Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-09-23
SUE COTTON BELT
 FOR e125.000 Residents of Pine Bluff Who Suffered in Big Fire and Insurance Companies Ask Damages.
BLAME THE RAILROAD
Say That Sparks From Their Engine Started the Big Blaze-RecaIIs February Catastrophe-Suits Filed Here Today.

Flfty-eight damage suits. aggre- gating about s125,OO0, were filed in the Jefferson circuit court this morning against the St Louis South western Railway Company, common ly known as the Cotton Belt, for losses sustained in the big fire which occurred in the East End of this city on February IS, 1907.
 The allegations in the various suits are the same and are in sub- stance as follows: That the building set on fire was owned by J. IT. Shel- by of No. 1105 East Third avenue. It is alleged that it was set on fire by the defendant company, in that it originated from large sparks and burning cinders which were negligently and carelessly permit ted to be thrown from the engine, which was run Or permitted to be run by said defendant company on it's tracks in front of or near said house.
 That said fire so negligently caus- ed by the engine aforesaid, spread and was communicated by the winds to adjoining property, which result ed in the total destruction of over ninety homes and one church and their contents.
 It is further charged that at the time of said fire a high wind was blowing from the direction of the engine, which threw out sparks and cinders, towards the buildings which were destroyed. That the spreading 0f said fire was the natural and probable consequence of the burning of the Shelby home by the negli- gence of the defendant company as therein alleged.
 In the memorable East End fire 1t will be remembered that nearly one thousand people were left home less and many of them penniless. Some of them were dependent upon public subscriptions, which were promptly raised by local citizens They were also given. shelter. The blaze was the largest contiagration that has ever visited this city.
 There seems to be no doubt but what this fire was occasioned by neglect of the defendant railroad company in not providing and fur nishing engines and machinery properly equipped to prevent sparks coming from it's engine in such quantities as to endanger property adjacent to its tracks. It is said that there was no fire in the build ing which first caught, neither had CACIo UCCu dAy IAO1c AOI SCN Oi l days. The flames were first discov- cred on the top of the roof some dis tance from the fues of the building and on the south side, it being next to the railroad tracks.
 1t was small blaze when first discovered and on account of the high winas, which were blowing on that day, it spread rapidly, consum- ing the entire building and spread ing to other buildings so rapidly that the fire was beyond control notwithstanding the prompt re- sponse of the fire boys.
 In less than four hours, so rapid did the flames spread, more than nine blocks of buildings were wiped from the earth, leaving nothing to mark the sites of the residences but the charred remains of the houses and household goods.
 These suits were instituted by the property owners in the burned dis trict for losses sustained over and above the amounts of insurance re-