken to the residence of
Mr. L. W. Conger.

On Friday, the Rev. D. A. Wilson of Milan conducted a most impressive
funeral service over the remains at the Presbyterian Church in this city,
after which they were consigned to their last earthly resting place in the
cemetery.

Mrs. Huston was a most estimable woman, loved and respected by all who knew
her, and the terrible disaster has cast a gloom over many households in our
county.

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