The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-03-03
THREE VALUABLE AN FINALS ARE
CREMATED ALIVE IN DE-
STRUCTlVE FIRE.
BIC BARN IS CONSUMED
Structure Used by Propretors Of Gen.
tral Meat Market to Shelter Deliv-
cry. Teams Burns to the Ground,
Causing a Loss of About 81 1900
Surrounding Houses Threatened.

Three valuable horses were burned
to death and five others We're barely
saved from the same fate last night
when a barn near the corner of Woody
stroyed by fire. Eight animals oc-
cupied stalls in the building and when
the flames were discovered every eff
fort was made to rescue them before
the fire reached the lower part of the
structure Four horses were success
fully led out and another was dragged
from the barn after he had been so
severely burned that he will probably
have to be killed. Two others became
sick to be gotten out in time and they
perished.
The barn being filled with hay
burned like tinedr and for a time the
flames threatened to epread to ad-
joining structures. A small dwelling
adjoining ignited but was saved with
out damage and the house occupied by
Walliam Bancroft was threatened to
such extent that most Of the furni-
ture was removed. This place, how
ever, escaped without injury.
The total loss is estimated at about
$1,000.
The flames We're first discovered
about p. m. by Lee Warner. book
keeper for the Power Liquor company
and an alarm was turned in. When
the fire department reached the scene
the flames, which evidently originated
in the hay loft, had spread over the
entire upper portion and were rapidly
eating their way to the lower floor.
F'iremen and Volunteers united in eff
forts to liberate the eight horses, be-
longing to Koopmann & Wissbrod,
owners of the Central meat market,
who used the place to stable their de-
livery teams.
By the time the first four animals
had been gotten safely out, the flames
were in the lower portion of the build
ing and the fifth horse was forced out
of the building only after he had suf-
fered the most severe burning Chief
May succeeded in getting one horse
as far as the door, only to have the
terrorized animal wrench himself free
and rush back into the flames where
he was cremated alive. Ed Mack, a
colored employe about the stable, at
tempted to get another animal from
his stall, but the horse fell down.
MASKING Mack against the timbers.
The frightened beast refused to get up
and Mack was forced to leave him to
his fate.
Though the fire department got sew
eral sterams of water playing on the
flames it was impossible to save the
building. 1t was only by good work
that the surrounding structures were
saved from damage.
ments.
Long after the flames had beer
checked the quantity of baled hay thai
had filled the loft smoldered and the
department worked until midnight
picking these bales to pieces and soak
ing them with water
The glare of the fire was visible
throughout the city and throng OF
people quickly gathered and watched
the progress of the conflagration un-
til it had been completely extinguished
The destroyed barn was the prop
erty of the Cobban Realty company
and was rented by the proprietors Of
the meat market
AS there had been no one about the
barn smoking or with light, so fal
as can be learned, the cause of the
conflagration is uncertain.