Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-07-25
THAT MONOTONOUS CLANG.
1t Is Heard again, Calling the Fire
Brigade to the Region Of
Past Fires.

l0W NcIyDOuy Iusu6S lOWdIu iely
hill, where they are sure to find the
cause of alarm. 1t was scarcely yet
dark last evening when the warning
rang out and bright flame mounted
heavenward in the northeastern part
of the city, the shower of floating
sparks proclaiming more burning
barns.
Such proved to be the case. The
fire started in James Shirley's barn
on the east side of the alley between
Summer and Capital streets on the
south side of Center street, in short
time communicating to the barn of
Miss +. S. Watrous just across the
alley. The fire companies reached
the scene with engines and hose
carts in as quick time Us it Is possible
to cover the distance, but it taxes
only little while for old barns filled
with dry straw and rubbish to be
consumed, and the work of the de-
partment WAS to drown the blazing
embers as quickly as possible aud
prevent the fire from spreading to
the houses or neighboring barns and
to save from destruction the fruit
and shade trees Of the vicinity. In
this, success attended their efforts.
At one time the roof of Mr.. Shlrley's
house commenced to take fire but
this was soon extinguished.
The barns were old and not very
valuable. Mr.. Shirley's could be re-
placed by new structure of the same
size for about $3.50 and that Of Mrs.
Watrous for perhaps less. The latter
carried a small insurance, "enough"
as she good-naturedly said to a JOUR-
NAL reporter, ITO repair the fence"
which was badly broken. A little
hay and some pieces of furniture
were all its contents. In Mr.. Shir-
ley's barn were destroyed a set of
harness and saddle belonging to him
and set of harness belonging to
DR.. j. G.. Griffith. The latter's horse
and buggy, which were kept there
and had been put in very short
time before were taken out unin-
jured. There was no insurance on
the Shirley barn.
This matter is becoming very SER
ious. Seven barns have been burned
down within a few blocks of one
another in about two weeks, and
one, just across the street from last
nights fire, escaped the torch only
by accident last Friday night.
What's to be done, is the "burn-
ing" question. The region selected
by accident, criminal intent or youth
full devilishness is almost wholly un-
protected by water service, the
streams last night from the hy-
drants being less powerful than that
which extinguished the flames in
the palace of the Lilliputian queen.
The people Of the neighborhOod are
becoming alarmed, speculating in
fear and wonder as to whose prem
ises are doomed for the next vista
ton. The brazen defiance with .
which the fires have been set in the |
early dusk, without apparent fear Of
detection, makes the evident deter
mination to destroy all the more to
be dreaded.
Numerous theories of these fires
can be heard. The small boy with
matches and cigarettes is suggested,
and it is even said that a boy was
seen last night coursing through the
alley in frightened condition, just
as the fire broke out, but he wasn't
and nobody seems to
know who he was; the grown boy is
suggested with leaning toward
one or the other of the fire COM
panies and desire to see his favor
ties glorify themselves; the mono
with the secrecy and cute,
ness of his class, is limited at; the
insurance solicitor, with an eye to
soaring up business, comes to the
minds eye of some; the regular
incendiary, with grudge to satisfy,
has place IN the category, but there
is nothing definite upon which to
hang an opinion or the miscreants
deserving the rope.
Whatever the cause, the police
and detective forces of the city
would cover themselves with ever
lasting glory if they could bring it
to light. 1t would appear just now
that the only hope of safety left to
the residents Of that quarter is to
organize its male inhabitants and .
keep four or five on watch all night.
A worthy citizen to-day asked a
JOURNAL reporter to make one
special request OF the parties setting |
tue fires. He wished to ask them |
to "give due notice in the city papers
Of the exact time and place Of the |
next torch setting, so that We can
arrange our other business and be
present in time. They will be in no
danger of detection at all aud it win
be great convenience to the rest of
us.
Mayor George Williams, fully re-
alizing the gravity of the situation,
has decided to offer reward for the
detection Of the incendiaries or evil
dence that will lead to their convic-
ton, and n proclamation to that ef-
fact will be published tomorrow,
The major is determined to put a