The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-03-27
CRazED BY FIRE.
The Rescue of Horses and Cattle From
Burning Building.

From ST. Louis Globe-Democrat
The panic that is inspired in the
minds of horses by a phenomenon so
strange rs fire can be understood only
by those who have witnessed fire ia
a large stable where numbers of horses
are kept. The scene that ensues Is one
of the most fTightful that can be con-
c.ived. 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 res
cuers. The animals so mad with
fright, rear, kick AMI dash from side to
side 50 wildly As to make an attempt at
rescue as perilous as 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 cut. They
have been known TO tear their rescuers
with their teeth, to throw them on the
ground and trample them, to kick out
their brains. As the fury of the flames
increases so does the panic of the un-
fortunate animals. They scream out
in agony as the fire reaches their bod
ies, yet they will not, for all that, seek
a place of safety in the open air. They
are crazed with fear, and yet remain TO
be burned to death when ten-seconds'
ran would carry them 20 liberty. But
they never make the run, and, as a
rule, are burned alive in the stalls,
where alone they seem to fancy they
can find security.
There is but one way to get them out
and that is to blind them with some
convenient cover, such as coat or u
blanket, aud thus, unable to see the
danger about them, trembling in every
limb, apparently ready TO fall to the
earth with fear, they may be led out
Bat the cover must not be too quickly
removed from their eyes, in fact it
should not be taken off until the ami
mails are out of sight of the burning
building, otherwise they will break
away from the person leading them
and, in spite of the stoutest efforts,
will dash back TO perish in the flames.
For COWS a burning building does
not seem 10 have the same fascination
il possesses for horses. 1t is said that
when COW stable is burning the ami
mals may be led out without serious
difficulty, save that which may result
from their fright and the Use they may
make with their horns in their own
frantic efforts 10 escape. 1t is singu-
lar fact however, that has often been
noticed along the line of railroads,
that the headlight Of locomotive eX-
ercists On calves and sometimes on
their mothers also, a species of fascina-
zion nearly akin to hypnotism. Engi-
neers tell very many stories OF this pc
culiar fact. Not long ago, on a rail-
road running out Of this city toward
the south, the engineer OF a night train
noticed something ahead of him on
the track. Always apprehensive of
danger, he blew his whistle, put on his
brakes and guardedly approached the
spot where the obstacle was observed.
Ii was soon seen to be calf that stood
in the centre of the track, staring with
wide open eyes at the headlight. The
whistle screamed Il shrill alarm, the
calf did not move, the bell was violent
~ rung, but the animal needed il not.
With some difficulty the train was
brought to halt within a few feet of
the fascinated calf, that stood with
head erect gazing at the light as though
petrified. The fireman jumped from
the cab, seized the calf by the ears to
drag it from the track, when instantly,
the moment its eyes were taken from
the light, the full possession of every
faculty seemed 10 return, and, with a
below of fright the calf broke from
his hands and ran away at full speed.
The animal had undoubtedly been the
victim of a species of hypnotism, and
the moment its gaze was diverted from
ihe object that fascinated it the spell
was broken and the calf ran away.