The morning call., 1893-11-16

few moments later the fire engines were
Gathering over the pavement. Adjoining
the lodging-house is the dwelling of its
owner. Thomas McCord.
McCOrd was awakened by a passing
butcher few minutes before the explo-
siOn occurred and informed that the house
adjoining was on fire. He aroused his
family, and they fastened to the street
just in time to hear the explosion. Nc
Cord says that the windows ratified on
either side of the street and the high struc-
tuTe owned by him QuiveTed and rocked.
Then he saw the fame rising over the
building numbered 308 and the occupants
rushing through the narrow hallway to the
street.
On the second and third floors confusion
reigned supreme. The fremen passed
through the halls under shower of fall
ing plaster until they reached the bath
room at the rear OF the third floor. There
the fire was located. It had consumed the
walls of the room, the tub and stand, and
had burned through the roof, from which
the skylight had been blown by the force
OF the explosion.
The flames were quickly extinguished
and the employees of the Underwriters en-
tered upon thorough investiga tiOn, in
which they were later in the day assisted
by detectives from the Central police sta
ton.
The ground floor of 3O8 is occupied as a
opposite. He and his wife saw tine fire
break through the roof and heard and felt
the succeeding shock.
The upper floors are occupied by Mrs.
l.. M. Williams and her son Charles as a
lodging house. The hos tess is a portly old
lady who came to this city from Oregon
one month ago. They leased the upper
floors from Landlord McCOrd and had
6lled every one of them.
Mrs. Williams was found by CALL
reporter yesterday afternoon sadly gazing
upon the remains of a bathroom. Her son
was clearing away the debris, while a de-
fective and policeman were c0nversing
In the hallway outside.
Williams was asked TO tell what he
knew about the explosion, but he gruffly
declined, saying that the detectives had
told him to keep his mouth shut.
Come here" said the old lady. "They
say that women sometimes talk too much,
but think that ought to say something
about this.
'We came here from Portland month
ago. and furnished this house and filed
every room. We were very fortunate.
Just before O'Clock my son heard loud
cracking noise on the third floor. and he
went up to see what was the matter
"You see," said Mrs. Williams. paren-
thetlcally, I'VE keep very quiet house and
want nc noise or disturba We thought
possibly that one of the dodgers was crack
AnE hiAutibS NOO0 cfOt Aic hu0o dlIu
would disturb the sleepers.
"Weli. when he reached the bathroom
he found 1t was on IRE. He knocked at
ali the doors and awoke the guests, and
Just as he reached the sidewalk to give the
alarm the explosion came and the guests
rushed pell-mell down the stairs. OF
course we were all very badly frightened.
We think that it was an explosion of
powder, because there was neither gas nor
oil In the rOom.
do you suspect any oneP"
''Of course | do"
who is ito'
THAT must not tell. It might defeat
fbe ends Of justice, you know"
One of Mrs. Williams neighbors had
told the reporter that there had been a
quarrel In the lOdging-h0use the night be-
fore. She was asked about that.
Nothing of the kind. sir. This Is. as |
told you before. very quiet house. We
don't allow quarreling."
Mrs. Williams landlord, McCord. had
heard that she had ordered an old veteran,
whose name ne did not know, to leave the
house. The aged ex-soldier was unable to
pay his rent, but promised to square his
account upon the payment OF his pension.
She. however. had applicants for the room
who would pay al once, and the old man
had to go.
The old soldier was known as Captain
Kicks and is described as being about 6(
years of age, rather tall, with q mustache
and chin whiskers, which are white, as is
also his hair. 1t was rumored that one oil
the roomers In the house who was out late
had seen the captain come into the house
about 2 O'Clock IN the morning, and oil
course there was some one in the house
that thought they bad heard some one on
the stairs just before the alarm was given
But there is nothing about the place tc