Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-07-06
THE BIG BRICK BARN OF JOHN B.
GRAHAM COMPLETELY DE-
sTRoYED BY FLAMES.
SIX HEAD OF HORSES CREAAHED,
Nearly All the Vehicles Saved From
the Flames-The Residence of Mrs.
Jane Ricketts, Badly scorched.
Graham Was Partially
Insured-Notes.

large amount OF gram, several old
vehicles and some harness burned
with It
The residence and furniture of Mrs.
Jane Ricketts, suffered damage to the
amount OF about e70O.
The buildings, belonging to e. d.
Graham, who is sick In st. Louis,
were valued at about $500. The
walls OF the main building are still
standing and in fairly good condition
and the loss viii probably reach 81, 800
or q, 400. The loss is thought to be
fully covered by insurance.
J. B. Graham's loss will reach over
1900, which is incurred. He had
burned thirty-five tons of hay, large
amount OF grain, several vehicles,
"Paper Collar" driving horse worth
about slOO, and q bay team worth
about $50.
JET Sims lost good horse, E. l..
Blackburn lost a $3.50 saddle horse
and Miss Belle Inflow lost q 8T5 driving
horse; the latter was fully insured.
STARTED IN THE SHEDS.
At O'Clock Wednesday night j. B.
Graham and several others were
seated in front Of his stable. William
Barnett, policeman, was talking to
them when he noticed a bright light
issuing from around the corner east
on Love street. Thinking that some
one had lighted a bon fire, he walked to
the corner of Jefferson and Love
streets and saw that the sheds north
Of the stable were ablaze; he at once
turned in an alarm, which was quickly
responded to by the fire department.
Mr.. Graham and others began getting
out the stock as soon as the fire was
discovered. Horse after horse and
vehicle after vehicle were rushed
from the burning structures. When
the fire department reached the scene
Of the fire the flames had licked across
the barn-yard from the aheds and set
fire 70 the thirty-five tons Of hay in
the lofts OF the main building. The
windows of this structure were open
and the flames had easy access; this
was the condition when the depart
ment reached the scene. A line of
hose was first run back into the stable
yard between two seething seas of
flames and the stream was put In the
windows of the main building. BY
this time the flames from the sheds on
the east had communicated to the
residence of Mrs. Jane Ricketts, and
the second hose out was used to save
that building; SO well was this fight
made that nearly all OF the furniture
was removed and the roof and one
side Of the building burned. The
other portions of the house were
ruined.
Quickly following the first and sec
ond lines Of hose came the third and
fourth, which were placed In the alley
at the rear Of the Harper building and
In the stable yard. One was taken to
the second floor, front, Of the stable.
BY 10 o'clock the fire, although still
burning forcsiT, was under control
and 1t but remained to keep It under
control. The falling Of the roof gave
the fire department = marked ad-
vantage. The fire as confined In
these bounds burned slowly all night
and the four streams were used to
keep 1t down,
The FIRE laddies did excellent work
under the direction of Fire Chief Nor
ris, who instantly grasped the con-
dition of affairs and distributed his
forces to the very best advantage.
The Willis1n Blattner building, oc-
cupied by the I. ]. Gibson Poultry
Company, which Is next to the Graz
ham building and across tbs alley
from the Harper building, sustained
but a slight loss--the cracking of a
wall and some water damage. The
stock Of the poultry company suffered
a slight damage from smoke and
water.
1t is thought by many that the fire
wall between the stable and the poul-
try company building was all which
saved the Harper Block, as there was
breeze coming from the north which
would have driven the flames across
the alley II the fire wall had not saved
the Batter building.
That there were no more than six
horses burned Is a miracle, as the fire
spread with remarkable rapidity. AS
1t was, all ak horses burned were in
the box stalls In the sheds, which were
OF corrugated iron. There were sew
enteen horses In this portion and
eleven In the main building.
NOTES OF THE FIRE.
Joseph Barth lost buggy.
Jack Reynolds saved the books.
Seven horses were in use out of the
stable,
Several dangerous corners of the
walls we're torn down this afternoon.
There were about twenty-seven
horses In the stable at the time Of the |
Are.
The new hunting wagon which was
burned had just been finished and |
had never had horse hitched to it.
Thieves got In their work at the
Ricketts, residence. Several minor |
articles and q pair OF gold glasses
were stolen.
From one to FIVE streams of water
have been on the fire since e:10 O'Clock |
last night and 1t is likely that 3 stream
win be kept on the place Tonight.
In saving "Dodd," a bay trotting
gelding, Mr.. Graham was knocked
down By the plunging horses; he had