Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1910-05-30
NINETEEN BARELY SAVED
All Property in Vicinity of
First, Madison and Jack
son Street Threatened By
Fire a Little Before Mid
night

Three horses were cremated, an
other so badly burned that ii Will like
ly have to be killed more than a
score of harness sets destroyed, a
wagon or two burned. and over two
tons Of loose and baled hay were con-
sumed in fire which was discovered
in the stables of the Pioneer Transfer
company on South First street, shortly
before II o'clock last night. Before the
blaze had been got under control the
stables had been completely destroyed
and more than fifty people driven
from their beds in their nightclothes
momentarily expecting that the build
ings in which they had been sleeping
would be the next TO go.
But for the prompt work of Clinton
Lauver, one Of the proprietors Of the
Pioneer Transfer company who rushed
into the burning stables and at i'm
minent risk of his life. turned out
nineteen of the twenty-five or twenty
three horses kept there, practically the
entire number of horses would have
been consumed. AS 1t was Mr.. I.auver
continued at his work of rescue until
the hair was singed from his head and
his eyebrows burned off Another man
who arrived shortly before the stables
became a seething furnace too hot for
human being to approach assisted in
the rescue of three horses and received
some minor burns about the hands.
There is no way of determining the
origin. A belated pedestrian passing
along South First street noted flames
issuing from an eastern end of the
stables and raised a cry of fire. He
managed to rouse Mr. Lauver and his
family who live just in front of the
stables The flames were already
mounting high in the air sending a
ruddy glow into the night that could
be seen for miles. 4 minute later Mr.
Lauver, without waiting TO send in an
alarm. rushed to the stables and be-
gan cutting the ropes with which the
horses were tethered. He had man
aged to turn out the most of the ami
mails, when those that were loose
started to stampede in an effort to run
back into the burning stables. Had it
not been for this, Mr.. Lauver is con-
fident he might have saved the entire
number of horses.
By the time an alarm was sent in
and the fire department had made one
of the quickest runs in it's history, the
Flames had completely envelOped the
stables and were threatening the
rooming house of Arthur Diehl on
South Center street. Here the depart
ment for time concentrated its ef-
fort and by heroic work saved the
building in its entirety Many of the
roomers fled from the house in their
nightclothes, taking only such Of their
belongings as they could carry in their
arms.
Men from the street rushed into the
house and in a few minutes had re-
moved practically all the trunks and
furniture Several women with babies
and small children were panic strick-
en-. one mother having become sep
arated from her little daughter tried
to make her way back into the house
but was restrained Her daughter was
found a minute later in the care of
neighbors.
As the fire progressed it made its
way round the end of the stables and
Pioneer company facing upon Jackson
| street. BY massing themselves at this
point the members of the department
| were enabled to save this building and
its contents without the structure hav-
ing been damaged
1t was in the shadow of the ware
house that the harness rooms were To-
Gated and although water was poured
into the building it was impossible t
check the flames until the harnes:
house there had been destroyed o.
rendered unfit for use. There we're ;
number of freight cars standing jus
in front of the warehouse and a switcl
engine was quickly at hand TO pul
these out of the fire in case it appear
ed that they were in danger.