The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-04-17

farm was purchased by Mr.. Law
SON from Charles Rogers.
Fire of unknown origin destroyed
the great stock barn of Sam Lawson
on the Milwaukee road Tuesday night
at seven o'clock and burned to ashes
% cows and six horses which were i'm
prisoned within the building. When
the fire was discovered, it had gained
such Roadway that it was impossible
to get into the stanchions to release
the suffering cattle within.
The loss from the fire is estimated
at between $4,000 and $4,000 Fire
Chief Schwartz was summoned from
Kenosha and joined the small army of
men who surrounded the burning
building and fought the flames SO that
they did not reach the house.
The Lawson farm is about FIVE miles
from the city of Kenosha, located three
fourths of a mile south of the Geneva
road on the Milwaukee road, highway
81. Sam Lawson and his boys were
out in the barn doing chores and milk
ing cows about six o'clock. They fin.
ished their task and went into the
house at that time, while it was still
daylight. There are no electric wires
in the barn, and neither Lawson nor
his sons smoke, it was said.
The family went in to supper, and
about seven o'clock one of the girls Of
the household, standing in the kitchen,
noticed flames ascending from the roof
of the barn which was about TOO feet
below them. The alarm was given
to the men.
Cannot Reach Animals Within.
The rush was made at once towards
the barn but it was evident that it
had been burning for some time, and
had gained great Roadway due to q
stiff east wind, and quantity of dry
hay under the barn roof. The flames
seemed to be strongest at the north
and horses were in their stables at
the south end.
The men ripped the south door open
and three maddened cattle rushed out,
their stanchions round their necks.
They had evidently torn themselves
loose from the stall and were near the
door. The other poor beasts were UNI
able to get out, and it was hopeless
task to, attempt to reach them as the
fire was now roaring within and the
combined flames and smoke struck hor-
ror into the spectators.
Chief Schwartz Joins Fight.
Helping hands were not wanting, and
all about joined in the fight upon the
fire. Chief Schwartz of the Kenosha
fire department was summoned, and
he hurried out alone in his red road
ster. He could see the sky lit with an
ominous red hue as he drove west
ward. 1t was impossible for city aid
to do ought for the burning barn. In
adequate as the water supply is on the
farm, there is nothing with which to
feed the long hose of the city fire
equipment, and chemicals in such a
case were of no avail. Chief Schwartz
lent his aid in every way he could, but
discerned at once that all that could
be done was to concentrate upon a
control of the fire so that it did not
spread it's devastating flames further.
This, the men at work on the spot,
were already trying to prevent. A
small garden hose was played upon the
corner of the house where there was
most danger from the heat and flying
sparks. Fortunately there were no
buildings just west of the barn or the
flames would have swept all within
it's reach. The stiff wind from the
east continued to fan the flames of
the burning barn into a fury. Men in
their shirt sleeves with coats off ran
hither and thither over the fields, US
ing their coats to slap out the sparks
where they. found them. The wind
carried sparks as far as 900 feet away
towards the Balm station.
The barn was soon burned to the
ground, and when Chief Schwartz re-
turned to Kenosha at nire o'clock
there was nothing but a pile of char
red wood Of what had been the build
ing, and mass of bones of what had
been the farmers priced stock
The stock barn which burned was a
(Coutinued on maze n