Items from the 1889 New Era, part 4

A sundry of news items from the Valley Falls New Era from January to November 1889, Part IV.
- Compiled by Betty Jane Wilson, president of the Valley Falls Historical Society.

November 28 —

Last week we visited Orchard Hill Farm and wrote up the famous horses, Everemond, Joe Larkin, Prairie Wilkes, and Wedgemond. They were the glory of Jefferson County and Kansas was justly proud of them. Now it becomes our duty to chronicle the fact that all four of these valuable animals are dead; burned up. Through, we might say, criminal thoughtlessness of an employee on the farm. A lighted lantern was left in the stall where Wedgemond was taking his breakfast Sunday morning, and while no one was in the barn, the horse, presumably, knocked the lantern over.

The Webster family was eating breakfast when the fire was observed. Heroic efforts were made to secure the horses, but nothing could be saved. The north and south doors of the barn were left open and the wind was from the north, so a draft was made and the whole inside of the barn was burning before the fire was observed.

Copy from the Topeka Capital:
In the stable were, beyond any question, the finest collection of trotting bred horses including Everemond, 2:24 1/4 ; Prairie Wilkes, 2:39 (a 3-year-old); Edgemond, 2:41 (4-year-old); and Joe Larkin, a famous stallion. All were destroyed in spite of all efforts to save them. The breeding of the horses was exceptionally fine. Everemond had proved himself one of the fastest and gamest race horses ever in Kansas, and hardly one month since his yearling son, Patsy Curtis, made a record 2:52, the fasted time for a yearling between the Mississippi River and California.

Prairie Wilkes had a 3-year-old record made at Emporia this fall of 2:39. Wedgemond had a 4-year-old record of 2:41. Joe Larkin, was a fine looking, large, and well-gaited roadster; no horse in Kansas took first place over him.

The entire loss to Webster & Son cannot be estimated, but $75,000 would not replace the destroyed property. There was no insurance. The loss is not confined to Webster & Son, but the State of Kansas is the same. The proprietors no doubt have the deepest sympathy of all Kansas breeders, and it is to be hoped this loss will not prevent them from being in the future as in the past, the foremost breeders in Kansas and the west.