Morning journal and courier., 1880-11-01
A Disastrous Fire,

A Portion of Barker & RansOm's Stables
 Burned-seventeen Horses Perish i'm the
 Flames-SevernI of Them Valuable
 The Individual Losses.
 Hast evening about z o'clock an alarm of fire was given from box PIP, located at the City Hall The unusual number of this box and the fact that it is SO seldom used led many persons to different places in the city, some taking it for box 21 and others for box 23 Soon after, however, the flames shot up in the vicinity of the City Hall and there was rush in that direction. A brief inves- tigation revealed the fact that the stable of Barker 6 Ransom, on the south side of Court street. a wooden structure, and part of the Tontine property, was on fire. The fremen were promptly on hand, but on reaching Court street it was found that the street was completely blockaded with car riages that had been rolled out from the sheds when the fire was discovered. These were removed as quickly as possible and the engines were set at work. In the meantime general alarm was sounded, which brought out the entire department, and while Court street was being cleared engines were set at work in the rear of the barn, and the power full streams put upon the burning structure soon began to take effect
 Immediately after the fire was discovered the stable men and drivers employed by Bar ker & Ransom set to work with will to re- move the horses from danger, there being about fifty of these animals exposed to immi- nent danger by the fierce and rapidly in- creasing flames. They were assisted by citi zens, who worked with almost superhuman effort, cutting the horses loose in their stalls and by shouts and kicks forcing them from the burning barn into the street. As fast as the animals appeared they were either driven to the enclosure in the rear of the police building or taken to the Messrs. Fitzpatrick's stables on Orange street It was evident from the start that all of the horses could not be released, and, as the sequel will show, this proved to be true. One of the last horses taken out before the fire was under control was valuable one owned by Dr. Henriques, that was badly burned about the head and one of her hips, and was subse- quently killed to put her out of her misery
 After the iremen commenced work on the Court street side, the fire was speedily got under control and an hour later the recall was sounded. Then an investigation inside the barn was made As the front door to the main structure was entered, and about half way down, a dead horse was found lying in his stall badly burned; then another in the stall adjoining, and so on, until five were counted. Passing down to the end of the barn, where an addition had at some time been erected six more horses were found lying in their stalls, smothered but not burned. Passing out of the main build ing and turning to the right was another ad- dition in which were found five horses dead and badly burned, and one, that of Dr. Henriques, which had been killed since her injuries, making seventeen in all. After the fire was gotten under control, two horses were brought out alive and one of them ap- parently uninjured. This last horse was found standing in double stall beside his mate, which was dead, and it is a mystery how he lived while all the others in the same vicinity were smothered
 Among the dead horses are the following Barker and Ransom, three; Dr. Sage, one; Rev. Dr. Todd, one Dr. c. F. Lindsley, one Dr. F. J. Whittemore, two; Dr. Henriques one Capt Fred Peck, one; Town Agent Reynolds, one; John E. Earle, one Martin Gum, one; s. H. Moseley, one; E. s. Wheel CT, one; and two transient horses, one be. longing to the Davis Sewing Machine com pany of Bridgeport and the other to a Water bury party who left his horse at the stable day
 The carriages under the sheds were all got ten out and no harnesses were burned, they being kept in room adjoining the firms office.
 Five tons of hay and ton of straw which were put into the barn Sat- urday was burned, beside quantity of grain
 There was an insurance on the barn, which belonged to the Tontine Hotel company, in the agencies of Cannon Brothers, Sperry & Kimberly and the Security Insurance com pany of this city. Barker S Ransom carried no insurance and their loss will be probably on horses, feed, etc., about $1, 800, while the loss on building is about $1 800. The individ- ual losses of horse owners was considerable, some of the animals being considered quite horses very highly and the one owned by Dr. Henriques he had recently purchased and it was valuable animal. That of Dr. Sage and Captain Peck were also valuable horses.
 There seemed to be no settled opinion last although MT. Ransom of the firm, feel posi- tive that it was the work of an incendiary. No light of any kind was ever permitted in the hay lot, whe1 the fire evidently originated, and this being the case there must have been some other cause for it. At the time the fire started none of the gone to their supper. The cause of the fire will be fully investigated by the Fire Mar shal, and the facts, if possible, will be ar rived at
 The entire loss on horses, barn and other property is estimated at about $8, ,OOO. It is probably the largest loss of valuable horses by fire ever known in this city.
 The sufferers by the fire will have the sym nathieS of the public