The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-01-06
A Bad CONFEDERATION.

Fire broke out in Thomas & Brad
hams livery and sales stables last Sun
dav morning at about II o'clock, ant
destroyed the building, which was {
large structure, together with thous
ands of pounds of hay, several cal
loads of corn, peas and oats, and sever
horses, among them was a fine stallion
a favorite riding horse and mum
Der Of hogs. The firm had just re
ceived one hundred wagons which
were also destroyed together with sew
eral farming machines. at the time
the fire was discovered there was blow
ing crisp breeze from the northwest
which increased as the flames rapidly
began eating tn :ir way out OF the enor
nous mass of combustible matter: II
the shortest possible time the flames,
first discovered issuing from the middle
OF the roof. had enveloped the entire
building. The stables had about oC
head of horses and mules. and 1t IS due
to the coolness of MIR. W. ?. Hawkins,
that so much OF the stock was saved.
He was among the first to reach the
fire. and being familiar with the
premises, ran through a gateway lead
ing TO the back of the stable, and then
he broke open door, turned out the
major portion of the mules and horses
While MIR. Hawkins was working to
rescue the stock in the rear. others had
broken open the front door, and rushed
in to save the horses hitched in the
stalls: one man in his efforts to sare
horses. succeeded in cutting one loose
and in stepping back to keep from
being trampled he stumbled over
somthing which caused him TO fall. by
this time the interior OF the building
was densely filled with smoke, and as
the man rose from the fall, the smoke
had blinded him so that it was with
difficulty he staggered out into the
fresh air, it would have been almost
impossible for him to have remained in
that smoke = minute longer and sur
vived.
\ great crowd gathered and worked
faithfully to save property. white ana
colored did herculean service. The
building on the opposite side OF the
street used as harness factory and
buggy house had begun burning and
was in fair way to go, when FORUM
atelv the wind changed and gave the
workers chance TO save it. The
building used as the telephone ex-
change was smoking on the caves. but
being we'll covered with tar paper, and
the wind blowing from it, saved not
only that building, but everything on
that block. 1t looks almost miraculous
that no more buildings were destroyed
and it is a sad sight to look upon the
debris and see seven herses crisp. and
piles of grain. When the portion OF
the building used as the Office fell IN
the safe was exposed to view with its
door wide open, and all thought that
every book, securities and paper was
gone to add to the distress of the own
ers OF this property, but it was not to
be so. AS soon as the safe could be
reached, it was found that the main
books were intact, and about Sl46 in
in currency and silver, in perfect con-
dition. Had these books been destroy
ed, the loss to Thomas & Bradham
would have been many times greater,
but as it is, we estimate the property
destroyed to be about $4,000 which IS
insured for 50. $50.
When the work OF rescue was about
over. another alarm of fire was given.
this time tenant house belonging to
Mr.. ". S. Harvin caught on fire, but It
was soon eXtinguished.