Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-01
A FIRE AND ARREST.
Sudden and Mysterious Blaze in
RoOkeries on Ferry Street.
BUILDINGS TOTALLY BURNED OUT.
The Proprietor Placed Under Arrest an
Hour AfterWard.
CARRIED BODILY INTO THE STATION

A mysterious fire and strange arrest
took place last night on Ferry street, near
First avenue. At7:21 o'clock an alarm was
sounded from box 4, located at the corner Of
Ferry street and First avenue. When the
engines reached the box the frame building
at No. Ferry street was blazing like a
Fourth of July bonfire.
The buildings in that row are all very old
wooden structures. The scratch Of match
on black clapboard would almost set them
all ablaze before the match could be blown
out They have been standing for 40 years
and are guiltless of paint. The one-story
shanty at No. 5 Ferry street was occupied
as a coal and woodshed by Lowry, the pro-
prietor Of the United States Hotel, which
fronts on Water street. No. Z is two stories
in height, with small dwelling in therear,
which was occupied by Barney Dougherty.
The two-story front was occupied by Brown
& Co., makers of tents and awnings.
The one-story. house at No. 9 Ferry street
was occupied by Joseph Howard, colored
man, who kept restaurant where the most
elaborately prepared dish would not cost a
patron more than a dime. All these proper
ties belong to the Risher estate, and are in
the hands of Black & Baird. A contractor
would probably have refused to tear them
down and take the material for his pay.
IT BURNED RAPIDLY.
About ten minutes before the alarm the
policeman on the beat passed along the side
walk and saw nothing. The flames burnt
out of the roof before the alarm was rung
The fire began in the second story. The
place had been closed and the three workmen
left at six o'clock. Barney DoughertY, in
the rear, was eating his supper. The first
warning he had was the burst of flames and
smoke. He had no time to save any Of his
furniture. The fremen threw such volume
of water that in Is minutes the blaze was
out. Everything was burned in No. Z, and
the building practically destroyed. The
loss there was not over $780, Superintendent
Evans thought. There was very little stock.
The small shanties on either side was some
what scorched and were deluged with water.
Howard estimated his loss at $50.
The firm ofBrown & Co. consists of Will
lam Brown, who lives at Ingram station, on
the Panhandle Railroad; Robert G. Brown,
living at the corner of Bedford avenue and
Morgan street, in the Thirteenth ward, Is
said to be interested.
A DRUNKEN MAN ARRESTED.
The fire was rung "out" at 8:21 o'clock.
Just about one hour later Patrolman Will
lam P. Smith, who went on duty at 9 o'clock,
saw drunken man stumbling over pile of
sewer pipe at the corner of Ferry street and
First avenue. The man finally fell in
heap on the sidewalk. He was fairly well
dressed, was about 35 years old and we'll
built. The officer called the wagon and
sent the man 10 the Central station as
"drunk." At the station the patrolmen
carried the prisoner into the cell.
When he was searched by Sergeant Myers
it was found that his pockets contained lot
of bill and letter heads of Brown & Co., a
letter addressed to William Brown by Rob-
ert c. Brown, and postal card addressed to
William Brown. In addition to this there
was an illustrated handbill entitled, ''The
DEVILS Toboggan Slide" It was circulated
by the prohibition amendment advocates in
May last, and depicted in horrid imagery
the swift descent of the topper down the in
cline into the Kissing flames at the base,
where there stood a sable gentleman in un-
dress style holding firmly in his two hands
a well-sharpened toasting fork. A penkniGe
completed the property.
An hour later Inspector McAleese took a
look into the cell, and recognized the un-
conscious prisoner as William Brown, the
principal member of the place which was
burned