The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-24

There was fire early this morning on
West Exchange street. which was either
the result of some ones desire to pay
off grudge by destroying someone's
else properly or of a wish TO cash in an
insurance policy, or il might have been
the product O; pure cussedness. The ire
department extinguished the blaze sfter
four hours of very efficient work and now
tue detectives will try to do the rest aud
there is evidence in abundance for them
to get clews out Of and deduct theories
from. The building is two and a half
story brick structure, 140xi0 feet, owned
by the Butler duncan Land Company
and extends from West Exchange To
Aborn strest. 1t Is leased by Theodore A.
Colvin, whose foundry is situated in the
same yard ana just east OF the building
that was burned. Mr.. Colvin used the
ground floor for the storing OF patterns
owed by Armington q Sims, the Provi-
dence Steam Engine Company anp several
other customers. The two upper floors
are rented by MIR. Henry A. Kirby OF the
firm Of Kirby a. MewFy- manufacturing
jewellers. and sic used for the storage Of
lot of looms and miscellaneous goods pur-
chased from the Hopedele Manufactur-
iug Company.
The slarm was given from box IL at
about quarter of four this morning.
Chief steere was the first member OF the
department to reacn the place and ne
said ntterward that in all his experience
OF tire lighting he never saw the evidence
of such ella aborate attempts to burn q,
building.
The apparatus SD by the firebug con-
sisted of barrel OF Kerosene, six wash
tubs and pail, fully gross of punches
Of sulphur matches, several pounds OF
powder, 200 feet of heavy tissue paper.
such as jewelers. use, ana quantities Of oil
saturated waste.
The sudacity Of the miscresnt in lug
ging this stuff into the building is fully
eaualed by his ingenuity in distributing
1t in way in which it would do the
maximum amount of harm in the briefest
space of time. On the second foor.about
40 feet from the Aborn street END of the
building, was wash tuo No. 1, two-tbiros
full of Kerosene and carefully balanced
on box so that ct the proper time the
thing would upset and scatter the burn
ing fluid over the floor. The tissue
paper trail, two feet wide and bunched
up at snort intervals with matches and
wsds of oily waste, started from beneath
this tub and went across the floor to the
stairway at the southeast corner, up to
the third floor, and was wound around
tub of oil No. 2, placed just at the head
of the stairs.
From this piont the paper went DISCO
nally across the third floor to the north
west corner, VIE . IL made connections
with four more tups and a pail all full OF
Kerosene and each one tilted on a stick OF
wooc so as TO insure a widespread
| diffusion OF flame. Any ordinary brebug
might have been satisfied with these pre-
partitions and considered that the tine
was ripe for scratching his match. But
the villain in this case was nothing IL
not thorough, and under about 10 feet
| of his tissue paper path be scat
| tered potassiu m, the sort OF stun that
| is put in trick cigars for the sake OF
surprising the smoker with miniature
explosion. The explosion feature, how
ever, never happened for the Dire was ex-
| tinpuished before it had gone more than
half through the building and the potas-
sium was In the other half
The fire started on the second floor nj
the first tub and In ell probability was
set of from the outside by means OF
long string attached to lighted candle,
suspended over the oil. That is the pop
uiar way of beginning an incendiery firs
and no ono would have risked his life by
getting within the walls OF building so
evidently doomed to quick DC 'truction,
and besides ell the doors were carefully
barred to prevent access to the fireuen a'
long nc possible.
All the Ore apparatus which Is called
out oy a single alarm from box IL ws'
available within a very few minutes sftel
the first stroke OF the bell and by
O'Clock there were six streams of wste
on the fire. II wss an easy blsze TO handl
4-i4e#-the- set-tA4t-tsefs-is pi4H+y-e
open space about the building and C0ie
steer had his men working from botl
ends. And so repidly did they subdu'
the fire that IL was confined aItog ether q
the south half and the two upper stories
The tups OF oil, the tissue paper snd tn
powder at the West Exchange street en'
were all left untoucnef by the flames q
| teu tho stcrv OF the crime.
The bulldog which 10 owned by tn