Archer, Harry (Died)

A Fatal Fire in Owen Sound

A Young Man Burned to Death; Others Escape

One of the worst fires we have ever had in town, though the destruction of property was not large, occurred on Monday morning last. About a quarter past one on that morning, the frame building on Division street, owned by Mr. John Hatton, and occupied by the shoe shop of Mr. H. Archer and the grocery of Mr. Peter Bruce, was discovered to be on fire. Though the fire men were quickly on the spot, the interior was all on flames and it was too late either to save the building or to remove any of its contents. It was known that Messrs. Archer and Bruce, as well two brothers named Mastin, slept upstairs, and a thrill of horror ran through the crowd as it was rumoured that Harry Archer was still in the building, as he had not been seen. For some time nothing definite could be ascertained, but by and by the front part of the upper floor gave way, precipitating the contents of the room above down to the lower floor. All doubt was then set at rest, for the flames now being subdued in the lower part, the lifeless body of the young man was plainly discernible amoung the debris. Tender hands bore the body away, and the crowd left the scene with greater sadness than had been manifested at any fire for years.

The deceased was a fine young man, respected and liked by all who knew him. He was a member of Knox Church choir, and sang in the opening services on the previous evening, and his sad fate cast a gloom over the town. The Foresteres [Catholic Order Of Foresters], to which society he belonged, took charge of the body, and attended it to the train on Wednesday morning, when it was taken for internment in Bradford, where his people resided.

Mr. Bruce escaped through the front window with face and hands dreadfully burned, and is still in bed from the injuries he received. he states that he and Archer slept in a front foom up-stairs, while the two Mastins slept in a back room. They were all in and went to bed before eleven, putting out the lights. The first intimation he had of the fire was by Archer jumping out of the bed exclaiming, "Oh! Pete, we are being burned up!" He grasped for his pants in the dark but did not find them, and had no time to search. Meanwhile Archer had gone for the door leading to the stairs and opened it, but the flames and smoke burst in and drove them back, when Archer closed the door again. Bruce then rushed against the window to burst it out, bu the heavy middle bar resisted his strength and threw him back. As he turned he saw Archer grasping the quit and wrapping it about his shoulders. He then smashed the lower part of the window with his hands, and swung himself out by the iron rod which held the sign. Finding that Archer did not follow him, he ran around to the back to see if he had got out that way, when he found the Mastins boys on top of the shed, they having escaped through a back window. He was then taken away by friends to get clothing and have his injuries attended to. He states that the lights up-stairs were put out when they went to bed, and as there was niether fire nor lights down stairs the previous evening he is unable to account for the origin of the fire.

An inquest has been commenced before Coroner Cameron, and it not yet concluded, but no material facts aside from Bruce's statement, the substance of which we have given, have been elicited, and there is as yet nothing pointing to how the fire originated.