The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-03-31
CRAzED BY FIRE.
The Rescue of Horses and Cattle From "A
burning building.

The Rescue of Horses and Cattle From "a
burning building.
From the st. Louis Globe-Democrat.
The panic that is inspired in the minds
OF horses by a phenomenon SO strange
fire can be understood only by those who
have witnessed fire in a large stable
where numbers of horses arc kept. The
scene that ensues is one of the most
frightful that can be conceived. The
horses are rescued from the burning
building with the utmost difficulty, and
only with most serious peril to the lives
and limbs of the rescuers. The animals
go mad with fright, rear, kick and dash
from side to side so wildly as 10 make
an attempt at rescue as perilous an
advance on a hostile battery. When
rescued they will often break away
from those who hold them and
charge back at full speed into the burning
building, there 10 perish in the flames.
They resist every attempt to take them
out. They have been known to tear their
rescuers with their teeth, to throw them
TO the ground and trample on them, to
kick out their brains. As the fury of the
hames increases SO does the panic of the
unfortunate animals. They scream out
in agony as the fire reaches their boast =
yet they will not, for all that, seek safety
fear. and yet remain 70 be burned to
death when a ten-seconds' run would
carry them to liberty. But they never
make the run, aad, as a rule, are burne
alive in the stalls, where alone they seem
To fancy they can fluid security.
There is but one way to get them out,
and that is to blind them with some con-
venient cover. such as a coat or n blanket,
and thus. unable to sse the dangers about
them, trembling in every limb, apparently
ready TO fall to the earth with fear. they
may be led out. But the cover must not
DO too quickly removed from their eyes,
in fact il should not be taken off until tho
animals are out of sight to the burning
building, otherwise they will break away
from the persons leading them and, in
spite of the stoutest efforts, will dash back
to perish in the flames.
For cows burning building does not
seem TO have the same fascination il pos
scsses for horses. Ii is said that when n
COW stable is burning the animals may be
led out without serious difficulty, save
that which may result from their fright
and the use they may make of their horns
in their own frantic efforts to escape. 1t
is q singular fact however, that has often
been noticed along the hne of railroads,
that that the headlight of a locomotive ex-
ercises on calves and sometimes on their
mothers also, n species of fascination
nearly akin to hypnotism. Engineers tell
very many stories of this peculiar fact.
Not long ago, on n railroad running out of
this city toward the South, the engineer
of night train noticed something ahead
of him on the track. Always apprehensive
of danger, he blew his whistle, put on his
brokes, and gradually approached the spot
where the obstacle was observed. 1t
was soon seen to DO a calf that stood in
the center of the track, staring with wide
open eyes at the headlight. The whistle
screamed a shrill alarm, the calf did not
move. the bell was violently rung, but the
animal needed it not. With some diff
Guilty the train was brought to n halt
within few feet of the fascinated calf,
that stood with head erect gazing at the
light rs though petrified. The fireman
jumped down from the cab, seized the
calf by the cars 10 drag ii from the track,
when instantly, the moment its eyes were
taken from the light, the full possession
of every faculty seemed to return, and,
with below of fright the calf broke from
his hands and ran away at full speed.
The animal had undoubtedly been the
victim of species of hypnotism, and the
moment it's gaze was diverted from the
object that fascinated it the spell was
broken and the calf ran away.