The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-17
LIVERY STABLE FIRE
sCUDDER,s harm AND SEVERAL
HORsEs BURNED asst NIGHT.
Many Horses Saved by the Work OF
Night Waterman and others
Fully Insured.

Fire in John Scudder's livery stable, s.
West Ohio street. about IL o'clock last
night, burned about a dozen horses and
caused a money loss of several thousand
dollars. There were about forty head of
horses in the stable at the time, but
through the work of the foreman, George
Armentrout, and John Lewis, the watch
man, all but five or six of the animals were
rescued. 1t is thought that the origin was
incendiary, as it is not known how else
1t could have started. Most of the buggies
and carria ges were uninjured.
The fire was first discovered by John
Lewis, the Waterman, who had just laid
down to rest until the remainder of the
horses should be brought in, a number of
sleighs, among them a four-horse outfit,
being still out. Suddenly he was awakened
by a great commotion among the horses.
Rushing from the office he saw the entire
center part of the stable was burning, and
Immediately began to cut the horses loose.
George Armentrout, the foreman, had left
the stable only a few minutes before on
his way home. He returned and dashed
into the fire, which was by that time
spreading rapidly. He had succeeded in
loosening and driving out about fifteen
horses when he was overcome by the smoke
and had not DR.. Thomson happened to be
o1 80
to fresh air he might never have come out
alive. The department found it impossible
to enter the building on account of fire and
smoke, and were compelled to spend con-
siderable time in tearing off boards from
the sides and throwing water through these
apertures. The fire had started near
the the center OF uh the building pull d ,orsn IN
were kept, the carriages being
on the first floor above. The flame first
appeared near a bin of shavings, and the
like finder. A number of streams of water
were directed at the center of the building
where the most of the fire seemed to be,
while a section of the east side of the build
ing was torn away and the carriages on the
first floor were removed through this open
ing.
After the fire had been gotten somewhat
under control, the firemen made a search
for more horses, but only one was found
which was able to walk, and after it was
taken out IL YVES found that it would be
necessary to kill it. The other horses which
were turned loose were secured and taken
to the Meridian-Street stables.
John Scudder was upstairs asleep at
the time the fire broke out, and he was SO
crazed with excitement that 1t required two
stalwart policemen to keep him from dash
Ing into the flames. 1t was over an hour
before the flames were gotten entirely under
control.
the amount of damage done. The fire was
confined mostly to the lower floor and only
about six horses were lost, while only a few
carriages were damaged; The building be
longs TO Mr.. Scudder and was insured with
John Wocher. There are fifty-one horses
which belong in the stable, eight of which
are Mr.. Scudder's. the remainder being
boarders. 1t was impossible to ascertain
The sleighs and belongings were all stored
in the front of the building and were saved.