Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-10-29
i. ROASTED HORSES.
I Of thi. Mornings Fire At
Steffen's Stable.
. Structure Burned 10 Tho Ground and Moss Of
lslc",tents Consumed.
Fortunate Escape from
.ags-An lncerdtary
Midst.

SWS~A w. Nav
IN, was fred on the south-
ms few moments the rear
..e structure was ablaze. An
alarm was sounded from the truck house
and the people who hastily assembled de,
voted most of their attention to saving ad-
joining property. The fire made such rapid
progress in the light wooden stable, filled
with combustible material, that much of the
property within wa cut off from rescue be-
fore aid arrived. The wagons and bugeies
sn the front part of the barn were hastily
dragged out. Further back ssme thirty
horses were fastened in their stalls. A por-
ton Of them were brought out in safety,
through the binding smoke, and the halters
of most of those remaining were cut and the
animals given an opportunity to escape.
But, bewildered by the heavy smoke, and
crazed with fright, many Of the poor brutes
stood trembling in their stalls until the fire
came along and consumed them. Others
plunged madly about from stall to stall, and
within the center area of the stable, and
finally went down when heat and smoke
overcame them. 1t was impossible to at
tempt their rescue. The heat was so in
tense that no one could approach the burn
ing building. Through the apertures the
spectators could catch occasional glimpses
of the struggling beasts within ard
above the roar Of the flames could hear
their wild plunging and their frerzied shrieks
Of agony. But this suffering was ofshort du-
ration. Rapidly the fire consumed the sup
ports of the building and the burning mass
Of hay overhead fell in upon the horses and
their struggles ended in death. 1t was a
relief that the end came quickly. This
morning the half burned remains Of seven
teen horses were found in the ashes Of the
stable.
Aperfect calm prevailed during the time the
building was burning. OaAefwise We would
have had a much heavier loss. ofproperty to
chronicle to-day. The wooden buildings I'D
joining the scene OF the conlagratiou were
endangered, but the hook and ladder com
pany and the citizens worked the best they
could with their limited facilities and b,
their efforts prevented the frefrom eating VI
the long row Of wooden business houses or
Third street. 1t was another case of pur'
luck. 1t happened once more that the vino
did not blow. This fire was without doub
the work Of an %incendiary. Some ladies &C
cupying a room in the Bradley Hotel neal
by, saw the beginning o
1t and they say that it started on the outside
Of the building, at o corner, and flashed
up quickly as though oil was used to pro.
duce rapid ignition. Suspicion is directed
against a party, but until something more
develops. we are not permitted to pursue
this branch Of the subject.
The barn was the property Of Henry
Bradley end was valued at $1,000. There
is an insurance of $500 on the building in
Partridge & Co.'S, Home, of Columbus.
This is all the insurance on the entire loss.
Peter Stefan occupied the building as ally.
cry, sale and boarding stable and it was
filled with horses belonging to himself and
others, the whole number being about thir-
ty. Of this number seventeen were burned.
They belonged to the following persons:
VIM. Andrews, Scotland, two; Peter Stefen,
seven; John Haas, two w. D. Russell, one
DR.. Livingston, one; Gen. c. T. Campbell
of Scotland, one; Mr.. Wright, one; Chas
Seaman, two. The horses lost by Mr.. Sea.
man were blooded stations, and were val.
ued at $500 each. The others will probably
average 500 each in value. Besides the
horses there was a large amount of harness
in the barn. Also about $50 bushels of oats
and FIVE tons Of hay. We foot up losses as
follows:
bulldlng ..... ,OOO
Horses 3,100
Grain, hay, harness, etc. ....... 400
OVU