A Heroic Rescue Amidst a Barn Fire
A fire claimed the barn of Evert Mathis, but a local man's desperate rescue of the horses turned a property disaster into a harrowing life-or-death struggle.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Evert Mathis’ barn was completely destroyed by fire last Sunday afternoon about 4 o’clock. The origin of the fire is unknown and it was past control when it was discovered. The alarm was given out and nearly every able-bodied man and woman turned out and all hands turned their attention to saving the house. Walter English proved himself a hero by releasing two of Mathis’ horses that were in the barn when the fire broke out. He had considerable trouble cutting the halters from the horses and when the work was done he staggered from the barn and fell into a faint. He was carried into Pulliam’s yard and medical aid summoned but it was not until late Sunday night that he regained consciousness. One of the horses, when released, ran out of the barn with its mane on fire and badly burned about the head. $80 worth of hay that had been put into the barn the day before was a total loss. Two good sets of harness burned with four brand new collars that cost $10 each. The total loss is about $400 with $300 insurance.
“Walter English proved himself a hero by releasing two of Mathis’ horses that were in the barn when the fire broke out.”
This event highlights the precariousness of early 20th-century life, where one fire could wipe out an entire year's worth of agricultural investment. It also underscores the community-driven nature of rural fire protection in an era before organized, modern fire departments.
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