Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-03-15
FIRE ENDS LIFE
Of MANY Horses
THIRTY-TWO PERISH IN BLAZE
AT HICKOCK BARN.
Loss IN The THOUSANDS
Fine Riding and Driving Horses could
Not BE Rcscucd-Dolcns
Are Saved

Thirty-two Of among the best horses
in Tulsa perished early last night in n
fire at the Hlckock livery and board
ing barn, West Second street Besides
the loss OF the horses, valued at more
than $4,000, the barn which Is "a
stone structure, was damaged to the
extent Of $1,000. Several tons of hay
were burned, and several good buggies
and sets of harness ruined,
The Hlckock barn is two story af-
| fair, with a basement. 1t was in the
basement that the horses perlshed,
mostly through suffocation. Fire
started in a rear corner of the base
ment, near the only exit to that part
of the building The origin of the
blaze is not known,
The night watchman at the build
ing made his rounds at $3.50 o'clock
and noticed nothing wrong. A few
minutes later the fire was discovered
/ by a man washing some buggies In
! the rear of the first floor.
At the time of the fire the proprle-
tor OF the barn, ]. w. Hickock was
sitting In the office, When the alarm
was spread, Mr. Hickock and others
| in the office rushed to the rear OF the
building, hut the fire was then blaz-
| ing high in the air, greedily consum-
| ing wood and hay,
! The central fire department which
is only few doors west OF the barn
made quick run in the motor truck
and the firemen were soon engaged in
fighting the flames,
While they were stringing line Of
hose, the North Side and East Side
| fire departments arrived on the
scene. with three streams Of water
playing on the fire It was soon under
control 1t was eXtinguished in a
| few minutes although hard TO fight
on account Of the hay IN the barn.
Civilians rescued all of the horses
on the first floor OF the building, as
the front entrance was unobstructed.
Put every horse in the basement per-
ished.
Twenty-Five Of the horses which
perlshed In the fire last night were
boarding horses. The Hickock barn
was patroni2ed by the highest class
trade, anad not one of the horses
which were victims Of the fire fiend
was plug.
As the smoke poured out of the
building keeping the crowd at bay
the noble animals in the basement Of
the barn, struggled and made last
desperate efforts for life. There was
not person in the vast throng which
attended the fire who was not touched
While their driving horse pershed
In the fiery furnace cringlng from
the fire fiend, father mother sister
and brother sobbed. Men who were
| bent on making vain attempt to
rescue their favHitos were only kept
/ from plunging into the trap and prob
ably pcrishing with the horses by the
officers Of the law who kept the
crowd back by force OF club.
Girls whose park driving horses
were kept IN the barn stood by and
wrung their hands in frenzy, Strong
men stormed and cursed, as every ef-
fort to reach the dying horses was
thwarted by the dense smoke Of the
hot flames.
Neither Mr.. Hickock, proprietor OF
the barn, nor Frank Matthewson,
owner, carried dollar Of
insurance. Only a few of the board
ing horses were insured. Many
animals, among those which are dead
were worth we'll up In the hundreds.
Rlly Miles lost a race horse, capable
of doing a mile In 2:2O, and for which
he had refused an offer OF $500.
j. 9. Cutchall, an oil man, was ar
rested because he persisted In at
tempting to get to his team, which
was kept at the llickok barn. When
It was necessary to keep the crowd
away from the burning livery barn In
order that the firemen could success
fully fight the flames. line of police
men did SO. Cutohell attempted to
pass the line and was stopped by
officer Moran. He tried to pass a
second time and was arrested by
Moran because of interfering with an
officer in the discharge OF his duty.
The oil man was taken to the police
station where he was released on
bond.