Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-12-26
STAR LIVERY WAS
BURNED T1|l0CROuNO
SECOND BARN FIRE OF WEEK RE.
Suits IN LOSS OF APPROX.
MATELY $4,000.
10 HORSES DEAD.

| covered, Making Their Rescue
unprecedented se Of contiasra- y
~ tlon 10 Unknown. 4
| The Star livery barn, els South
Union street; with thirteen head Of
horses and the livery equipment, was
entirely destroyed by flames Of an un-
known origin Sunday morning about
1880 o'clock. The livery stock was
owned by DIM. Watts and was valued
at about $4,000. The loss to Mr..
] Watts household belongings and other
property on the second floor of the barn
where he lived, Is given at $4,000. Mr..
Watts carried insurance to- cover q
third Of his loss. The building, brick
veneered on the front and north side
and built of corrugated steel on the
rear and south side, which was owned
by William Hoogewoning, was de-
stroyed at a loss OF about $4,000, fully
insured. The total loss is appropriated
at between $4,000 and $4,000. ..#
=, VI Found in Flames. .s,s
When the fire was first discovered by
Mr.. Watts it had enve1oped the entire
rear Of the barn and was burning
flercely in the corner occupied by the
horses. Mr.. Watts came home about
1890, going upstairs to his rooms i'm
mediately. He had barely removed his
clothing, ready to retire, when a
heavy noise Of something falling and
commotion among the horses caused
him to 60 to the door The barn was
in flames all around the horses which
$vno II n q
cape. A dense volume of smoke filled
the barn and rushed into the living
apartments After awakening his wife
and her brother, George Gordon, Mr..
Watts seized Mr.. Gordon's mother,
a seventy-flve year old woman and car
ried her part way down the stairs. so
dense was the smoke that there was no
time to stop for clothing or valuables.
All escaped in their night clothing and
went to the home, of friends nearby.
Had the fire burned undiscovered for
a short time longer, the lives OF the
four would have been greatly endan-
gered. 49,. ,,'.,, .,'.. rs.t '-.a.
impossible to Save Horses.
Although every endeavor was made
to reach the horses, it was Impossible
because the flames had almost en-
veloped them when the fire was first
discovered It was but short time
until the animals dropped to the floor
after the alarm was given. Several
of the animals broke loose only to fall
a moment later. Their kicking and
struggling could be heard but a short
time after the discovery and their
groans of torture soon ceased.
Eleven of the horses belonged to Mr.
Watts, the other two being owned by
J. F. Jersey and L. H. Ellsworth. All
were on the ground floor OF the barn,
but three Of them fell through the de-
bris into the basement beneath when
the floor gave way. Sunday afternoon
noon the work Of hauling the cremated
animals. some of them burned to o
~~is ,>egan. Twenty-one horses have
' flames during the past
.sl1 b. .unwa, the other eight be-
~ u the Jackson livery barn.
-. ID {, Of the horses, belonging
-. q. were valuable, one team
l.. v prized. The other ami
g.. ..ood working stock. Four
~ dray wagons, and two
w.. ~;ages are all that remains
+. r.. Livery today. The horses
IN carriage calls and the
81 ~ =. were outside Of the build.
: ~ street, or they too would
=. .-G consumed in the flames.
.n ,cna animals were valued at
." Saves Swift 4 Co. ..2t
~ =, the fire department reach.
49,. % in good time, the entire
...-s.. -as in flames and 1t was use
'.sa ~ to save 1t. The firemen
~. >.;r attention to the adjacent
ssa .he Swift & Co., being very
+% 9TH the left side and the rear
..z ming structure. There was no
..,ss ,.,4 % this building although de-
81 ., seemed imminent for time.
.-igenmann, OF the South Side
p. ~. mt. was slightly injured by a
r.. lick. which struck him in the
Il caused him to fall from the
into the alley. s.vs-aGf.
,as load of hay, just above the
is thought to have been the
r., IN Of the flames, although spontane-
ous combustion is discredited. Mr..
watts stated today that he believed the
noise OF falling that first caused him
to investigate. was caused by the hay
falling through the floor which was
burned away, as 1t was at this spot
that the flames seemed to be the great
est. The possibility Of incendiarism Is
also discredited.
Mr.. Watts stated that ne lost
twenty-three buggies and other vehi-
cles in the flames. All that remains
Of them now is mass Of tangled and
twisted iron. The value Of the rigs is
placed by Mr.. Watts at $1,000. About
twenty-five sets OF harness OF all de-
scriptions, including several sets OF fine
carriage harness, also consumed by
the fire. is loss Of about $500.
When you want reliable medicine
for cough or cold take Chamberlains
Cough Remedy. 1t can always be de-
pended upon and is pleasant and safe
to take. For sale by all dealers.
ALBA.
rrlo school entOved n