The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-08-04
THE FIRE FIEND
Works Horrible Havoc in the Burning Of
O. III. Klotsbach's Livery Barn
Two Men and Twenty seven
Horses Oremated.

has ever visited the city. The fire was
In the livery barn OF @. MI. Klotzbach,
and had big start in the hay loft when
discovered by Marshal Davis. The fire,
men quickly responded TO the call and
the water from the mains was turned on
but as these were not in proper working
order no force could be obtained. So
quickly did the fire spread to every COR
ner OF the great barn that nothing could
be done to save it. The efforts of the
firemen and apparatus were then direct
cd to saving adjoining property but be-.
fore all could be got under control, th
blacksmith shop or Geo. Birran which
was the lean-to OF the south side Of the.
barn and oil his tools and books were
consumed Then the small cottage nd
joining on the south. occupied by Gordon
Triebley, caught fire and was nearly
consumed before it was torn away by
the tiremen in order to save Mr.. Klotz-
bach's residence to the south OF it which
had already taken fire on the north side
to the rear and was burning rapidly.
The household goods of Mr.. Trlebley
and Mr.. Klotzbach were all removed and
the house OF the latter finally saved after
considerable damage.
The barn to the west OF the livery barn
| and the adjoining one OF w. G. Beaman
and number OF outhouses in the neigh
borhood were all consumed and it re-
quired heroic efforts on the part of the
firemen to prevent the flames from
| reaching Mr. Beaman's residence.
Burning cinders we're carried high in
the air onto the roof OF the Central
school building and little fires started
here and there on the east and south
sides Of the high structure. The water
in the mains would not reach it but
men with buckets on the roof and q
stream from the chemical engine quick
/ ~ put the flames out. A continuous
pour Of water on the store building to
the east of the livery barn where the
greatest danger lay prevented 0 spread
of the fire fiend into the business portion
of the city.
TX The saddest and most horrible feature
/ of the whole catastrophe was the loss Af
two human lives--that of James Darby
and Isaac Bitworth the employees of
Mr.. Klotzbach in charge of the barn at
the time. The men, as their remains
afterwards taken out would Indicate,
had been in bed in the northeast part OF
the barn on the ground floor, and when
aroused by suffoeation, Darby appar.
entity made an effort to escape with q
blanket over his head, but fell in his
tracks before reaching the room door
while Bitworth probably never awoke as
he lay with his limbs drawn up where
the bed had burned down.
| So far as the origin of the fire is con-
cerned it is still mystery. As the
whole east end interior was ahame when
1 first discovered and instantly the entire
interior, it is difficult to say where the
tire started. Some think the southwest
corner, but others who tried to reach
the men first think it must have started
in the east or southeast part. A team
had been returned to the barn about
1880 p. m. by Rev. =. p. Jenkins and
another at 2:15 a. m. by someone else
which the staplemen had attended to
and within half an hour of putting W
the latter team the barn was afiame arc
the men had lost their lives
l4Ata time when the men could not bt
reached at the east end, several mer
had cut loose and were trying to get tn,
horses out at the rear or west end of tn,
barn, out the animals were stupid o
unmanageable and only one out OF th,
% iE the barn could be saved. A spar
of mules and two horses id the small
barn TO the rear we're gotten out.
Mr.. Klotzbach is a heavy loser Ii
| the barn we're i3 buggies, IL setts o
Q double harness, 6 setts single harness
Q road carts, 10 cutters. and all the othe
equipments OF d first class livery stable
Mr.. Klotzbach had also just received
car load of oats and car load OF gronns
feed. The barn was an immense strnct
!, ure, 100 feet front and so feet deer
!. three stories high, and had lately beel
remodeled, enlarged and improves
throughout.
or the horses lost in the barn teaI
belonged to Fred knight OF this count
4 and another team TO farmer frou
Kingsbury county with load Of hay
: who had put up their teams there 70
the night. It 10 quite q hardship !
both On these needy men. Harry Ohale
of this city also lost horse which b
]. y kept there.
!, kMr. Klotzbach estimates his entir
!. loss by the tire at little over $4,000 d
II which he had not q cent OF insurance.
After the fire was sufficiently subdue
the remains Of the two men were fishe
out OF the burning debris, charred b,