A tragic fire occurred September 18, 1889, taking the lives of three of the Beaton family children and severely injuring Mrs. Beaton during rescue attempts. The Fire Department apparently took sometime to respond, and was severely chastised as a result, although the authors of some of the history books feel this might have been undeserved. In any case, the City decided to put in a more modern fire alarm system, and to dispense with the bell on the church, which had served as the firefighters' alarm.
Newspaper accounts of the fire can be found at:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=an&p=surnames.beaton
Los Angeles Times September 23, 1889 - report of the funeral
"Nearly every seat in the church was taken, and a large number of Scotch residents, mostly friends of the deceased, were present. The class of which the unfortunate members were members in the Sabbath-school were in attendance. Rev. D. D. Hill said "There is something pathetic about this family. Johnny was a manly fellow, and had a little more perserverance than most lads of his age. It was Johnny here, there and everywhere. He carried the washing to and from the house for his mother. Willie was a quiet child, who seldom spoke unless he was spoken to. The baby,[Alexander] who would have been 3 years old in January, could sing all the Sunday-school hymns. Little Mary's heroic acts in trying to save her brothers and her pluck are marvelous and worth mention."
Newspaper accounts of the fire can be found at:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=an&p=surnames.beaton
Los Angeles Times September 23, 1889 - report of the funeral
"Nearly every seat in the church was taken, and a large number of Scotch residents, mostly friends of the deceased, were present. The class of which the unfortunate members were members in the Sabbath-school were in attendance. Rev. D. D. Hill said "There is something pathetic about this family. Johnny was a manly fellow, and had a little more perserverance than most lads of his age. It was Johnny here, there and everywhere. He carried the washing to and from the house for his mother. Willie was a quiet child, who seldom spoke unless he was spoken to. The baby,[Alexander] who would have been 3 years old in January, could sing all the Sunday-school hymns. Little Mary's heroic acts in trying to save her brothers and her pluck are marvelous and worth mention."
A tragic fire occurred September 18, 1889, taking the lives of three of the Beaton family children and severely injuring Mrs. Beaton during rescue attempts. The Fire Department apparently took sometime to respond, and was severely chastised as a result, although the authors of some of the history books feel this might have been undeserved. In any case, the City decided to put in a more modern fire alarm system, and to dispense with the bell on the church, which had served as the firefighters' alarm.
Newspaper accounts of the fire can be found at:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=an&p=surnames.beaton
Los Angeles Times September 23, 1889 - report of the funeral
"Nearly every seat in the church was taken, and a large number of Scotch residents, mostly friends of the deceased, were present. The class of which the unfortunate members were members in the Sabbath-school were in attendance. Rev. D. D. Hill said "There is something pathetic about this family. Johnny was a manly fellow, and had a little more perserverance than most lads of his age. It was Johnny here, there and everywhere. He carried the washing to and from the house for his mother. Willie was a quiet child, who seldom spoke unless he was spoken to. The baby,[Alexander] who would have been 3 years old in January, could sing all the Sunday-school hymns. Little Mary's heroic acts in trying to save her brothers and her pluck are marvelous and worth mention."
Newspaper accounts of the fire can be found at:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=an&p=surnames.beaton
Los Angeles Times September 23, 1889 - report of the funeral
"Nearly every seat in the church was taken, and a large number of Scotch residents, mostly friends of the deceased, were present. The class of which the unfortunate members were members in the Sabbath-school were in attendance. Rev. D. D. Hill said "There is something pathetic about this family. Johnny was a manly fellow, and had a little more perserverance than most lads of his age. It was Johnny here, there and everywhere. He carried the washing to and from the house for his mother. Willie was a quiet child, who seldom spoke unless he was spoken to. The baby,[Alexander] who would have been 3 years old in January, could sing all the Sunday-school hymns. Little Mary's heroic acts in trying to save her brothers and her pluck are marvelous and worth mention."
