The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-01-17

Mankato has lost another barn full
of horses through the fire tiend, and
the origin of the fire is clouded in
mystery darkened with suspicion. Is
the fire bug who has such an anti
pathy TO barns still doing business in
Mankato? This is a question that is
on many mems lips, and the detective
who could furnish the correct solution
would be worthy of large reward.
At'about 1890 o'clock Friday night
the residents of west Cherry street
were startled by the cry of fire, and in
moment more an alarm was turned
in from the corner Of Front and
Cherry streets. Fire apparatus
drawn by spirited teams were soon
coming in from every direction, and
dull column of smoke was seen to be
resting Sullenly above n. p. Lees
hack and bus barn, soon growing il
Illuminated from below. AS the crowd
gathered, dozens of willing hands
went to work removing the portable
articles from the building, but before
this work was entirely accomplished
and before water could be turned on,
great wave of flame arose from the
rear of the basement and swept for
ward through the first story and was
drawn up by the draft in front of the
building Ito the second story. There
had been no warning of this, and half
a dozen brave fellows were caught in
the sitting smoke and flame sheet
and managed to find their way out
only with the greatest difficulty,
some having their coats burned as re-
minderS of their narrow escapes.
These men tried to take out the fine
new hack which was about the only
thing of value left on the second
floor, but the big vehicle stubbOrnly
refused to be moved, and shared the
fate of the building.
Even before the first cry of fire had
been raised, all the horses in the big
basement stable had inhaled the
dense smoke and toppled over in
agony and rendered up their lives.
Only one was seen to be standing, but
before he could be reached he was
down. The magnificent sorrel stall
lion, the proud Senator L, was among
these horses. The pride of his owner
and of Mankato, with splendid rae
ing record and the sire of noble
progeny, he found an ignominious
death amid the smoke and rubbish
of basement. BY his side persisted
four blooded colts, all valuable ami
mails. A number of hack horses and
d. L. Roses driving horse completed
the list.
Only six horses out of the stable
full of nineteen were saved, and
they owe their existence today to the
factuthat they were hitched up out
side, one team to hack, another to
bus, and the third to the baggage
wagon. Not horse was gotten out
of the stable after the fire started.
The fire department. soon had
several streams playing on the build
ing, which was mass of flames, but
the fire had reached the hay in the
second story and broke out again and
again, and some of the firemen re-
manned nearly all night. There was
no hope of saving the building at any
time, and it is total wreck, to-
gether with everything that was left
in it.
AL. Impey, the night man at the
barn, was the first to enter the barn,
andshe states that he has no idea how
it started. The flame was first seen
in the basement we'll forward, and it
spread.with marvellous rapidity. Mr..
Kurth, the poultry man, was the,
second oman on the scene, and the
alarm was then raised. The build
ing is lighted by incandescent electric
lights, and there were no other lights
in the stable than these, at the time
of the fire.