Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-08-21

Mysterious Blaze In the Cellar OF
SammcI EeIIheinIcr,s Pls.ce.

Mysterious IslazS In the Cellar of
samuel FeIiheinIcr's Place.
Fire broke out in the rear cellar un Ter
Samuel Fellhsimsr's cigar store, NJ. 303
Market street, at an early hour on Tues
day. Fortunately 1t was soon discovered
and by the prompt and eff ,ient work Of
the fire department, what might have q
disastrous fire was prevented. The fire
was doubtless incendiary and the cir
cumstRnces of its origin are mysterious
and demand investigation.
About 10 O'Clock last night week
a mysterious fire broke out in the saue
cellar, which is on level With the yard
in the rear of the store. II was quickly
discovered and extinguished with Few
buckets of water. At that time the cellar
was filled with old boxes, psper md rnb-
bish, which was afterwards cleaned ont,
leaving but two boxes there. That fire
was believed to be inoendiary also.
Tuesdays fire was discovered by
two newsboys who were passing the store.
They ran to the poles station and Ssr-
Reant Stewart ran to box 81 at Third and
King streets, and cent out az alarm.
AT the same. time Mr.. Fellheimer had ar.
rived at the bIx and was looking for the
key. The tiremen took line of hose
through Samuel Levy's clothing store,
No. $40 Market street and poured water
directly into the burning cellar. Another
stream was thrown in the front cellar
window, and the Il lmeH wers extinGuished
in 20 minutes. The woodwork OF the
cellar, the window shutters aud frames
and the rafters of the floor above are
badly burned and charred, but the flames
did not get through the floor. There
was nothing of value In the cellar.
The store contained stock of tobacco
and cigars. valued at about $4,000 or
$4,000. 1t ww damaged by smoke and
water, mostly by smoke, to the tx'ent of
40 or so per cent. There Is $4,000 in
surance on the stock, placed by j. NJ.
Mather and divided ~ follows: Liberty,
$500; Merchants u Newark, N j.,
81 900; Westches.er OF New York, $500;
Northern Assurance of England, 81 900;
Girard Of Philadelphia, $l, 600. After
the fire last week Mr.. Fellhsimer put an
ad iitional $500 on fixtures and $500 on
his household furniture, both in the Han
over of New York, making total insur-
ance Of $5, 1000.
MIR. Fellheimer and his clerk, John d.
Orr, stale that they were asleep in the
third story of the building when the fire
broke out, MIR. Orr in the front room and
Mr.. Fsllheimer In the back room. Orr
was awakened by the smoke and found
FelIheimer so stupshed by it, that he
had to roll him AMI shake him to wake
him. Both man caught up some clothing
and CROPPED their way out the back way.
Samuel L4y5's family at No. $40 were
also awakened by the smoke. A young
spaniel whoss bowling had drawn atten-
tion to the previous fire, and large pet
cat which were in the cigar store were
sutfocsted.
The insurance companies will make
careful investigation into the cause OF the
fire. Mr.. Fellheim4r said Tuesday morning
that he had asked the police TO inVssti-
CUTE it and had offered reward of $500
for the arrest of the guilty parties. He
says that everything was all right In the
cellar, when he closed the store at IL. 80
O'Clock Monday night.A person could enter
the back yard from King street by means
of an alley which runs in Beside Steyton's
commission store, and entrance into tho
cellar would then be easy. Mr.. Fell.
heimer is said to do a large business and
as he sells low has doubtless made
enemies in the trade.