Evening journal., 1898-01-10
MYSTERIOUS FIRES.
Mitchell's Warehouse and
Other Buildings Destroyed.
TWO BLAzEs IN TWELVE HOURS
THERE WAS A THIRD OUTBREAK
AFTER MIDNIGHT, CAUSED BY A
SPARK IN SOME HAY-LOSSES
COVERED BY INSURANCE.

SPARK IN SOME HAY-LOSSES
COVERED BY INSURANCE.
A big fire in the heart Of the city
Saturday night created great excite
ment and drew out the entire police
and fire departments
The warehouse OF Frank A. Mitchell, |
roofer and dealer in acetylene gas out |
fits, and the rear building of George |
Hardcastle, portrait and frame dealer, |
were consumed and other buildings add |
iacent were badly damaged.
The dense smoke and lurid glare OF |
the flames in The chemicals in Mr. |
Mitchells place greatly added to the |
excitement of the night.
The losses,as estimated shortly after
midnight, were as follows:
Frank A. Mtchell-Building $4,000;
stock, $4,000. Covered by insurance.
George MISUNDERSTANDING $1,000;
otOck, 81 1000, Partly covered by insur
ance.
Harry Yerger, building, Sl,500, and
stock, $1,000. Insured. Damages chief
ly by smoke and water.
Early Saturday morning a similar
fire broke out in Mr.. Mitchells place.
but was conquered by the fire oompa-
nies summoned to the scene The ware
house is at No. 102 West Fifth street.
That the two fires should occur in the
same building within twelve hours
seems puzzling 10 everybody.
The whole community was, there
| fore, stirred to hear the City Hail
alarm again struck from box No. II at
| 9 o'clock Saturday night and to learn
! that il was Mitchell's place again
| ablaze.
Five fire companies responded to the
| first alarm, which was struck by
James Corrigan, an employee Of VII
liam McElwee Mr. McElwee noticed
| smoke and sparks ascending from the
rear Of the Mitchell building.
This rear building is separated from
the main front by a bridge, and when
the fire companies responded they had
great difficulty to get at the outbreak.
The fire was apparently the work of
an incendiary. There have been some
strange happenings during the past
two weeks and Mr. Mitchell has had 10
employ a watchman. Locks were fire.
duently broken and on two occasions
| barrels Of tar paint were placed close
to the heater.
| Thousands OF people had ccngrogated
about the square when, at 9.lS, a sec
ond alarm was struck from box 12,call-
ing out more fire companies, and Cap
tain Chambers called in his pOlics
force to rope off the crowd and other.
wise officiate for the preservation o'
peace and the prevention Of injuries.
Shortly before midnight the fire wal
gotten under control and then th'
, chemical engines played upon th'
) smOuldering ruins for a half hour
until the blackened mass OF materia
and charred wood was thoroughly
soaked.
G. II. Groves. clerk for Mr. Mitchell
! | estimated the loss early in the even
! ing at $4,000 on building and $4,000 OF
stock.
e Mr.. Mitchell later in the night ,placeS
< his loss at $4,000.
a "Budd" Hoffecker,s Of the F'am'
D | Hose Company, was injured at th'
morning fire. A finger Of his right han'
was cnt off.
4 DR.. Moore telephoned in town 70
!, / another alarm that would bring tn
Wafer Witch Company into service, a
all the boys were in waiting and anX
iOus for orders.
u The Phoenix truck was blocked a
II Sixth and Market streets and cause
g much delay.
r James Walker, foreman Of outsld
d wiremen for the Wilmington Cit
a Electric Company, was one Of the mrs
10 men 10 the rescue.
l. William Taylor, who keeps barDe
shop next door to the burned buildinl
never stopped working throughout tn
night
a Again at 1245, the fire broke out an
/ was discovered by Captain OF Pole
II Chambers. A spark in some hay In th
IA rear Of Mr.. Mitchel's building cause
r the third outbreak. Several or tf
le central district fire companies r.
ID sponded and put out the final blaze.
An alarm Of FIRE from box NO.
Saturday night was caused by upse
ting agasolinest0ve in thegrocery stol
of Of r. Frank, corner Linden and Adam
n streets. An alarm was struck )
"a George A. Chadwick and several we
re- Side engines responded and soon hi
the fire out. The loss was slight.