Evening star., 1896-10-21
BIG FIRE AT LAUREL
Another Incendiary Blaze in a Nearby
Town. 81.
Republican Meeting Interrupted-Mr
Mudd's Speech ON Free Schools
A Shooting Affair.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
LAUREL, Nd, October 81 1896
disastrous fire. resulting in the de-
struction of 5000 worth of property, oc-
CURED here last night The fire started
about pm, in the First Baptist Church
frame structure 40xJO, with lower
located at the corner of Washington ave-
nue and Montgomery street. about ehree
squares from the Baltimore and Ohio
depot The fire started in the back por-
tion of the building, which is used as a
class room. The fire, which, 1t is believed,
was done by an incendiary, as a man was
seen rushing from the building as the
fire was discovered, started from under the
floor in the back building, and with the
aid of the dry flooring and walls, which
had been saturated with oil, leaped to the
roof. catching on to the shingles. Through
the efforts of members of the church and
others all Of the furniture. including the
benches. pulpit and other church fur
niture, was removed before the fire had
gotten too much of headway. 1t was i'm
possible, however. to save the building,
inasmuch as 1t was a frame structure
and the wood was very dry, owing to the
lack of rain recently. After the fire had
about completely destroyed the church 1t
spread to the wood cornices and caves of
the Masonic Temple. a handsome two
story brick, with slate roof, located about
fifteen feet from the church. The fire
spread from the corniceS of the temple to
the wood work on the interior and burned
out the entire interior of the building,
leaving only the brick walls, portion
of which are left buged out and SagSed.
Through the aid of citizens, members CT
the lodge and others. all of the furniture
In this building was also removed before
the fire had gained too much headway
The fire was fought by the citizens en-
tirely, as there is no fire department il the
a Masonic
Temple, 1t is believed, could have been
saved had 1t not been that some of the wa
ter pumps in the neighborhood gave out,
and 1t was impossible to feed the hose.
Through the efforts of the volunteers, the
fire was kept confined to the church and
temple. and was prevented from spreading
to the nearest residences. located within
seventy and hundred feet of the fire.
The First Baptist Church, of which Rev.
j. r.. FiZer is the pastor, was built about
three years ago, and is the hrst church of
its denomination ever erected here. Its
congregation numbered about 800. It was
one OF the neatest churches in the town,
and was a credit to the city. 1t cost about
$1,000 to construct, and was insured for
$500. 1t is the general belief that it will
be rebuilt
The Masonic Temple, which is about
3ox'D was built about two years ago at a
ccst OF between $4,000 and 5000. 1t car
RED an Insurance of only $500. The
lower floor OF the temple was used as a
pubic hall, while the upper portion was
used by the Laurel Wreath Lodge, A. F.
and A. NJ, No. 1i9. This building was one
of the handsomest struc lures in Laurel 1t
Is thought ii will be rebuilt in the near
future
A peculiar feature of the fire was that it
occurred during the progress of the repub-
Hcan meeting here. An $500 fire occurred
here during the democratic meeting two
weeks ago. 1t is not believed, however,
that either fire was started to draw from
the meetings, although some hold to the
opinion.
Efforts are being made to get at the
cause OIL the fires which have occurred here
recently, and it is possible that the fire
bugs may be caught There was no service
al the church last night, and there was no
heat in the church and no lamps burning
making it clearly case of incendiarism
The people of the town are very much
worked up over the matter, and threats of
lynchlng the culprit We're made
During the excitement attending the fire
morse became unmanageable and ran
ever Sadie Leizear, daughter of Mr.. Mau-
rice l'e1zear. little miss of about ten
years Ihe child, however, was not badly
hurt. Willie Graham. son of Mr.. Josenh
1fanam, was also run over by a horse hut
was not severely injured.
Republican Meeting,
The republicans held a mass mee,inp
here last night at THE Leslie" but. owing
to the fire, the attendance was not very
large There was a torchlieht procession
previous to the meeting, under the mar
shalship Of Mr.. G. b. Timanus. The In
terstate Republican Campaign Club of
Washington and the Mt. Winans Republi-
can Club OF Mt. Winans, Baltimore county
were among the visiting clubs in line After
the parade had moved along the princinaJ
streets, they marched to THE Leslie"
M,as wnere the meeting was called to order by
MAJ. James ALERT Clark, editor of the
Laurel Free Quill The Speakers wers
Daniel Reamey of Pennsylvania, Sidney Is
Mudd and Capt. William NJ. Potter. A
en4rus ,nir Oh 1orty young girls sang a cam
during the meeting. Mr. Mudd. who is
belng antagonized by a faction here i'm
ms speech advised the republicans of Lau-
re- 10 lay aside all factional differences in
rhe exercise OF the great American right of
free thought and freedom of action. He
ADVISED the sinking of all minor differ
ehces that might be entertained in subordi-
,n;.t ,,atron 10 the can for the protection and
maintenance OF the honor and financial in
tegrlty OF this country. Mr.. Mudd denied
the statement that he was not the friend
OF the public schools, and said that while
speaker of the house of Delegates ayary
word and syllable of the law providing for
Tree school books for the public schools of
the state was written in his room-tbe
speakers room of the house of delegates.
Senator-elect Wellington was expected b,t
was unable to be present.
Shooting Affair.
A colored man, residing in t,uilfora
Howard county, was shot here bv an nm.
known colored man last night during the
progress of the republican meeting. The
shot took effect in the lower portion of the
back, but 1t is not believed to be danger
GUS No good reason can be assigned for
the shooting. The negro who did the
shooting ran away before he could be iden-
titled. VIC AueI-
HANNA SURE HE HAS WON.