Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-02-21
STABLE HORROR.
Ninety Horses and q Liverymsn
Burned to Death.
Kansas City Has Another Holocaust nj
Horsefiesh-A Bursting Water Main
Paralyses the Fire Depart
ment.

/
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Feb. 1s-A roaring
furnace 100 1eet square, ninety or more
valuable horses in their death agonies
| adding their unearthly screams of anguish
to the hoarse roar and crackle of the
flames, one human life lost and the possi-
bIiity OF many Others broken water main
and a helpless fire department, showers OF
! fre falling upon the roofs of innumerable
frame dwellings-little wonder is it that a
| feeling of terror and utter despair spread
through the great crowd that gathered at
Tenth and Troost avenues at about eleven
O'Clock last night, attracted by the alarm
| of fire.
The building in flames was the three
story brick livery barn at the southwest
corner of Tenth street and Troost avenue.
1t was substantial structure, fronting
| about 100 feet on Troost avenue and Tenth
street respectively, was owned by the
Lands Transfer and Livery Company and
leased to d. 5. Fuller and j. R Hoffman,
who ran it as a boarding stable, keeping
only few horses and buggies for hire.
over the main entrance on Troost
avenue resided Mr.. Hoffman and his wife
and son Leon, the boy being about thirteen
years OF age. They had pleasant apart
ments, we'll furnished and comfortable in
every respect. Mr.. Fuller resides at Tenth
street and Virginia avenue. Mr.. Hoffman
removed to this city from Mendoza, Ill, in
october, but MIR. Fuller is an old resident
of this city.
The alarm was sent in from the engine
house at Eleventh and Troost, and the de-
partment responded promptly, but by the
time the first hose reel reached the scene
OF &C ion the flames were breaking through
the roof and in few seconds were leap
ing toward the heavens, casting a rudy
renection upon the snow laden clouds that
could be seen for miles.
All was confusion in a moment, and the
occupants OF the small frame dwellings
packed thlckly together in that populous
nelghborhood, became panic stricken, and
began TO move their household effects into
the streets. The cable cars were stopped
and hose laid, when suddenly the confu-
sion was worse confounded by the discov-
cry tnat water main had burst and that
the apparatus was for the time being
utterly useless
suddenly cry was heard issuing from
the building and the form of a man was
seen at a second story window to the
rlgnt OF the IrooSt avenue entrance. He
DuI st the glass and shouted "HeIp!" in
tones OF indescribable anguish. The fire.
men quickly put up a ladder and he
started for 1t, when shudder ran through
tine throng OF helpless spectators as he
was seen to throw up his hands, totter
ana falI into the areaway below, a dis
tance of perhaps thirty feet.
willing hands quickly bore him across
the street to the residence of Mr. H. G.. La
fIer, but by the time he had been placed
upon a bed there life was extinct and
shortly afterward his remains were re-
moved to Carlat's undertaking rooms.
The houses in the vicinity that were de-
stroyed or partially so were as follows:
Brick residence. belonging to James
Montgomery, janitor of the American
National Bank, partially DESTROYED;
loss, $500; insured. Small frame
dwelling next to the barn, owned
by Mrs. Montgomery, mother of
James, totally destroyed; loss, $500.
Frame dwelling on alley just south of
the rear or western portion of the stable.
owned by Albert Moore, partially burned
and then crushed by a falling wall; loss
probably $500. The residence of Mrs. Will
liam Eccles, across the alley from the rear
Oh the barn and facing Tenth street, was
slightly damaged by fire and is in danger
from the portion of the west wall now
standing and liable to fall at any time.
There were ninety-two horses in the
barn and they occupied three stories of
the southern one-third of the building.
Ihey ranged from common draft horses to
some OF the finest roadsters in the city,
among the more valuable animals lost
were fourteen fine draft horses beIonoinp
TO North, Orrison 6 Co.; valuable road.
sters belonging to DR. E. r. Lewis ]. Ma
loney, DR.. N. A. Drake. Mrs. L. NJ. James.
Mrs. NJ. j. Payne, DR.. F. NJ. johnson. w,
Z. Qulnlan, DR.. j. A. Bond, Mr.. j. S. Lii
lis. DIR. Drake valued his horse, Redligbt.
at 500, and W. e. Quinlan has often
named $1,000 as the price of his sor-
rel gelding Blonde. Mr. Ouinlan also
lost two FLOODED colts worth about
S4OO each. Many fine carriages and
wagons were destroyed and the total loss
on animals and vehicles will reach S27. 600
with very little insurance. As the owners
were SO numerous and scattered it was i'm
possible to get exact figures as to their
losses.
Mr. Hofmal's body was examined bv
Coroner Etston at Carlat's and he found
what at first appeared 10 be a knife stab
In the breast. 1t was very deep, and for
moment there were suspicious of murder
and arson. Upon probing the wound,
however, the doctor found long triangu-
lar piece of glass, showing that the de-
ceased had received the wound in break
ing through window. This wound alone |
without his fearful fall would have caused |
death.