The New York herald., 1879-03-09
TERRORIzED BY FIREBUGs.

WEEK OF CONSTANT ExCITEMENr AND FEAR
IN COLUMBUS, oHIo--FoKTY BUILDINGS SET
ON FIRE-NoNE OF THE INCENDIABIEs DE-
rEcrED-rHE WHOLE CITY WATCHING FoR
THE MIsCREANTs
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
COLUMBUS Ohio. March 8. 1870
Columbus has never contained many excited
psope at present. For seven days and nights the
feeling of insecurity to property has been increasing
with each hour, until now each clsng Of the alarm
bell makes every one trembie and sends Thousands
upon the streets to whose property has been
started toward ruin. Since last Saturday night forty
fires have occurred which can be traced to incen-
diaries. entaing heavy loss. Last night. between
midnight and morning. eight stables were burned.
while evidences Of other attempts at incendarsm
abundant. The miscreants bafne all attempts
to prevent their wrongdoing. This morning
gentleman found fire burning in his cellar clothes
prop having been cut to pieces to start the flames In
another house bundle of rags saturated with
coal oil was found hidden in closet. having been
thrown there through an open window. Booths ex-
tensive carriage manufactory found to be fire,
with evidence of the presence Of coal oil abundant.
the people out, and although the police force
has been increased and citizens have employed pri-
of the city and general feeling Of inse
curity prevails.
MEASURES FOR PROTECTION.
citizens meeting of to-day attended by rep
resentative men. who with great unanimity de-
manded that the city authorities shall spare
pense to stamp out the incendiarism and restore
quiet to the city. The City Council responded by
holding special meeting and resolving to spend
$4,000 If necessary for this purpose. The police
have been arrested Still the excitement was not
allayed and the militia tendered their services
% Uy the and with ana In
arrest all suspicious characters. Neighborhood
meetings tonight have been held, and
local patrols organized. Tho streets thronged
with people whose only conversation is of the fires
past and those feared for the future. In many
tions of the city valuabes have been packed. ready
for instant removal in case of fire. and citizens who
never fred gun. are now walking arsenals.
MUrTERINGs
With each days excitement the mob spirit has
grown. and it was quite common to-day to hear from
quiet citizens suggestions that the time had nearly
f0r who un39 a
selves. If any suspicious character should be
captured in the act Of firing a building
services. The most rigid Investigations fail to
develop any special reason. other than the love
9 se for nat tSe snus
of robbery has been reported although the op-
portunities have been abundant. There has been no
They have not even been suspected OF
having, any sympathy with this attempt to
time where the parties firing buildings have obtained
their coal OIL but discovered to-day that they
obtained it from the street lamps. which, from mis-
taken idea Of economy. have recently been substi-
tuted Tor gas Tonight each alley is alive with
armed men, and each citizen attempting to
pass through them is halted and made to give
count Of himself. The scenes similar to those
presented in garrisoned city during w'r. and ex-
citement shows itself upon the faces of the
has caused family men to abandon the
comforts of their club and remain at homo nursing
revolvers and assisting servants in Watching out
buildings. Some citizens have sent their
horses away, while others spending the
night as special watchmen over their own
and their neighbors. Every citizen longs for rest
from this consu ming excitement and return to the
old condition and quiet nights, undsturbed by the
alarm bell the lurid bl ,ze of burning buildings.