The record-union., 1898-09-12
YESTERDAY MORNINGS FIR E,
THE LOSS Is ABOUT TWENTY
THOUSAND DOLLARS.
A Former Firebug Under Arrest
on Suspicion Of Doing
the Job.

The fire which ragged through Frazer's
lumber yard and the adjoining build
ings early yesterday morning left a
heap of charred ruins, which still
smolder and emit occasional sparks, and
the principal topic of conversation on
the street yesterday was speculation as
to how the fire originated.
The idea prevailed among a few per-
sons that it caught from a spark from
the fire in the vacant house owned by
L. p. Gilman, which was burned an
hour and a half earlier, and which was
about block distant, but as the wind
was in the other direction, the theory
is given little credence.
The great majority of persons believ-
ed the fire was the work of an incendi-
airy, and in view of the rapidity with
which the flames spread, the accepted
theory is that oil was poured over the
piles of lumber before the match OF
the fiend was struck.
A few minutes before the lumber
yard hre was discovered, Deputy Coro-
ner Charles Craig, who lives near there
and who had occasion to walk to K
street on Fifth, saw a man run out of
the alley back of the lumber yard and
start up Fifth street toward K. When
near the latter street the man stopped
running and Craig had a good look at
him.
Within few minutes the flames shot
up, and in remarkably short time had
spread over half the yard
After the Record Union" went to
press yesterday morning Trustee Paine.
VINO mad been loser by the fire. and
ofhcer Maley We're talking on K street
near Fifth, when George Bittner passed
along. The officer called the attention
OF Mr.. Paine to the fact that Rittner
was an old firebug, and had on two
occasions served time for arson. and
Mr.. Paine suggested that he would he .
GOOD man to lock up Maley accord
insly look Bittner to the Police Station.
yesterday afternoon Mr. Craig took
look at Bittner in his cell, but was en-
phatic in stating that he was not the
man ne had seen running out of the al
ley just previous to the breaking out
of the fire.
The officers, however. We're inclined
10 believe that Bittner knew much that
would be Of interest, and held him
pending further examination.
The stock of lumber carried by Mr..
frazer was valued at between SIS OO0
and S2o,OOO and while he has not vet
peen able to accurately estimate his
loss, thinks it will amount to at least
SIo,oOO. 1t was fully insured The small
prlck mouse adjoining the lumber yard
on l. street, and used as a laundry was
also gutted The loss on it is light
Mr.. Frazer's barn on the allev north
of the yard was also Quilted bv the
names, but all of the horses were saved
The barn owned by Mrs. Paine which
adJoined that of Mr. Frazer. was burn
eo 10 the ground. 1t contained eighty
nye TONS OF nay, valued at SIS per ton.
Inere was very little insurance on the
nay as 1T is usually kept in the barn
on the opposite side of the alley. The
building was insured for $3.50. which
viii only partially cover the loss.
In the yard in the vicinity of Mrs
Palne's barn were twenty-five vehicles
lncluoing a half dozen surres. several
delivery wagons, buggies, etc. They
were all destroyed, and few if anv were
insured. Six or eight of the rigs be-
ionged to the Fashion Stables. the resi-
being the property of merchants
throughout the city who kept their de-
livery and other wagons at the stables
The loss on vehicles alone is over ST
500.
Ihe tWo-story brick house on Fifth
street, which was partially DESTROYED.
is owned by Mrs. McCord of San Fran
cisco. 1t is estimated that it is dam
aged to the extent of ST 600
The two-story frame dwelling adioin-
ing that Of Mrs. McCord, owned by Mrs
Scott, was also badly burned and the
loss will reach $1,000. Both buildings
were insured.
The one-story cottage on I, street
east of the laundry building. belonged
70 the estate OF Captain Deal 1t was
to the extent of about %4OO
Ihere were also other losses suffered
on household goods, and an estimate of
9>V.ouu snould not be too high for the
entire loss
Within the past two weeks there have
oeen seven fires in the city, and Chief
Guthrie OF the Fire Department last
evening SAID to Record Union" re-
porter that in his opinion five of the
number were of incendiary origin.
When the Gilman property was burn
ed shortly after midnight the smell of
coal oil was very pronounced. and
Chlnaman who works in an adjoining
laundry yesterday told a number of
persons that before the fire was discov-
ered ne saw man at the rear of the
building with can in his hands
Chief Guthrie also stated that the
stories of wholesale stealing while the
fire was in progress were wholly imag-
mary. He said that of the two or
three families driven out by the fire
none have reported the loss of any,
thing. Their furniture was injured in
removing it, but that was all.
George Bittner, the young man ar
rested on suspicion of setting the fires.
denies having had anything to do with
the business. but admits having been
at both of them. He will be held pend
ing further investigation,
WHERE 1T STARTED.
Officer Bailey. while investigating the
cause of the fire at Fifth and L streets
on Saturday night, was told by a gen.
tleman employed in one of the railroad
offices that he was going home, when
he saw very small light down near
the Chinese laundry. He walked up