St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-23
FIERCE FATAL FIRE.
The Barns Of Cook & Son,
With Contents, Destroyed
by Flames.
William Stapleton, a Helper,
Loses His Life Reseuing
the Horses.
Forty-Five Horses Perish, In
Guiding Two Theatrical
Animals.
A Total Loss Of Over $4,000.
Partially Covered by In
Supanee.

ing at II 20 at the livery stables and
barn of j. B. Cook & Son, 554 jackson
street, which resulted in the death of
William Stapleton, a stable helper, and
the destruction of forty-fve valuable
horses, together with large quantityof
harness and wagons.
William T. Byrnes, the night watch
man, shortly after II, was engaged in
closing the rear doors of the barn which
face on Temperance street, when sud
denly sheet of flame shot up from the
corner of the building. In an instant
the whole end of the stables was ablaze.
and ByrneS ran out on Jackson
street shouting that the place was
on fire. An alarm was turned in, and
in few minutes quantity of fire ap-
paratus was on the spot Chief Jackson
saw at glance that he had stubborn
fire to contend with, and sent for more
engines. The whole place was wrapped
from end to end in flames, which shot
high into the air, l uminating tie streets
for blocks around. An attempt was
made by the tiremen as soon as they ar
not enter the building but a few
feet from the main doors Oh
Jackson street, the heat and
flames driving them back. Streams of
water were poured from all sides on the
fiery mass, but 1t was seen that the
building was doomed. In few minutes
the department was called upon to fight
the fire in another spot. AT the rear of
the building on Temperance street
tenement house occupied by men en-
ployed by Cook d Son was in blaze.
William Stapleton, wife and five chill
dren; James Devene. wife and five
children, and Henry Harper, wife and
two children lived in the house, and the
women and children were
Rescued With Difficulty.
their hands and faces being blackened
by the fire and smoke. The men were
all stable helpers, and Stapleton, having
rescued his family and seen them safely
conveyed TO neighbor'S house, started
like a brave fellow to save some of the
poor dumb brutes he knew were con-
fined in the burning building. His wife
and children sat crying in the house
they were conveyed to Mrs. StapletOn
II know Bill is dead!"
Friends tried to reason with her, and
informed her that her husband was
safe and was on the street, but the poor
WOman'S own heart had told her the
truth, for Stapleton had indeed lost his
life in his efforts to save his masters
property.
When the fremen, after half an
hours hard work. were enabled to enter
the building, they found the body of
the poor fellow lying in a stall. He
had evidently been overcome by the
dense smoke. and suffocated to
open air and examined by DR.. James
Cheever, who pronounced life extinct
The remains were conveyed in the CEN
trail station patrol wagon to the mOrgue,
and all inquest will be held by the cor
Oner.
1t was expected by every one, includ-
ing the fire officers, that not horse
could possibly be saved: but, strange to
relate, when the tiremen entered the
building five horses were found alive
near the jackson sreet entrance,
having been saved by the copious
streams of water, which drove back the
fierce flames from their stalls. Ten
more horses were rescued from the
basement, making total of fifteen.
The beautiful white horses used by
Charles McCarty in his fire scene in
Ore of the Br avest," now playing at
the Grand opera house, were stabbed in
the building. Two were saved and two
burned to death. The ST. Paul German
Insurance company also had two horses
in the building. but one of the animals
was found alive.
The Fiery Element
had caused a vast amount of havoc in a
very short time, for all the horses of
Cook Il Son. with few exceptions, met
death in the flames; thirteen valuable
hacks, seven 'buSeS, one band wagon.
thlrty-ive sets of valuable harness, and
two private buggies, also being totally
destroyed. A quantity of hay ana feed
must also be included in the list of dam
age done in the barn. On Temperance
street the tenement house and
contents were totally destroyed, and
the Southern Baptist church,
house of worship for colored people,
fiend. The church was small frame
building and had not been used for
worship for some time.
Twenty minutes after the outbreak of
fire, GLOBE reporter rang the door
bell of the house of Stephen c. Cook,
one of the partners, residing at GIG
Holly avenue. In a few minutes Mr..
Cook opened the door. and being
informed that the reporter had
come to tell HIM that the property
of his father and himself had been
destroyed by fire was overwhelmed by
the news, and for a few minutes could
not speak. The reporter said nothing
of the death of the faithful employe,
Stapleton, who had sacrificed his life for
his masters interests. When Mr. Cook
became composed he stated that the
building was valued at $4,000, and the
horses, harness and all property in the
barn at $4,000. The firm carried 5000
insurance on the building. and $4,000
on the stock, total of 10000, placed in
various companies through Samuel Ea-
ton, agent, 333 jackson street. Mr.. Cook
stated that besides the severe pecuniary
loss entailed by the fire has feared that
his firm would lose the valuable fran
chise held by his firm to do all the
transfer work to and from the union
depot. 'It is an unfortunate affair."
said Mr.. Cook, ''to occur at any time,
but more so just at present, for l am
very sick, and my father is in a
very precarious condition, and
feel most apprehensive Of what the
result will be, when he is told of this
calamity" Are you sure that every
thing is destroyed?' he repeated con-
tinually, hoping against hope that he
would receive favorable reply. The
fire apparatus remained until after day
light, pouring tons of water upon the
burning mass of wood and the bodies of
the horses which were consumed in the
flames.
The two trained horses lost by Mr..
McCarty he valued at $1,000. He will,