The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-11-24
A BAD FIRE.
Nineteen Finely Trained Horses
anu Other Property Burned.
Tho Wild West Show Isuinod. Fire
Was Set snd Several SUSPECTS
Will Oa Arrested,

The Augusta Chronicle says what
was probably the most disastrous fire
Of rec,nt years occurred Wednesday
morning wheD two stahles, two barns,
one hundred and fifty tons of hay and
many valuable farming implements,
the whole being The property of Mr.
w. III. Buford and nineteen fine
trained Texas horses, the property OF
Capt. @. w. Riggs, were destroyed,
totaling loss Of about 828. 900. the
fire occurred on the E E.lorsdO FARM,
and is supposed to have been Of incen-
diary or gin.
The fire was discovered Wednes
day morning about O'Clock by ne
groes residing on the Eldorado Farm.
When the alarm was given the two
Dig barns were o mass Of 1ames.
Within few nom nts the two ad
Joining st4bles, In which twenty hor.
ses we're occupying stall ignited, and
before, the horses could be recued the
stables also were In flames.
BY that time Mr.. BufOrd, the Ow.
ner Of the Eldorado Farm, Capt.
Riggs, the proprietor of the wild wes'
show which Is wintering on the farm
together with all their employees had
gathered on the scene and made sever.
al ATTIC mpts to check the progress Of
the fire. Their Efforts ON this Ines,
however, proved inc tfsotual. Fort.
unately wind kept the flames from
reaching the reside CO buildings and
the tents OF Capt. Riggs, which were
but few yards distanG.
Those who witnessed the fire say
that their experience was q horrible
one. Four big buildings were blsz
ing fercely. In one was confined
twenty horses who We're being slowly
burned to death. Their snorts and
squeals Of terror and pain brought
tears to the eyes Of the spectators,
who were powerless to aid them, Ole
horse escaped from the building, but
80 badly burned that it will not live.
Capt. Riggs loss will amount to
absut $4,000. The horses wore OF
unusually fine breed, and besides,
we're trained for circus pu Exposes.
Many Of them-the more Intelligent
ones s-held high place In his affeo
tions, and he feels their loss In other
than q pecuniary way. He himself
declares that he Is heartbrCken.
MIR. Bufords loses aggregate ella, 900
at the lowest estimate. The barns
and stables were the largest and pos.
sibly the best equipped In or near the
uity. Besides he lost many threshing
ml lines Of great value, hundreds OF
farm Implement and about one hun
dred and fifty tons of hay. The prop
erty was not insured. Those who are
in position to know declare that
he lire was Of incendiary origin. 1t
"as even stated that certain persons
we're suspc cted Of having committed
the m lllclouS act, and that their ar.
Arrest would shortly follow.
The Chronicle says touching In.
cldent, and one that was o rare ex.
ample OF the devotion that some anil
naIs bear for their masters and mis-
Oresses, was witnessed Wednesday
morning by few who had driven out
10 the Eliorado Farm to view the
Gene OF the terrible fire, when little
Miss Riggs, the daughter Of Capt. c..
| w. Riggs, who wa9 the owner Of the
norscs, succeeded In getting Ruby"
,he Only horse OF twenty that escap.
Cd lrJm the iltmes. to rize from the
grCuld, after many had striven Iii
vain to induce the burned and suffer
ing beast to stir from the position In
which 1t had fallen.
The horses hide, where Ii had not
been burned Ctf completely, resembled
leather; It's eyes were burned out, and
Is head and face terribly blistered.
After escaping from the burning sta
ole the hOr8e hao been led to water
ing trough beside which 1t had fallen.
Several men had been endeaYoring
for number Of hours to induce the
beast to stand 9n It's legs. But their
coaxing and threats had been in vain
Miss Riggs approached within a
few feet of the horse which had once
oeen her pet,
Ruby she softly called; RUBY,
please get up"
For moment the horse lay still
then 1t made one supreme effort and
staggered to its feet, Guided by heI
voice Ruby" walked forward few
steps on weak, shaking legs. just
as Miss Riggs patted It's forehead the
legs collapsed and the herae fell tt
the ground:
And despite the further efforts Of
Whip poor win, Capt. Riggs' Chero
kee Indian associate, Ii refused Il
bulge.
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