Joe Harper

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Youth Burned To Death ~ Father Also Injured In Blaze Which Destroys Farm Home

Hydro ~ Joe Harper, 16 years of age and son of Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Harper living one and one-half miles north of Hydro, was burned to death in a fire which destroyed the home of the family.

Mr. Harper was badly burned also and it is feared his injuries will prove fatal.

An explosion of coal oil with which Mr. Harper was attempting to start a fire in a stove, started the blase. Burning oil was thrown on the man and his arms, head and body from the waist down were frightfully burned.

Mrs. Harper, in an adjoining room, attempted to smother out the fire with blankets after which Harper ran out of the house and jumped into the water tank.

When unable to put out the blaze, Mrs. Harper carried three small children from the house, all of them in their night clothes, but the son, Joe, apparently was forgotten for the moment and later the parents were unable to re-enter the mass of flames.

It is supposed he was smothered by the smoke and never was awakened. His charred body later was found in the debris.

The mother and three children walked to a neighbor's home nearly a quarter of a mile away to secure aid. Mr. Harper was taken there later and his injuries were attended by a physiclan.

The home was entirely destroyed, the loss reaching $1500.

Mr. Harper and the dead boy had received life insurance policies for $2000. each the day before the fire.