The Mankato free press., 1913-02-21
Horse And a Barn
Food For the Flames
From Tuesdays Daily.

From Tuesdays Daily.
After Il considerable loss of prop
"rty and enuaagering ali the build
imgS in the netghborhood a fire was
cXtin%uishcd last night in H.A. Ale
mans barn lin the alley between
Carroll and Record streets, on the
rear of the lot occupied by Mr.. Ale
mans store, 220 Van Brunt street.
The fire was subdued after a long
and tir2some fight by the depart
mcnt. The fire was discovered about
l2:2o a. m. by \. n George, who
lives near the barn, as he was go
ing down cellar TO replenish the fire
in the furnace.
The flames were then shooting
over the roof and had gained a
GOOD deal Of headway. Mr.. George
Immediately telephOned the fire de-
partmCnt. but the blaze had already
eaten its way so far into the barn
that the horse and dog. the only ami
mails in the burning structure, were
already sulfOcated The tiremen at
once set TO work getting the horses
ont Of the barn across the alley, for
that building was also in danger.
TOTSeS were gotten Out.
Three horses belonging to Chris
Jensen were taken out of this barn
after a fierce struggle with the ter
riied beasts. The barn alongside OF
the burning one was empty. In the
burning barn were Frank Gauthier's
buggy horse a prize bird dog pup.
4 buggy. two harnesses. blankets.
quantity of feed. hay. etc. When
Mr.. Gauthicr cam" from his house.
which is close by. he listened at his
barn door and all was still. He
knew that his horse was already
dead, and nor stopping to attempt
TO get any of the rest of his prop
vr,y from the building. he called for
men 10 help him take the animals
from Mr.. Jensen's barn. He had Il
struggle with one of the horses that
almost cost him his life. The horse
was tied with a chain and so it had
To be lOOsoned, il could not be cut
Al the time the smoke from the
burning barn was coming in through
the door and making the horse stamp
iIrantiCally in the stall. Whenever Mr..
GauJhier got the chain fairly loose
and started to unite the knot. the
animal would jump backward aud
tighten it again. After what seemed
an eternity, Mr.. Gauthier was able
to free the horse and struggled back.
ward and ont Of the door into the
SInokc-fllod alley with him He was
almost suffOcatcd with smoke when
he reached fresh air again
Four Barns Near Each Other.
Ia the meantime the Grcmen were
plying two big streams of water on
The flames and on the roofs of the
surrounding buildings There arc
four barns very close together at
this place and it was only after
prodigiOuS amount of water had been
sprayed on them that the flames
could be kept from spreading. 4
barn next to Mr.. Allcman's was
badly scOrched on one side but the
damage was not great.
Owing to the efficient work Of the
hose mcu. none of the other barns,
although very near, were damaged in
The least.
All attempts to save the burning
barn were vain. The hay and feed
CIung to the flames stubbornly and
sent up great showers Of sparks
The structure was torn asUnder by
the liremen, but it was only when
skeleton and two badly charred
sides were left, that the fire was
entirely eXtinguished. The two sides
facing the wind were all consumed,
but there is enough left of the other
two TO know that the structure was
once all enclosed. Rickety. half
burned rafters span the roof A
1.,1 Of
ting the sparks all eXtinguished in
the hay.
The Losses and Insurance.
Mr.. Allcman is not sure whether
his barn is insured or not He says
that he holds policy but is not
sure whether it has run out or not
None of Mr. Gauthier's stock or
property was insured. Mr. Gauthier
estimates his loss at over $500. Mr.
Allcman says that his barn was
worth at least 800, but is not sure
whether his policy if it is valid, will
cover the loss.
Mr.. AllCman is at a loss TO find
the cause OF the fire and is inclined
10 think that it was incendiary. al
though he knows of no one to sus-
peCt. 1t is not the time of year for
hay TO start spontaneous combustion
and he was certain that there was
no fire in the barn when he left at
S:30. MIR Gauthier says that when
he came running out of the house he
looked into the barn, but noticed
that the doors were open about i
foot. He says that he is sure he
had them shut and fastened. al.
Il -
bed. This leads him to think that
some weary William Hobo, had en-
tered the barn and become locked in
the arms Of Morpheus before his
pipe went out. Then. when he was
awakened by the fire he lost no
time in getting from the building
From Tuesdays Daily.
Birthday Surprise Party.
About siXty-fvc guests gathered at