River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1900-05-31
DESTRUCTION BY FIRE.
Lords Large Livery Barn a
Smouldering Ruin.
Griffin's Blacksmith Shop---a
Landmark no More--Other
Frame Buildings Bad
ly Damaged.
Loss Estimated at $4,000.


barn of A. III. Lord Tuesday night.
The horses were saved without injury.
Everything else of the contents was
burned with the building-21 car
riages and buggies belonging to the
proprietor, besides a number belong
ing to other parties; all the harnesses,
robes, feed, (of which there was large
amount in store,) hay, and great
amount of other property.
Mr.. Lord and another man were in
the basement, where the horses are
kept, when the fire was discovered
and they, with what help came at
once, had barely time to get the
animals out before the heat became
intense and the upper part of the
building was a solid mass Of flame.
This was a frame barn, built in 1883,
and was arranged with stone base
ment which constituted the stable,
floor level with the street where the
vehicles were kept, an office, harness
room, and room for washing bug
giles; third story in which there was
bedroom, feed storing rooms and
large room for holding fodder and
straw.
The fire started in the third story
the upper story-apparently on the
floor. There had been no light here
during the evening. There were no
substances in the barn that would
seem to give rise to the theory Of
spontaneous com bustion. A probable
inference, considering the locality of
its origin and the absence of the
possibility of ignition by a lamp or
spontaneous combustion, is that mice
or rats had carried matches from the
bedroom and caused the fire by fric-
tion Of the matches. The sudden
conflagration of the whole building is
accounted for only upon reasoning
that the fire caught in the straw and
ran almost instantaneously over all
the surface Of the loose, dry hay and
straw and cobwebs and dust and
caused practically an explosion Of
flame all through the upper part Of
the building.
The hosemen with five streams of
water were powerless to subdue or
control the fire in this barn or the
wooden building ABIDING it on the
north, or the blacksmith shop on the
corner Of Maple and Main streets.
These were entirely consumed. Barg
& johnson had an Office building and
a warehouse adjoining the bank and
separated from thelivery barn nearly
100 feet. These were covered, roof
and sides, with iron but the heat was
so intense that they caught fire
through the iron, hut the firemen
prevented their though
the warehouse was ruined by flames,
and its contents Of feed and -four by
water and fire. Another warehouse
across the alley in the rear was badly
damaged as was the big corn crib ad-
jacent. Grifiin's old blacksmith shop,
burned, was the oldest building in
the city-of its general appearance
indicated. 1t was built in 1866.
The total loss by this bad fire is
estimated at $4,000. with very little
insurance, (Mr. Lord, we understand,
had but $4,000 on his property Be-
sides the losses of Mr.. Lord, Mr..
Griffin, Barg & Johnson and the Bur
byte estate, number who were
accustomed to keep their rigs at the
stable suffered considerable loss. DR..
Kirk lost new buggy, harness and
cutter, upon which he had some in
surance. DR.. Ashley lost two buggies
and some other property upon which
there was no insurance.