Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 202, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 August 1911 — BIG FIRE LOSS OF NEWTON COUNTY RANCH. [ARTICLE]

BIG FIRE LOSS OF NEWTON COUNTY RANCH.

Barn and 18 Head of Horses and Mules And 5,000 Bushels of Oats Destroyed Friday Evening. The old Kight ranch, one mile and a half west of Fair Oaks, and now the property of J. J. Lawler, of Chicago, was visited by a destructive fire Friday evening at about 7 o’clock, and a loss estimated at >8,500 resulted. The ranch is being managed by a farmer named George Williams. He was milkipg in the barn lot when he saw the fire and he ran into the barn and tried to save the horses and mules. He cut a number of the halters, but most of the animals refused to leave the barn, and it was so hot that Mr. Williams was compelled to give up his attempted rescue. Of nineteen head that were ln the barn, all but three were killed in the -fire. The barn was a large one and contained 5,000 bushels of oats and a quantity of hay, all of which was lost, as also was the harness. Mr. Lawler was in Rensselaer and was notified by telephone soon after the fire started. He procured Mike Kuboske to take him to the scene of the fire. When they arrived there the barn was in ruins. The barn and contents was insured for >5,000 in the Charles Steward agency, of Rensselaer.