The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25
Twenty-Five Horses Burn in j.
III. Maxwell's Barn.
Fire Started at Eleven O'Clock
Last Night.
COULDN'T BE CHECKED
Had Progressed Too Far When
Alarm Was Given.
Insurance Sc, 500 and the Loss
Somewhat Mere

At IL O'Clock Sunday night hre broke
out in the big horse barn belonging to
j. H. Maxwell, $40 East Sixth avenue,
and before the flames could be con-
'quered 81 horses, one COW and property
amounting to over $4,000 had been burn
ed.
On account OF the distance from a
fire plug and the peculiar location of
the barn the fire companies could not
place water on the fire until it had
gained such 4 Roadway that everything
was doomed This morning a small por-
ten OF the rear end of the barn Is
standing and the mass of charred ruins
represents all that is left Of the val
liable property. = s.
The fire was first discovered by a
passenger in a passing street car who
stopped the car at once and running
to the home of Mr.. Maxwell awaken
ed him and told him of the flames that
were issuing from under the cornice of
the barn. Mr.. Maxwell turned in the
alarm at once and hastily dressing he
ran into the barn only to find IL filed
with smoke. The horses had broken
out of their stalls and were in the main
corridor OF the barn huddled up to one
another frightened and nervous. Their
cries could be heard and as the fire
reached them they gave one long half
|screech-half groan and suffocated. The
barn burned so quickly and the intense
smoke and flames were spread out in
such manner that it was impossible to
save a thing from the barn. Besides
the Il horses there were three carriages,
three saddles, three tons of ha- all the
seed, all the harness and one COW. This
together with the tools and necessary
appliances burned into a worthless
heap.
The cause of the fire is unknown. It
is thought by Mr.. Maxwell that the
man who slept in the barn over night
had been smoking and had fallen to
sleep leaving his smouldering ashes on
the floor. 1t is not thought that there
was any malicious intentions and the
report that the barn burned from the
work of fire fiend' is false.
The fire service was poor-very poor.
But it could not have been otherwise.
The barn was situated in a peculiar
place. On the north the viaduct cuts
off all approach. On the west the rail-
road makes it impossible for any fire
company to reach with success. And
the east and south boundaries of the
barn are bound by the Shunsanunga
which winds around the property like
snake. In addition to this difficult
situation, the nearest fire plug is at
seventh and RAILROAD strest andsrbe-
fore the companies could lay " line OF
hose the barn was lost. Two streams
of water were turned on the hre as
protection to surrounding property.
The barn was a frame affair and was
used only for the stabling of the work
horses belonging to Mr.. Maxwell
The fire was a spectacular one and
attracted hundreds of people to the
spot although it lasted until midnight:
1t lighted up the entire east portion OF
the city and as is customary when
there is fire in this district everyone
spread the report that the Santa Fe
hospital was burning.
r. H Maxwell who is a contractor,
has been building the sewers and grad
ing streets with his teams and he has
several contracts for the coming year
in the city When asked this morn
ing if this fire would cripple him he
said that he did not intend to jump any
of his contracts-that he would be
working as hard as ever in a few days
1t will necessitate the purchase of
large number of horses but the con-
tracts demand them and he will not
only procure the horses but he viii re-
build at once. The insurance on the
barn and contents amounts to $05Oo,
81. 900 on the horses and $1,000 on the
barn This will almost cover the loss;
but the real loss to the contractor VIII
be the delay and the trouble in resum-
ing his work on the southwest sewers.