New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-14
WEST SIDE TENANTS SCARED



age 5000: three alarms.
9o-n ~ 40 :. West Observation-Disclosures
ST; apartment house t"o "'l''n'. ,,,, ..,trf.
9I3 D. Mo. 10 West Ono-hlAir ei-and-''lr"-
st; apartmeHt-housc; one alarm
April. &c.
On m y, 20 boulevard; apaYtmen-hou dam
az 5000; ,hrre a.aTI..
In every instance the fire took place N an
apaument house whore a number II lives Wci"
endangered by the blaze. one death is reported
a. result Of the series OF fires the uAuSudi
number Of fires was a matter Of CONNIE nj III
thu district Friday. but il was not uaul t"'
newsplpers came 0Ut Yesterday morning VII"
a ,abulated record and limited at the poSa.'li'H
Of an organized gang Of frebugs that the
comment became universal The newspaper
stories had the effect Of setting the Central Office
dc,e.,jv,s 10 work in tho district. Quietly a.
the headquarters men went 10 work Their pres
enco was manifest in the district all day ana
added ~ the general un, asiness. As usual Wheh
q subject is universally discussed, tn fac's re-
come magnified and the fear of the more
tir1orois was corresponuinSly increase'.
The street, i'm the vicinity Of the scenes Oh the
fires last night presented an unusually hNfN "p
,o.r,nce Policemen in citizens clothes and
Central Office detectives were stationed al every
corner The district was thoroughly pdtr''od ana
eyt,v Notwithstanding character was caivi"i'!
s,ruinized Despite this no arrSts were in""9
o,d tho nolcs are as far from solving the
rly.tery if mystery it is as ever Chief 'onH'r
did much to give color to the rumor of an or
ran.zed gang of frebugs BY expressing an
opinion that the fires were the work CT Iootcis'
Coming from an expert Of his long experience
tho opini0n was bound to carry some NolSh'.
The men who are watching the district are
not novices Under Acting Inspector hcO!ushA
ore Detectives Titrc. Mcehan. Rim ana lieTSoh
ana others. These men have had smliar en-
perience in dealing with the outbreak OF arson
and pillage three years ago in the heishoofhoou
or Eighth-ave. and ne-hundred-and-thlrtN-s@N'
enth-st As a result OF this investigation the
c,lrrits were identified. In this case there does
not seem u be the slightest ciew to WORK on
The police say that in the cellar of all the houses
where the fires have occurred great lo' Oh run
hish has accumulated. and that spark in them
would set the whole building ablaze.
CAPTAIN COONEY's THEORY.
Acting Captain Cooney said last night: / nave
c, far ascertained nothing that would ESTABLISH
the belief that these fires are the work 81 an or
,,anizc5 gang | believe that in each case they
are entirely accidental That so many have oe-
currcj in one district. If course, is strange bat
believe that i, is only coincidence. The theory
~ burglars and looters is not borne out by report
Cd losses The police have been vigant and dur
ing the va rious fires have warned away suspicious
characters. but no more than would naturally
gather
The people who were driven last night from
their homes in the apartrent-houses at Ninety
seoond-st and Columbus-ave. are firm in tneir
theory Of inocndiarism. and some Of them declared
their intention to leave the neighboIhood at the
earliest opportunity.
Among the first Of the routed tenants to re-
turn to the scene of the Friday night hTe were
Mrs Levi with her dog, which was taken nom
the burning building by the tremen; MIS-
Momard, Benjamin Wood and Mrs. Taylor, who
were driven GU: by the smoke. and who all tell
the same story Of the fire All the tenants eX-
ccpt Mrs. Levi found that their apartments
could be made habitable. and went 70 work 70
make the best Of their condition.
At No l04 West Ninety-sec midst, G. 4. Warner
said ne saw supposed incendary crouching IN
the doorway The fire was discovered in small
compartment In the rear Of the basement on
the passageway through which the baker and
butcher boys 60 - pat their goods on the cumD
waiter In the compartment within a few inches
&C q wooden partition the pile of paper ana
scraps which was burning. The pile lies within
six feet Of the foot Of the dumb waiter shaft, and
in the opinion Of the police might have been
easily ignited by the accidental throwing Of
match by butcher boy who delivered guam
t.ty Of goods to q family on the third floor few
rocmonts before the fire was discovered.
CARELESS NESS OF JANITORS
In the cellar Of c. Polycrana's hower-store, at
No. Cos Coiumbus-ave., under the apartment
house No. 10 WCst Ninety -secOnd-st.. where the
Friday night fire was discovered, five barrels
stored with tissue and waXed paper. which had
been used Oh the Easter flowers Several en-
poyes Of the establishment had been working in
the basement until half an hour before the smoke
aroused the people Of the floors above The en-
trance to the basement is next to Chapmans
laundry, No. So, and far could be learned,
no one was seen 10 enter The cellar during that
tine. James Livingstone who lived in the east
eide Of No. - West Ninety-second-st and who con
structed the building, however, favors the theory
of incendiarisIn.
4 dozen workmen went TO work tearing he cor
nices from the room Of the Colonial Bank Build
irS and removing the loose bricks and stone which
have bcen constant menace to pedestrians
Ropes have been stretched across the pavement
about the building - shut out the crowds.
Fifteen policemen were detailed by Captain
COOney % canvass the neighbOrhO0d and warn
janitors and tenants TO burn all waste paper at
once and - allow no more 10 accumulate.
Detoctive-Sergeant McClusky. who IS in charge
Of the Detective Bureau, does not believe that the
outbreaks have been Of mcendary origin. Fire
Marshal Mitchell is also conducting rigid exam
inaiion, and had number Of householders. who
have suffered in the recent outbreaks. IN his office
yesterday, asking FOR al the circumstances they
knew regarding the origin Of the fires.
EXAMINATIONS ny THE FIRE MARsHAIS.
The examinations were strictly private. The
marshal said to a reporter that he could not,
from the evidence deduced determine whether
the numerous fires were the work of firebugs or
merely accidental happenings. He seemed, how
ever, inclined 10 the latter view
Deputy Marshals Wilson and Malignon have
been assigned 10 work up the fires on the
grounds. They are busy taking evidence. and
no report viii be made before tomorrow
Tuesday.
Deputy Fire Marsha's Wilson. Frei and Malig-
non visited the scene of the fires during the day
and made thorough inspection. The jantOrs,
Id ~ NJ 81 West Nlnel -sennnl-