The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-03
UNION .STOCKYARDS
SWEPT BY FIRE; LOSS
is PLACED AT S3Oo,0oO
Loss CoUered BY Msnrance---Neqc Feed Barn, FiOe
Canle Alleys Hog Pens and Horse Stables
Deuoyed--- THI,1y Head of Cattle Burned
Heazy Wind and Lack of Wafer Pressure Severe
" Handicapped Fvemen---Entire Yards
Threatened at One Time.

Famed and scattered headlong by
heavy wind from the north. fire of un-
known origin partially destroyed the Union
morning The blaze was discovered at HIS
O'Clock by Night Watchman W. d. Castor
and his assistant, Melvin Hodge, in the
large feed barn, which was but recently
built Within half an hour after the alarm
was turned in. so rapid was the spread of
the fire that the feed barn, Cattle Alleys
500 and 400 and part of 300 were a burning
wreck and completely destroyed.
In the face of the efforts of the fremen
the fire spread rapidly, working its way
first down towards the south end of the
alleys 400 and 800, whence it spread to the
remaining alleys and then turned towards
the north end. ending in the complete de-
struction of all the cattle sheds and hog
pens before it could be gotten under con-
troll Only about thirty head of cattle were
lost in the conlagraton.
LOSS OF 10000.
Samuel Rauh. president of the Union
Stockyards Company. at 2:15 o'clock this
morning, estimated the loss at not less than
100000 He would make no statement con-
cerning insurance other than TO say that
~ he f,lIx uad n
surance was placed by the Union Trust
Company.
w. B. Blair, president of the Blair Baker
Horse Company, at / o'clock this morning
estimated the loss at s25O,ooO
Shortly before o'clock this morning the
fire had been gotten under control by the
fire department, and it was thought that
no further loss would result The sales
stables were saved by the concentrated
efforts of the fremen, who. although handi-
capped by the low pressure of water, bat
tied bravely against the flying sparks and
burning brands. The northeast end of the
stables were sprayed with chemicals time
and again. and this in a great degree was
responsible for the cut in the course OF the
fire. Had the flames ever got beyond con-
troll among the sales stables the entire
stockyards would have been literally wiped
out
Although still burning the five long rows
of cattle pens were a mass of embers at 3
O'Clock. Considering with what strength
the wind blew from the north, it was re-
garded as remarkable that the flames were
kept within the limits of the pens.
LIGHT STOCK OF CATTLE.
Luckily the stock of cattle at the yards
was unusually light last night and Of the
burned. AS the fire broke out in the
feed barn, some little time was given the
men to move the cattle from the doomed
sheds to the large pasture which lies just
south of the yards. Two carloads of cat
tie had been received late yesterday even
ing and it was some of these that could not
be hurried out before the wind had car
ried the flames to the cattle alleys.
One carload of cattle which burned be-
longed to j. A. Christy. of Hendricks coun-
ty There were twenty-one head of cattle
and two calves in the car. Several of the
estimated his loss at $1,000.
Shortly before l o'clock the wind which
had blown almost gale subsided and 1t
was thought the fire was under control.
although the sheds were on fire in a hun
dred places and as many men were fighting
them. None knew but that at any minute
the flames would break out fiercely at some
place where spark had fallen. and this
greatly increased the difficulty under which
the fire department labored.
In the feed barn where the fire started
there were stored LOO tons of hay valued
at from s12 TO ST. ton, and $1,000 bushels
of corn valued at $4,000. The total loss esti-
mated on the barn and the cattle sheds is
600, not including the loss the feed
and cattle burned, which is estimated at
over $4,000. In addition there were many
articles of value in the feed barn. between
seven and eight tons of hay in alleys 500
and 400, and 100 barrels of tar stored in
one of the adjoining sheds. which caught
fire and was consumed amid leaping flames
ORIGIN OF FIRE UNKNOWN
The origin of the fire is unknown. but it
is supposed TO have caught from combus-
ton in the northeast corner OF the feed
barn. as ii was discovered within the walls
of the stable. The alarm was turned in by
Night Watchman Castor and the entire fire
department was called out. A few minutes
before the fire was discovered one OF the
assistant watchmen had made the beat
around the feed barn and everything
seemed TO be quiet.
Scarcely ten minutes later an engine on a
nearby track began blowing its whistle
frantically. and Castor. running out. beheld
smoke pouring from the roof of the feed
stable Almost before he reached the alarm
the gigantic stable was a seething mass Ct
flames which were caught up by the heavy
wind blowing down the river valley and