Las Vegas Age, November 3, 2003, Clark County, Nevada Copyright © 2003 Gerry Perry This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net ************************************************************************ LAS VEGAS AGE 4/15/1911 AWFUL DEATH CARL BERGLUND LOSES LIFE IN SUNDAY NIGHT'S FIRE On Sunday night, shortly before eleven o'clock, an alarm of fire was sounded. The tent house on the corner of Second and Ogden Streets was found to be in flames. The fire boys were quickly on the ground and had a stream of water on the burning structure which by reason of its flimsy and inflammable nature was instantly enveloped in flames. The house had been occupied by Carl BERGLUND and Chas. VAUDRY, both of whom were said to be away when the fire occurred The firemen soon extinguished the flames in spite of the stiff breeze blowing. The crowd which had collected quickly dispersed as the danger passed and only the fire boys and a few others were left. Wm. BURKHARDT, in poking about among the ruins made a ghastly find-the body of a man burned beyond recognition among the half burned debris. The body was taken to the undertaking rooms of E. W. GRIFFITH where it was fully identified as that of Carl BERGLUND, a cement contractor. The circumstances attending the death of the unfortunate man are peculiar. No one of all those who would naturally be interested in him seemed to have any knowledge or concern for him during the fire. His shack mate, Chas. VAUDRY gives the following version of the affair. "We went home soon after ten and I said I would shave and take a bath, lighted the gasoline stove and put some water on to heat. Carl lit a cigar and I took the water bag and said I would get some water. I went to BURKHARDT's and borrowed a bucket and started back, when I saw the blaze in the house. I rushed up and opened the door and threw the water on the bed where my clothes were. I tried to get my tool chest out and got my eyebrows and mustache and arms burned. When I got there the fire was only in the front part of the house." (The body of BERGLUND was found in the back of the house near the stove.) "I did not look for Carl as he told me when I started after the water that he would go down town as it was too early to go to bed. I supposed the fire started in the front of the house by Carl throwing down the match when he lit his cigar. It could not have started from the stove. Neither Carl nor I had been drinking much. I did not know Carl was dead until they said they had found his body. I was down to the doctor's getting my arm dressed." The coroner's jury Monday morning rendered a verdict as follows: "He came to his death by burning, having been found in the ruins of a house which was burned down in Block 17 and whether the same was accidental or intentional we have no means of knowing." The jury was composed of John S. WISNER, foreman, H. E. MATHEWS, A. D. BISHOP, J. F. PEARCE, J. G. LARAVEY and G. A. CASE. The deceased, Carl BERGLUND, was a likeable man, pleasant in his disposition. He weighed about 200 pounds, was a native of Stockholm, Sweden and was a naturalized citizen of the United States. He was about 52 years of age and is thought to have a son somewhere in the east and a married daughter residing in Minneapolis. So far as known he left no money or property except his tools.