OBIT: James BURKET, 1915, Somerset, Somerset County, PA

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library.
Transcribed and proofread by: Keith Petenbrink.

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Burket, James

GASOLINE FUMES KILL TWO LADS, Overcome by gasoline fumes while playing in the 
dome of a railroad tank car in the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad yards, south of 
Somerset Saturday evening, James Burket, aged 9 and Paul Rhinick, aged 10, died 
from asphyxiation, being found dead Sunday following an all night search by 
neighbors. The tank was empty but enough gasoline adhered to it to generate 
deadly fumes. The bodies of the children were not found Rupert Burket awoke the 
Sunday morning and cried "I can find Jimmy for you; just come along with me." 
Rupert had been playing with the other boys Saturday afternoon.  He left them 
alive and well, sunning themselves on top of the oil tank car, and trudged home 
to "muvver." He was tired and went to bed early. When her other boy did not come 
home, Mrs. Burket went out to look for him, never thinking that the sleeping 
child might have the key to the trouble. Young as he was, Rupert conceived the 
idea that his brother and the other little playfellow must have fallen into the 
tank. Rupert had been on the edge of the dome himself. He didn't like the 
gasoline smell. Neither did the older boys for that matter but they were more 
curious than Rupert to see the inside. The all-night search for the two boys had 
called out a large part of the townspeople and their sad fate sent a wave of 
sympathy all through the community. Both boys were attendants at the Christian 
Church Sunday School and had been playmates for years. The attended public 
school together and were generally seen on the playground in each other's 
company. Their interest in the railroad yards was not confined to Saturday's 
explorations but were often seen there. The Burkett's have four other children 
and the Rhinick's have three others surviving. Both families live on Southwest 
Street which is near the railroad yards.

Meyersdale Commercial, Aug. 19, 1915