Evening journal., 1896-01-31

The Owners Think tho Fire was of Tn-
cendinry Origin. but Admit it MAY
Have Been Spontaneous Combustion.
Dover Bankers Have an Election Con-
test-Butchinson's stAtiatios.
Special Correspondence Evening Journal
DOVER, Jan. 81 The tannery Of Jacob
Slime & Co., situated on South State
street, was completely destroyed by lire
early this morning. The FIRE had OBJ.
tained considerable hesdway before II
vas discovered. and when the apparatus,
the Robbins Hose. arrived on the scene.
Il Was evident that the building was
doomed. Shortly before 2 30 Night
Watchman Baker, whose business rs
ondned TO Lookerman street, noticed a
bltzs coming from building at the ex-
treme lower end OF state street II e at once
turned In the alarm and the fire company
responded In a few minutes
The itfucture was built entirely Of
frame, and the boiling OF tRllow, which
business Ia carried on extensively by the
firm, had so permeated the wood that It
was simply food for the flames Possibly
at no time OF the year is the stock on
hand so valuable aud extensive as at
the present, aud yesterday morning =
large consignment OF valuable hides and
fires Was received, which, together with
the stock already on hand, Is a total loss
The only stove in the building Is an
old wood stove, which, according TO the
statement Of the hrm, had no fire In it
when the building wag vacated last
night, though 1t had been used during
the day for boiling tallow.
Jacob Slime, the senior member Of the
firm, stated TO an EVENING JOURNAL re-
porter this morning that there was An
insurance Of $400 on the building and
$3 600 on the stock, but that the loss
would reach very near $40 600 The
value OF the goods, as near as could be
estimated without access to the books.
was fil 600. aud the building was worth
about 81 600
Slime q Co purchased the building and
eronnd In 1891 from Watson Bradwsy
for 81, 200. and siucs that time improve
ments have been added which cost 500
During the progre's OF the irs n spark
lodged on the shingle root OF dwelling
opposite. tenanted by colored people. aud
create quite little excitement for a
time as the occupants aud their elgh
bors began removing the household
Effects st ouos. The prompt action OF the
freue prevented any serious damage
and the good8 were restored 10 short
time.
Mr Slime believes the Gre TO have been
OF incendlary origin. as he maintains that
there was no light IN the building
although he admits that spontaneous
combustion may have been the Gauss ol
the conhagrstion
The recent battle for Ualted States
. L.a. ~ sI
ecale ia the contest for president OF
the bonrd OF directors OF the Firsl
National Bank The election was Ia
have taken place on Thursday OF last
week, but was postponed until yes
tsrday, the vscancy ia the board
only being filed week age
By the election OF william Ellison,
Of Camden. Numerous BALLOTS wers
token yesterday without any choic'
being reached. All nine OF the dlrec tors
wers present. and the various b,llots
stood as follows: Harry A. Richardson
3; Manlove Hayes. 3; Wilson l. Cannon,
II; A Connor, l. Blank There
seemed no prospect OF any Of the dlrec
! t~rs weakening, and the board adjourned
/ In the Aftsrnooa with the deadlock still
unbroken
Detective N H Hntchins, OF this
town. is collecting statistics regarding
the number OF arrests made by the
vati,us officials Ia the three counties and
duriog bis researches -he has come upor
one circumstances which Is both peculiar
and unusuRl. Sherh rfuxton. Of Sussex
county, has been In oflise since Nov
ember. 1894 and In that time neither
he nor bis deputy has made a
sipgls arrest, nor has he had during thal
period Of fourteen months solitary wri
Of arrest issued TO hin. Probably n'
other sheriff IN the United States can Ia,
claim 60 such a record as this. The cffic'
Of sheriff In Sussex county Is not such
lucrative office after All. Sheriff ShaE
OF Kent county has had over 200
John and james Murphy. brothers
who claimed to I've at Fifth and Bain.
bridge. Philadelphia, we're lodged In jai
here vest erday by Detective Hutohlns
They were snugly slowed away on th'
"blird baggage" OF the Norfolk express
which reached Clayton st 10 q N
where the officer took charge Of them
They claimed to have taken the wronl
train and that their destination wa
Baltimore.