The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-29

Southslde plant Of the Milwaukee
Street Railroad Company at o'clock
this morning There was tremendous
explosion, and in moment the interior
OF tho building was in o blaze.
In fow minutes the fire was beyond
control, and in less than an hour the en-
tire plant was consumed, entailinR a
loss of $1,000. The plant is loca ted
on Kinnickinnic avenue 1t includes
the lmm ense storage station for electric
motors, machine shops and stables
In the barn were fifty now electric
motors and nearly all the summer cars
ow led by the company. The machine
shops wcro built the past season and
were fitted with very fine machinery
for tho rebuilding and repairing OF cars.
The buildings were the principal depots
of tho Milwaukee Street Railway Com
pany, and the fire greatly cripples tho
company.
Tho bomb thrower is not known. He
Is supposed to be tho man who started
fully dozen other disastrous fires here
within month. The grand jury will
be summoned to investigate the mattcr
Immediately.
The only person who saw tho alleged
t '
don. He says that he was standing near
toe main doorway CT the barn, in which
tho motor cars wore stored. There was
whiz. flash, and terrific ex olosion.
Ii there WAS u bomb thrown, which
many doubt ii came through the main
doorway, and struck the car near the
entrance. Hardly ton seconds elapsed,
according to tho night watchman's story,
before the cars in the building wcre in
flames. Manager Lynn, of the com
pany, is convinced OF the truth fulness of
tho watchman's story That there was
an explosion everyone in tic height Dor
hood will testify. ~ small cottage next
to tho plant OF the street railway com
pany was also wrecked.
AZ $3.50 o'clock this morning the fire
was under control, having been confined
10 tho buildings of the Milwauk co
this afternoon issued proclama ton
Offering $4,000 reward for evidence that
will lead 10 the detection OF the incen-
diaries. The entire police force has
been set to work and private detective
agencies will probably go after the
reward also Ono hundred special
police have beon placed on duty and
will remain for two weeks
ANOTHER BODY roAND.
MILWAUKEE, Dec. 28.-The search in
the ruins in the Conrad Tannery fire for
the remains of Fireman Sullivan
brougt to light the body OF tar ner
named Stephen Yreaver. lie had not
been missed. This makes four known
deaths from yesterdays fire.
MILwAUKEE's UNENvIABLE FIRE RECORD.
MILWAUKEE, Dec 2s-The incen-
diary theory, at first laughed at or at
least doubted by the insurance mon, is
now accepted. Today numb Der of in
surance agents representing the leading
companies received orders to cease
writing insurance on manufacturing
plants in this city. The firebug operat-
ing in Milwaukee has cost the city moro
than $5,C00,000 in two months The
trouble began on the night OF October
20, when 900 buildings warc DESTROYED
and Si,0o0000 worth OF property CON
snmcd. While the conf igr ltien was
raging on the e asst Side an attempt was
made te burn the West Side.
The week following Kocn & Loe bcr's
woodenwaro auction STORE was fired,
the loss there being ST.. 200 A week
later L. l.. Kelly dry goods store was
destroyed, with 4 loss of SlS5 COG. The
Milwaukee Mattress Company was
burned out few days later with SEQ, 900
loss. The Hennrekc Companv's art
store came next, with loss Of $50. 900
The origin of this Are is uncertain.
An attempt was made TO destroy the
great Allis Works, and later in the
week Pabst theatre was fred, with a
loss OF Sl02 600. Keenan's mill was
burned at tho same time. where tho loss
was $50, 600. Then came the fire OF YES
Or0n 10 hui
erty was consumed, and to-day the car
barn fire.
special meeting Of the city council
is to be held to take action toward
stopping the reign of incendiarism, and
it is likely that special grand jury
will be called to investigate the NJ after.
LONG ISLAND CITY, N. Y, Dec. 2S.-At
o'clock this morning oox OF dyna-
mite exploded in the shaft sunk for the
new East River tunnel, near the
junction of Jackson and Vernon
avenues, this city The explosion set
fire to four story brick building ad-
joining and shattered every pane Of
glass in the buildings for many blocks
around
six bodies have already been taken
from IL shaft. A score or more Of per-
sons were injured by falling tim bers,
glass, etc. The explosion was so ter
rife that nearly every building on Jack
son avenue. from Fifth street to Borden
avenue, was either destroyed or dam
aged. The structures include the pos r.
office and Sylvester's factory.
The fire Immediately started in the
debris and Is now burning 1ercely.
here Is too much confusion to allow
the extent OF the disaster to be accur-
ately estimated.
LATER.-The yards of the New York
and Long Island Tunnel Company, OF
which William Steinway is president,
are bounded by Jackson and Vernon
aVHnnR Tnnanant hnnoon 81 hi 4