The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-08-19
Grain I, Ilp,sen'li alr:i i,

FsEf.Ds Of ssaaLi P0HNTKs ~ ~
a telegram from sun Jose, July 80, to the
San Francisco Chronicle, says During last
winter rilmors were rife In this vicinity
that as soon as the new grain crop should
be ready to harvest It would be burned. AT
that time the threats were regarded as
mere sensation, and no attention was paid to
them, particularly as they could be traced
TO no individual source. Recent events. how.
ever, bring them to mind with startling
distinctness, and create heimpression that
there possibly exists an organization
having the execution oil, the threats US
its object. Last weeE fire broke out In
grain-field belonging to Robert WEIGH,
lying between Milpitas and BcIryessa,
which DESTROYED about 5000 worth OF gram.
At the time the fire was regarded as an ac-
cidcnt. Shortly after some persons I'M
known covered clipper standing IN neid,
in the same neighDorhood, with straw
which was fred, and the clipper entirely
DESTROYED. This occurred about O'Clock
i'm the morning, and about two hours later
the Stubble in the neighborhood OF the
threshing-machine was fired, evidently in
tended to burn the machine. The act,
however. was frustrated by the hands
camped with the machine, who extinguished
the fire. This morning another attempt was
made to FIRE the grain-felds in that quarter,
which reveals the method employed by the
sceundrels engaged in the work. About 8
O'Clock this morning some men who were
working in Robert Welch's field, near Ber-
ryessa, saw a fire fash up in a distant quar-
ter OF the large field, and Mt once fastened
to the point, succeeding finally in eXtin-
gushing the flames. Scarcely was this done
before another fire was observed to mystic
rionsly spring up about half a mile away, to
which the men FASTENED, and again sue
ceeded in mastering the threatened contla-
grafton. A few moments afterward, and
almost simultaneously, two fires broke
out in distant quarters OF the held,
and apart from each other several hundred
yards. Again the men, by this time re-
inforced by number OF neighboring farm
ers and field hands, went to work, the force
being divided so as to attend to-. both cases
at the same time, and again success crowned
their efforts, though for a time it looked rs
il the fire would get beyond their powers
to quel., and sweep southwark on the breath
of the strong breeze through the miles OF
grain lying uncut between that point and
Gilroy The occurrence OF four fires in the
same field without any apparent cluse ex-
cited much astonishment and alarm, and,
believing that it could not be accident or
the result Of scattered. PHOSPHORUS, search
was made for the cause. Some dis
lance from the point where the fire
first broke out one OF the search
ers discovered piece Of heavy wire about
two feet long, one end OF which was stuck
in the ground and the upper end inserted
in piece OF candle, the lower end Of which
was wrapped with piece Of paper satura-
ted with Kerosene, which was wound
around the wire, and the lower end Inserted
in quantity OF straw collected around the
base OF the upright wire. On searching the
place where the fires broke out correspond
ing wires were found sunk in the ground
OF course minus the candle and paper.
The apparatus employed indicates that
the candles were lighted in the night, and
the time required IN burning to the olied
paper afforded the perpetrator ample OPP
portunitv to get a long distance away
before The tire should break out. It is
also believed that the candles were
prepared Of the same length, so as to cause
the fires to break out in different parts OF
the field at the same time, thereby render
Ing all efforts to subdue them futile, and re-
sultng in a general conf1agration OF grain
in this valley. The discoveries have created
the most intense excitement in the neigh
borhood, and hundreds OF men are now Ell
gagged in guarding the fields, though OF
course it's not probable that any more fires
will occur soon in that immediate vicinity,
as the perpetrators, OF course, did not wait
TO be assured OF the success OF the plan be-
fore leaving for other fields OF usefulness.
The farmers are now making subscriptions
for the purpose Of offering large reward
for the capture OF any grain incendiary,
and so great is the indignation that should
that event occur we shall certainly have to
record IynchinS in this county.