The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-02-19
LARGE BRICK
LIVERY BARN
Is to Take Place ofOne Burned
Yesterday.
80 HIGH GRADE HORSES
Were Suffocated and Burned
in the Barn.
LOSS ABOUT $4,000
Buildings, Animals and Stock
Was North That Amount.

George W. Morgan announced last night
that he would build d two-story brick
and stone livery barn, 75x140 feet, on the
ground where his frame barn stood be-
fore the fire early yesterday morning.
This barn will be built as nearly fire.
proof as possible, and viii be a modern
livery and sales barn. Mr. Morgan viii
spend in the neighborhod of ten thousand
dollars on the new barn.
1t was just five minutes past o'clock
yesterday morning when the alarm of
fire was turned in from the Eagle Office
for the. livery barn at 219 West Douglas
avenue. The presses had started and the
carriers were waiting for their papers
when some one noticed the fire and the
alarm was given to the department. Al
that time the entire building was mass
of flames. The fire was first seen by
Henry Dafg but few moments before.
Henry Daig, William George, George
Neadham and DR.. Rueben Burris slept in
the barn. About quarter of four a
man came to the barn to put his horse
in the stable. Henry Daig arose and
helped put the horse in the stall Mr..
Daig then went to the second floor to
go to bed again. On the second floor was
q small room which he used for a bed
room. The other men were sleeping in
the hay. AS he entered the room he no
ticed cracking and looked out. The
flames were then coming rapidly over
the hay from the south end of the barn.
Henry Daig rushed TO his sleeping COM
panions and reused them. The fire was
burning rapidly that the men did not
have time to get all of their clothes. The
men were driven down stairs and out into
the street before dressing. Henry Daig,
in h, inc bod Cd into bo
stable and was cutting the halters of
the horses and trying TO drive them out.
( He was dressed when the fire was dis
covered. He cut=the halters of seven or
eight horses and was then driven out of
the barn by the flames DR.. Burris, a
veterinary surgeon, had dressed in the
meantime and was also helping TO get the
frightened animals out.
The flames spread SO rapidly that from
the time the fire was first discovered I'm
til the department arrived the entire
barn was a mass of flames, inside and
out. The department said they could not
save the barn, and as the flames were
spreading so rapidly they turned their
attention to the Pond Lumber company's
building, the Orient hotel Wards and
Ferrers livery stables which stood near
by. Both steamers were brought TO the
fire and every available water plug was
used in extinguishing the flames and in |
preventing the destruction Of the other |
buildings
Thirty-two horses We're burned in the
livery stable, with a vast amount of har-
ness, buggies and supplies which usually
are found in a livery stable. The total
loss to Mr.. Morgan alone S something
over seven thousand dollars, with insuT-
ance amounting to only two thousand |
five hundred dollars.
For some days Mr.. Morgan has been
of roadster and draft horses which he |
would have shipped to eastern markets |
next Sunday. All of these were burned, |
together with some others in the barn |
and two fine driving horses belonging to |
Frank Garst and Deacon Wilson. The |
man who came into the barn and put |
his horse away a few moments before the |
fire rushed back when he saw the flames |
and took his horse, harness and buggy |
out and drove away.
The men employed in the barn did all |
in their power to get the horses out, but |
the flames spread so rapidly that they |
were driven from their work before many |
animals could be loosened. only seven |
horses being saved DR.. Burris tried TO |
lead one horse out of the barn and when /
within ten feet of the door the animal |
reared and threw DR.. Burris back into |
the flames and the animal rushed into |
the office and burned to death. DIR. Bur |
ris was nearly suffocated. Officer Craw- |
ford discovered him and dragged him |
from the flames.
Many of the horses were suffocated and |
the bodies they could be seen yesterday |
clearly indicated that there was little !
pain for many OF them. The hair was /
burned off and the skin cracked. In some /
instances part of the flesh was burned !
of the bones. The bodies were left in /
the debris all day yesterday and pre-
scented a grewsome sight.
The ruins were visited by hundreds Of |
people yesterday All day men. women
end children walked about over the
charred tinbers and looked at the ami
mais. There was not a solid piece of tim
Der left in tn barn. Evrything has been
burned to a cinder In some parts Of
the stable a few pieces of lumber were
standing. but these would crumble I'M
der the fingers.
William Haskins. who runs the harness
shop adjoining the barn on the west
lost his entire stock of harness and fix
lures, amounting 10 about Sl.S0o with |
$500 insurance, Part of the building which
he occupied was Of stone. but the rear
was a frame shed and the shed was en-
tirely consumed. while the interior OF
the stone building was Quilted and much
valuable harness destroyed
James Martin. Mr.. HaSkinS helper,
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