The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-27
Two BUILDINGS BURNED
Sensational Stories Circulated That
Children Lost Their Lives.
WERE WITHOUT FOUNDATION
Origin of the Fire Is shrouded in Mystery.
No One in the Building in Which
the Fire Originated-Loss Gov.
cred by Insurance.

Another mysterious fire was that
which destroyed two dwelling houses,
situated on Meadow avenue, South Side,
last evening. A few minutes after Z
o'clock the alarm was sounded from
box AZ at Crown avenue and Birch
street. The three South Side fire COM
panies responded and the William Con-
nelps with their new team was the first
to arrive, but they could do nothing as
no water plug was within reach, the
nearest one being at Stone avenue.
John Kourik, who lives at GIG Meadow
avenue, has q small fish pond in his
garden and line Of hose was dropped
into it and stream of water forced by
the Neptune steamer to the burning
buildings.
The building where the fire originated
was owned and occupied by Bernard
Bubel and family of five children. 1t
was two story structure, the first be-
ing brick and the top frame. The num-
Der of the house was 721 Meadow ave-
nue., 1t was practically destroyed be-
fore the firemen got to work. The house
owned by William Eiboch to the left
was also destroyed. 1t was story-and-
a-half frame affair. Eiboch saved all
Of his furniture and carried $500 insur-
ance. His loss will probably be covered
by that amount.
No One in the House.
| The strange and mysterious part OF
the story remains yet to be told. Bubels
house, where the fire started,was locked
up and apparently no one of the family
was at home. John Hoffman, who lives
to the right of Bubels house, heard peo-
pie departing from the house about a
half hour before the fire broke out. 1t
was he who first saw the fire and gave
the alarm. He tried to get in the front
door but it was locked and so securely
that 1t resisted his efforts to break it in.
He went around to the rear and man
aged to burst in that door.
The flames drove him back and to
him then the fire looked as If 1t broke
out In the front room of the house.
When he heard the people leaving the
house before the fire he looked over and
only saw man coming down the back
door of Bubels house. But he heard
about half dozen voices Of children.
After the flames had destroyed the
houses and the control of the fire was
brought about, sensational stories
spread to the effect. that several child
rem asleep in the upstairs of the house
had been burned to death.
They Did Not Return.
At $780, two hours and one+half aftel
the fire had occurred neither Bubel MOI
any of his children had put in an ap.
pearance at their late home. 1t was
said they had gone to Christmas en-
tertainment of the Sunday school of the
Hickory Street Presbyterian church
but at the church it was learned thai
Bubel was not there and does not be-
long to that congregation. Search wa.
made in the cellar of Bubel's house af
ter the fire cooled, but no trace of hu
man bodies could be observed.
Lieutenant Zang and Patrolman Sar
tor made an investigation which salts
fed them that no one was burned in tn,
| building. Bubel and his family haC
gone visiting for the night was what tn,
officers learned from a trustworth,
source.
Unless the fire originated from al
: oveIheated stove or was caused by tn
: upsetting of lighted lamp, there DIS n,
theory unless 1t was deliberately set OF
fire. The premises, the neighbors say
| were fully covered by insurance.