Lake City Graphic

October 10, 1901

Claude Main was born in Pulaski county, Ind. Feb. 2d. 1881 and died Oct. 1st 1901 near Trosky, Minn. Being 20 years 7 months and 29 days old at the time of his death. When about one year old he moved with is parents to Gifford, Ill. where he lived until he was seven. His parents then moved near Sidney, Neb. Where they remained for eight years and moved to Farnhamville six years ago. While in Nebraska he united with the M. E. church but after moving to Iowa attended the Presbyterian church.

This is a particularly sad death coming so suddenly and from the fact that he was away from home and met his death in such a horrible way. It is hard to bear when the old die after a life of usefulness but when the light of a young mind goes out the affliction seems greater than we can bear. Claud was an industrious young man with good habits. His father, mother six brothers and one sister and a host of friends mourn his loss. The funeral services were held in the Cong. Church Thursday, Rev. A. G. Washington officiating. The remains were interred in Reading cemetery. The bereaved family have the sympathy of the entire community.

Also on the same page: Frank Main of Gifford, Ill. came Thursday to attend his brother’s funeral.

Bert Main of Churdan arrived Tuesday evening, Chas. And Willard main of Boone arrived Wednesday morning to attend their brother’s funeral.

DEATH BY FIRE

The Community aghast from the Horrible Accident near Trosky.
(Farmers’ Leader, Pipestone, Minn.)

As soon as the terrible news of this horrible catastrophe reached us, the writer visited the scene of desolation and death and found the report only too terribly true. Nine men composing the threshing crew of G. M. Thorpe of Vinton, Ia. Had gone to sleep in the hay loft, in the consciousness of having done a good day’s work, only to be awakened a little past midnight by the cry of fire and to be met with blinding and suffocating smoke. The only means of escape was a hay hole through which the smoke was pouring, and all were so nearly suffocated as to be almost overcome when one of them succeeded in finding the hole and called to the rest, one after the other making his escape, but it was not until to late for succor that it was discovered that three of their number were still in the burning structure. At the time the alarm was given there were six horses in the barn and all except one were saved. Had those who were thus engaged known that three precious human lives were perishing in the merciless flames, they might have possibly been saved. The work of recovering the bodies was begun at once and prosecuted with vigor, but not until morning had the charred trunks, all that remained of those who but a few short hours previous were happy, healthy young men, been laid out in the buggy shed to wait the action of Coroner Jenckes who had been summoned by telephone at an early hour. The bodies were burned beyond all recognition and it was only by size that one could be distinguished from another. The arms and legs to the elbows and knees were gone and what remained little resembled human beings. In all our experience it was the most deplorable and awful sickening sight we ever beheld and we cannot attempt to describe it. Mr. Evartts was there with a casket, ready to inter what remained of his eldest son, who was a very bright capable and moral young man. We join the entire community in the expression of the most profound sympathy for Mr. and Mrs. Evartts as well as the families of the others who live in Iowa. Coroner Jenckes at once called a jury which rendered a verdict to the effect that the unfortunate victims came to their death by fire the origin of which is unknown.

The remains of Halotte and Main were sent to their Iowa homes for burial. Mr. Thorpe was completely overcome with grief and wept like a child over the sad fate of those splendid young fellows who had been like sons to him, he having the happiest and most efficient threshing crew that was ever organized, working together the past seven weeks, and they were to have finished their contracts and closed for the season in another week. Mr. Stotensburg is a heavy loser having only about $685 insurance on his entire loss, which will reach a large sum, but in sight of the terrible sacrifice of life, matters of financial nature sink into insignificance. Pipestone county has been visited by several bad conflagrations the past summer, but life has not been sacrificed, and we regret to chronicle an event so horrible. The origin of the fire is unknown and so far as we can learn no blame attaches to any one. Among those who were lending their best efforts at the scene were commissioner J. C. Jonas, D. J. Denhart, John Floody and others.