Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-12-01
Remarkable IncendiariSm.
Several Hotels set on Fire.
tFrom tie New yors Tribune, Nov. acl

A concentrated and skillful attempt was
mado last night by secessionist thieves,
oonspirators and incendiaries to set on Gre
our principal hotels, though, fortunately
at this timo of writing, l2:15 AL m.-without
success in any instance, the efforts Of the
conspirators being in each case foiled by the
early discovery Of the fires and before the
flames had gathered any dangerous strength.
So far as our present information goes, the
plan Of operations SCENE to have been for
the incendisry to pile together in some one
of the upper rooms of hotel bod clothers
and other combustibles sprinkle them with
licked the door, to disappear ing the key
with him. That the community has been
saved from the terrible loss of property and
life which might have been expected to
attend such plot, by its fortunate and early
discovery, is matter for profound thank
fulness
AT 8.43 last evening the news was
telegraphed to the different police stations
that fire had been discovered on the third
floor Of the st. James Hotel, Twenty sixth
st. and Broadway. The room in which it
was discovered was locked, and on the door
being forced, the bed was found sprinkled
with phosphorus, the bodclothes and other
articles in the room piled together on the
floor, with number of lucifer matches
slight. Happily the fire was soon ex
tingsished, the damage done being triHng.
At 8:45 p. m. Barnum's Museum was
found to be on fire on the stairs leading to
the third floor That was after little
trouble, extinguished.
At $3.50 p. Ia. news come across the city
that rooms Mes. l39 and 140 of the st.
Nicholas Hotel are on fire. The same
difficulty with the doors is here experienced.
and on forcing an entrance, when the flames
attempted arson are found to exist. Both
the rooms we're badly burnt, the damage
dene amounting to nearly $500. The fire
was extnguished by the fre.brigade of the
establishment, under the directions of the
proprietor.
At $50 fire was discovered in one of the
rooms of the Lafarge House; fire evidently
planned in exactly the same manner, and
attempted through the same agencies of
phosphorus and turpentine, but being early
discovered was put out with q trihing
damage.
At1o:l3 the Methropolitan Hotel was
found on fire. the fire again being on one Of
the upper floors, but being early discovered
was easily put out, the damage in this case
being but small.
1890 p. m., room on the fifth Aoor Of
Loveiey'a Hotel with door locked, was
found in flames, to the great consternati ion
ofthe'guests, many of whom had retired to
rest but by the energetic, courageous, and
persistent efforts OF the demestles and Dir.
Higgins, the proprietor, the fire was got
under before it had spread to any other Of
the roems.
At II O'Clock an alarm Of fire Was second
TINA lead in ovpin,,'e Hail ,ubon N roo,,,
on the fourth floor was found on fire flames
issuing from the bed. Alarm was given at
once, and by the efferts of the people of the
house, assisted by such of the guests as
were on the spot, the fire was subduod.
AT the Metropolitan Hotel valiss was
discovered in the room which had been on
fire; in it some old clothes and pair of old
CATERS soaked in some solution of phos-
phorus, solution so strong that when the
valise was taken to police headquarters,
opened, and the CATERS thrown on the floor,
they burst into fame.
Two arrests we're made last night by the
police. One was that of woman who was
seen to leave the St. Nicholas shortly after
the fire was discovered, and was next seen
to loave the Lafarge House, when almost
Immediately after her departure fire was
discovered there also. The woman is known,
but we are requested not to give any partic
ulars concerning her at present. The other
was arrested at the MstropolitaR.
During the evening Chief Engineer Deck,
er telsgrsphed to all the principal hotels in
the city to have twelve ortitteen pals of waite,
on each floor ready for any emergency, sd.
vice which was in most instances followed.
The damage at the Metropolitan Hotel
will amount to more than 81 800. The FIRE
was in room No. l08
About midnight fire was discovered iu
room No. 28 OF the Belmont Hetel, Fulton
ST., but was soon extinguished. The dam
age will not exceed $50. .Ths usual bottle
of phosphorus was discovered in between
the two beds when tho flames had besn put
out.
At IL so a. m, the 6remen, returning
from the Belmont House, discovered flames
in one Of the rooms on the fourth floor OF
Tammany Hstel. On entering, the FIRE wa.
found to be in room No. 1903
The door was locked. and the hamss on
entering were found to proceed from the
he'd as in the other cases, tho means of ig-
milton being again bottle OF phosphorous.
The damage will perhaps equal 500 from
fire and water.
Strict watch was kept at all the hotel.
during last night, the doors Of most of them
being kept locked and guarded. 90 as to
prevent the admission Of any persons not
belonging to the house, while many Of the
guests preferred to stay up all night in
preference to taking the chance Of being
caught asleep should an alarm be given
during the night
The detective force under John s. Young
were of course on the alert, and it was
through their fundamentally that the two
arrests before referred to were made. The
prisoners were detained during last night at
Police Headquarters, preparatory to their
examination this morning.