The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-08
TOINVESTIGATETHEFIRE
SOLICITOR FRASER LOOKING INTO
TaE TYBEB CONFEDERATION.

The Burning Of the Two Hotels Be-
lieved TO Have Been the Work Of an
Incendiary, But Nothing TO Prove It
Yet-Mr. Lane to Rebuild at Once.
Mr. Graham VIII Not.
There were no new Developments in the
Tybee fire yesterday. Thstit was the work
of an inoendiary is admitted on all sides.
/ out whom to suspect is a question. Solio-
J itor General Fraser will have thorough
Investigation Of the affair made by Detect
tive Morgan. That officer will begin work
to-day, and no effort viii be spared to un-
ravel the mystery.
A number Of people interested IN Tybee
went down to the island yesterday to have
look at the ruins and see IL any clew Of the
inceBdiary could be found. In the latter
they were unsuccessful Although Chief
Of Police Lightbody has been working on
theories since the fire he has not been able to
secure evidence against any one.
James Lane and his eight. children came
up to the city last night. The little ones
had scanty amount Of clothing and some
of them were without shoes, lowing plain
ly that they had to get out of the Beach
house in hurry at the time of the fire.
There was much sympathy expressed for
Lane by his friends In the Fort and a move
ment was started to raise a subscription to
help him out OF his trouble, but he put
stop to that by refusing to accept anything.
Although the fire left him almost penniless,
he said he is able to get along without
subscription donation.
ESCAPED FROM THE HOTEL.
Lane said that all his children had gone
20 bed and be himself was lying on sofa
asleep when the fire was discovered. The
first be knew Of it was when the colorej
servant girl came running along the piazza
screaming that some one had struck her in
the head and set the place on fire. Lane
jumped up and, running outside, saw the
kitchen in a blaze. He then rushed back in
the house aud awoke his children and hur-
ried them out by the beach entrance, not
having any time to lose, as the fire spread
rapidly.
After getting his children to place of
safety Lane tried TO save some things but
found it impossible. He discovered while
making this effort that some Of the doors of
the house had been forced, and when he ran
around on the railroad track where the
kitchen faced, he saw that the outer door Of
that part OF the building had also been
broken In.
Lane said although his loss is total one
he doesn't propose to sit down and cry over
ance by few friends and will artrebuild-
ing at once so as to be ready to handle the
business Of the coming season.
WILL NOT REBUILD.
Mr.. Graham said he is not in a position to
rebuild the Ocean houss. because the insur.
ance will not 60 half way in replacing the
hotel and its furnishings.
1t has been suggested that the Tybee
Beach Company and the railroad, both of
which derive benefits from having more
than one hotel at the island, form a COM
pany, together with Mr.. Graham, and put
up a good hotel on the site of the burned
building. II steps are taken at once in this
direction the Ocean house can be replaced by
June L. MIR. Graham, it is said, would be
willing to make an arrangement of this
sort. Otherwise there will be only one
large hotel at Tybee next season.
The Lowell and Smith cottages will be
rebuilt at once, but il is doubtful il the
Macdonell cottage will. Kollock 81 Screven
carried all the insurance on the cottages,
having 5000 on Lovelrs, $1,000 on Smiths
and 81 900 on MacdonelI's.