The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-14
fIREMEN DO FINE WORK
No Insurance on Horses or Vehicles.
Stable Not Badly Damaged.
LOSS IS ESTIMATED AT ABOUT $1,000
The Fire Was Under Perfect Control Within
half Hour After il Was First Seen.
Sick Horse Delays Rescue
Company.

There was a short, sharp fire in Isaac
Kelly's stables on East Martin street
yesterday morning that resulted in the
loss of nine horses and some damage to
the building and vehicles, amounting, al
together to something like $4,000. There
was no insurance on the horses or
vehicles.
But for the prompt, efficient and alto
gether splendid work of the fire depart
ment, terrible confagration might have
been the result, with disastrous conse-
quences to the entire block and perhaps
large portion of the city, on account OF
the location of the building, which is
crowded in among stores and business
houses.
The stable, which is owned by Mr.. S.
C. Hobby, of this county, is just in the
rear of Phillips and Penny's store on
Martin street, between Wilmington and
Blount streets. 1t is about 50x1OO feet.
The sides are formed on the west by
brick walls of the stores of j. J. Thomas
G, Company and Frank Stronach's, and
on the south, by a wooden wall separat-
ing it from the stable of ]. II. Robbins.
The eastern wall of the stable was of
brick, but the front facing north was OF
wood covered with sheet iron. small
open court separates the stable from
Phillips and Penny's and ]. w. Barber Y
Sons stores on Martin street
The fire was first seen at about twenty
minutes after ten o'clock. Isaac Kelly
had left the stable to go to breakfast,
and there was no one there except
colored boy about is years old He saw
the flames suddenly burst out of the feed
room in the northeast corner. and i'm
mediately ran into the store of Phillips
& Penny and gave the alarm. He then
tried to get the horses out, and managed
to get one, fine mare, into the street,
but when he returned into the stable,
she ran back and persisted with the
rest The boy could do nothing more on
account of the dense smoke. caused by
the burning of the hay and feed. Only
one horse, gray belonging to Kelly, was
saved, as he was in the street at the
time.
Three of the nine horses suffocated be-
longed to Messrs. J. w. Barber g. Son,
a pony, for which they would not have
taken 5000. The other six were all own
ed by Isaac Kelly Several of them were
very fine carriage horses. He says they
can not be replaced for less than $1,000.
Much sympathy is expressed for Kelly
by everyone, as his loss is a total one.
The damage to his carriages will proba-
bly, amount to several hundred dol
lars, also.
The stable was damaged to the extent
of possibly $780, The building was in
sured with the Raleigh Real Estate and
Trust Company for $1,000. Messrs. Phil
lips & Penny lost some harness valued
at about $50.
Too much cannot be said in praise of
the Raleigh Fire Department, which. re-
sponded Immediately to the call, succeed
ing in completely extinguishing the flames
in about thirty minutes. All who saw
the work of the four companies pro-
nounce it the most wonderful bit of fire.
fighting they had ever seen. Not
timber in the building was burned
through and not single vehicle was
destroyed. The Rescue company was
somewhat handicapped in their work by
the fact that one of their horses is laid
to hoof The Victor company which
was one of the first to get to the fire,
after laying their hose and emptying
their wagon, had to drive to the Rescue
house, unhitch the horses, re-hitch them
to the Rescue wagon and carry it to the
scene of operations
One thing that no doubt helped very
materially to prevent the spread of the
fire was the parapet wall at the back of
Mr.. Frank Stronachs store. 1t was this
very largely, that saved Robbins stables
as well as his own building which is
stocked with vehicles of all kinds. and
considerable feed downstairs.
The showing made yesterday by our
fire ladies sugurs we'll for the approach
ing tournament in this city, and will no
doubt be remembered by all when they
go into their pockets as they will do to
make the occasion a success.
The only person injured at all yester-
day was Mr.. Earl King. who was hand
ling the hose. The force of the water
threw him against the brick wall, break
ing one of his teeth and bruising his lip
and chin slightly.