| | Texas News Service Special.
Forney,
Texas, Feb. 24.-- Three men were burned to death in a disastrous fire which swept
the business section of this town at three o'clock this morning. The men who lost
their lives were guests at the City Hotel, which was destroyed. Eight other guests
narrowly escaped death in the flames, a number jumped from the windows in their
night clothing. Two were injured in jumping.
The dead:--
A.R. EARNEST,
aged sixty-five, of Fort Worth, representing the West Texas Land Co.
R[oy]
G. Farmer, of FORNEY.
M.E. POWELL, of Kemp, Kaufman county.
The property
loss will reach twenty-five thousand dollars. The town was unprepared to fight
the fire effectively, although the water system is now being installed. The heaviest
losses were: Spillman buildings, occupied by City Hotel; E.J. ELY, grocery, Gilkey
building occupied by Ball & Mills, clothiers; Binson building, occupied by
Wilherts, jewelry and millinery store.
The City Hotel was operated by
A.M. FULTON. A.R. EARNEST, one of the victims, was well known and leaves a wife
and family in Fort Worth. The fire originated in the kitchen of the City Hotel,
supposedly from the stove. The bodies of the three victims are buried beneath
many tons of brick and are not yet recovered. The debris is being cleared as rapidly
as possible. |