Our Past Is Present February 22, 2018

February 22, 2018

            This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

            The H.D. Thompson Livery Stable and Bus Barn caught fire on the evening of February 22, 1912.  This was the second time in two years.  As was the case in the first fire, the main damage that night was confined to the hay store in the loft.  About 25 tons of hay was spoiled by the fire and water.  The alarm was turned in at 10:00 in the evening and from that time until early in the morning the firemen were kept busy.  It started in the rear of the barn just after several employees had gone to bed.  They reported that they had seen no evidence of a fire and the origin remained unknown.  The hay and grain were a total loss and the barn roof was almost completely destroyed.  The horses were temporarily moved to the Central Livery Stable. Mr. Thompson was gone from the city at the time of the fire, but the contents were insured as was the building owned by M.H. Foss.

            While the fire department was busy fighting that fire that evening, the stable in the rear of the Murray Bakery was on fire and an alarm was turned on.  Three horses in that barn were scorched.  However, their blankets saved them from being badly burned.  The horses and harnesses were taken out and the fire quickly extinguished with the only loss being about a ton of hay.  Mr. Murray stated the next morning that he believed that this fire, which also started in the loft was of incendiary origin.

            We appreciate the work of our fire fighters even today and thank them for the many hours of training not only about fighting fires, but tending to those with injuries.

            And… thanks to each of you for reading “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.