The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-08-14

act of firing a building. This was tn
expression Of public sentiment. and wa
moi confined to the officers alone.
THE PEOPLE,
with unanimous expressions, declare
in favor of lynch law, and had mis-
creant with the slightest suspicion beel
caught with combustibles, the neares
lamp post would have borne his lifeles
I form within half an hour Of his arrest
Every one was armed. Shot guns an
pistols were loaded and many sat up al
night to guard their property, and
was unsafe to cross an alley without be
ing halted aud identified. In all tn,
principal alleys squads Of citizen police
armed to the teeth, watched until day
break, and reliefs took their places ant
watched throughout the day An ex
cited populace thronged the streets al
day yesterday. and the same active
measures were taken to guard the cit,
from the nellish work Of the unknown
incendiaries.
GIVE WOODWARD & co. A DOSE.
On Saturday evening two men, stran'
gers, passed through the alley between
Fourth and Fifth streets. A woman ir
the rear of a lot fronting on Fifth
street heard one remark: "We will
give Woodward Il Co. the next dose
tonight" Spaulding, Woodward d
Co., is the firm name OF q large iron
company here, and 1t was at once sup
posed the remark was intended 10 apply
to them as threat Of firing their mill
Mrs. Forbs, the lady who heard the re-
mark, ran to the house and told her
son Of the remark she had heard, and
he at once hurried off for the police.
The men were searched for but TO clue
as 10 their whereabouts or identify
could be obtained. Extra precautions
were taken, however, by the company
to guard their buildings.
ATTEMPTED INCENDIARlsM.
About nine o'clock on Sabbath nj ght
a bundle OF combustibles was diScov-
cred in the large stable in the rear OF the
property of John Orr, Esq. 1t was
nicely arranged for firing, but Mr.. Orr
discovered it before the match was ap-
piled. No doubt it was intended to be
fired after another contlagration lad
been started in another portion OF the
city, but the vigilance of the police and
extra patrolmen prevented the villains
from carrying out their designs.
WHAT Is THE OBJECT.
There is a diversity of opinion as tc
the object of the well organized band
of incendiaries. Some think il is tol
plunder, while others are Of the opinion
that it is done from pure spirit OF dev
ilment. II it were the object to plum
der stores, the time of both fires have
been badly arranged. The former fire
in Bank alley, was we'll managed, il
taking advantage of the hour the police
went off duty, but no effort that We
could hear Of, was made by the incendi'
aries to plunder dwellings and stores
The same might be said OF the Friday
night fire. The man who selected the spo
to start the fire, did so with good
Judgment. He fred a building adjoin'
ing a warehouse where some five keg:
of powder and hundred or more bar.
rels OF coal oil were stored. At so earl
an hour in the evening the firemen AND
citizens were enabled TO rush in anc
carry out the powder and roll the OF
away from the flames but had it beer
at midnight no earthly power could
have saved the entire block from Mar
ket to Washington, north and south
and High and Third, east and west
from being prey to the devouring ele-
ments, while the south side Of Marke
would have suffered similar fate
The singular hours taken for the fire
lead many 10 suppose it has been the
work of loafers, and not skilled villains
whose object has been to burn down tht
city. On the other hand, the locations
selected, in both instances, in the real
of two blocks, in a nest OF stables
shows conclusiyely that the incendiarie:
understand their business, and theil
successful escape gives evidence of coo
heads and well laid plans. The limited
supply Of water, owing to the picayun'
pipes now supplying the city, was alst
known by the iRcendisries, for tht
plugs in the upper part OF the city wer'
started running. evidently with the view
of reducing the water so the Reliance
steamer could not be worked, and th'
object was nearly accomplished, for th'
engine had but a light supply during th'
evening
TRYING TO CUT THE HOSE.
During the fire several suspiciou
parties were seen meddling with tn,
hose, and some thirteen persons wer'
arrested before the companies put out ,
guard. Nothing positive could b
proven upon the parties, but they are
still held in custody for further exam
ination. One of the men claims tba
he knows all about the origin Of th,
fire, but his assertions are not deemed
reliable, and are believed to1'ssvor o
more bragadocio than truth. 1t is yer!
evident that the hose of the Pbenil
steamer was interfered with by som,
parties. rsrr
GENERAL GRANT says he had no wisl
to be renominated for the Presidency
Oh yes. we remember well how be haC