Smith, Clarence

Clarence Smith, 43-year-old carpenter, who resided in Miami until two weeks ago, died Friday night from burns he received in a gas explosion a few hours earlier while at work in the Tonkawa Oklahoma oil fields. Word of his death was received here Saturday by Mrs. J. M. Wise, 205 J Street Southeast, Miami, a friend of the Smith family. Mr. and Mrs. Smith lived for four years at 120 H Street, Northwest, Miami, coming here from Chelsea Oklahoma. They moved from here to Oklahoma City, where they were living when Mr. Smith was injured. While here he was employed as a carpenter in the mining district, and had worked in the mills operated by Sam Sullivan and Ed Meredith. Besides his wife, Mr. Smith is survived by his father and a brother, Jesse Smith, both living in Oklahoma City, and a sister who resided in Kansas City. The father lived in Chelsea until he moved to Oklahoma City a few years ago. Details of the explosion that caused Mr. Smith's death were not received by Mrs. Wise. The body was taken from Tonkawa to Chelsea Saturday afternoon. Funeral services probably will be held Monday.

Mrs. Ella Smith, wife, of Clarence Smith, a former Miami resident, who was fatally burned October 5, while at work in the Tonkawa Oklahoma, oil fields, is visiting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Wise, 405 G Street Northeast, Miami. Mrs. Smith brought to Miami with her, a newspaper account of her husband's death relating how he was severely burned two hours after he had agreed to go to work merely to help out because a crew in the oil fields was working short-handed. The oil fire resulted when a well flowed over the derrick next to which he was working, flying windward toward Mr. Smith and two other workmen. Burns resulted in the death of all three. Mr. Smith had gone to Tonkawa to get some personal effects he had left in the field a few months before and had consented to go on the job to help out, just a short time before the accident. The Smiths lived here several years, moving to Oklahoma City from Miami only two weeks before he was burned to death.

Clarence 'Cherry' Smith doesn't need to worry about the grass on his lawn any more. Ben Coffelt and Mae Coffelt gave "Little Cherry" a lawn mower just his size, and judging from "Little Cherry's" enthusiasm, he'll keep the grass down quite well.