The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-11-23
The Egis and Intelligencer.
Bel Air, Md, November %, 1883.
Fastening Animals i'm Stables.

The practice of combining horses aud cattle il
large numbers in the easements of barns and il
large stables has grown up in this country sc
rapidly in the last few years that the number
and value of the animals now so kept is almost
beyond our ordinary powers of conception In
the meantime adequate means for releasing
such animals in case OF fire, rapidly and safely,
have not been generally adopted, and the con-
sequence is that fires, involving the wholesale
destruction of valuable horses and cattle, have
become matters of almost daily occurrence
The burning OF Mr.. Hays barn, of which we
gave some account last week, is a case in point,
although the number of animals burned was
comparatively small. When Mr.. Hays discov-
cred the fire the only possible way of releasing
his mules from the burning building was by en-
:eriug the stables and cutting the halters from
the heads OF the frantic brutes. This he at
tempted to do at the imminent risk OF his own
life, and succeeded in cutting four of the mules
loose but was unable to release the other two,
although he was very severely burned and other
wise injured in the effort.
The frequency of such occurrences as well as
the amount of property involved, has rendered
some Improvement on the methods of fastening
such animals in their stalls matter of absolute
necessity and we have reason 10 believe that a
citizen of this county has successfully solved
the difficulty. Some years since Judge Walters,
who is engaged in farming in addition TO his
official duties, conceived and put into practical
effect the idea of providing an arrangement by
which he could release all the chains or halters
hi, al IA
out entering the building. Since then he has
perfected this idea TO such degree as to justify
practical farmer, like Mr.. Lee, in calling it an
"invaluable invention"
1t is no part ofour present purpose to describe
the means by which the result is accomplished,
but knowing that some of our most extensive
and most practical farmers have used Judge
Waters fastener for several years, we thought
it due to the public to ask them to give the re-
suit of their experience, and in reply we have
received the letters which we give below. In
this community, where the reputation of the
writers is so well known, any additional com
mcndation is well nigh impossible SO large
proportion of our readers are farmers that we
consider it duty as well as pleasure to give
place to whatever concerns their interest, and
we therefore publish the following letters with
more than ordinary satisfaction
LETTER FROM WILLIAM wOoLSEY.
MIR. EDITOR As you ask for the experience
of those who have used Judge Waters method
of fastening and christening cattle and horses in
stables, will give you mine, although am not
much in the habit of giving certificates.
have used these fasteners in my cattle stables
for three or four years, having them now in sew
enty-four stalls, and what l think of them may
be briefly summed up by saying that in my opin-
ion they bear about the same relation to the old
methods of fastening and unfastening animals as
the modern reaping machine does to the sickle.
AS d mere matter of convenience in their daily
use, without regard TO any question of additional
security, consider that mine pay for themselves
at least once every winter.
If my experience can be of any use to my
brother farmers, you are welcome to 1t, and will
only add that from your account as well as from
what | have beard otherwise, am sure that if
Mr.. Hays had had his mules secured with these
fasteners he could not only have saved them all,
but have done it without any risk of injury to
himself.
WILLIAM WooLsEY.
CharchuiRe, NOU. 1911, 1883.