During the past week two disastrous fires have occurred in this county, in each case the building destroyed being a well built and commodious barn. The particulars, as far as we have been able to learn them, are as follows:About 1 o'clock a.m. on last Saturday morning the big barn on the former B. F. Sauer farm, 4 1/2 miles northwest of this city, was discovered by the neighbors to be on fire. The alarm was sounded and soon a number of people had assembled at the scene of the fire, but nothing could be done to save the building. The barn was built only a few years ago by J. A. Jarnagin, and was one of the best barns in that neighborhood. Fortunately no grain or livestock was in the barn, but quite a quantity of hay and seven sets of good work harness and a few other articles, the total value of which was not far from $1200 together with the building, were a total loss. The owners - W. G. and James Jarnagin - carried no insurance on either the barn or its contents. No clue as to how the fire started has yet been discovered. No one now lives on the farm, hence the most plausible theory is that the fire was set by an incendiary or originated from carelessness of some tramp who may have stopped in the barn for the night. The total loss sustained by the owners was $3000.00 or more.
The second fire was at the home of A. V. Bigbee, a short distance northeast of Wilmore. He had an especially well built barn. It was built on the hillside and was 40X60 feet, and modern in many ways. Between 7 and 8 o'clock Sunday morning the barn was discovered to be on fire, and before anything could be done to check the fire, the blaze had got such a headway that it was impossible to extinguish the flames. The building together with most of its contents was destroyed. In the barn at the time were about 1200 bushels of wheat and 500 bushels of barley, also some articles which are usually kept in a barn and all these were destroyed in the flames. All of the stock which were in the barn at the time were rescued.
It is probable that the cost to replace the loss occasioned by the fire would total between $4000 and $5000. The barn was insured to $2500. It is Mr. Bigbee's intention to rebuild. The origin of the fire is unknown.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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