The Portland daily press., 1898-01-20


Board of Overseers of Poor Want to
Test Law Regarding Dependent Sol
diers.
The Mayor and Board of Alderman
held special meeting yesterday after
noon to consider several important
matters. The cause of the fire in the
Dominion house on Fore street early Mon
day morning was investigated after
several unimportant matters had been
acted upon. The investigation COM
menced shortly after four O'Clock and was
not concluded at half past six. The board
adjourned until four O'Clock this after
noon when the rest of the evidence will
be heard.
City Solicitor Morrill, conducted the ex-
animation of the large number of wit
nesses who were summoned. All of the
members of the board of aldermen were
present with the exception of Alderman
Ilsley. Before the board began the ex
animation into the cause of the Dominion
house fire Alderman Kehoe asked to be
excused from acting on the matter on the
ground that he was the attorney for MIR.
Niles. who occupies the Dominion house
and he wished to be relieved from any
EN- barrassment which might come to him
should he remain in the chamber and sit
upon the evidence as a member of the
| board of aldermen. Alderman Kehoe was
excused from acting with the board and
retired from the chamber. The witnesses
were then sworn and asked to leave the
room and retire into an ante room. All
| of the witnesses went out with the excep-
| ton of Insurance Inspector Hanson and
Mr.. Charles f. Plummer. Alderman
Rounds requested these two gentlemen
| to leave the room also. The investig alton
was then commenced.
| First Assistant Engineer John Long of
the fire department stated that he had at
tended the fire in the Dominion house on
| Fore street at 2.5S Monday morning.
When he reached the building he located
the fire in the upper story underneath the
caves. The flames had reached the blind
attic. While the fremen were at work on
the upper floor another fire broke out in a
room on the floor below and the firemen
above came very near being cut off from
the stair case. This second fire was in a
room in cabinet bed and kerosene had
been poured over the mattress and then a
match applied. In room eight still an
other fire was discovered. Oil had been
poured on the straw mating in room
eight and oil had also been poured on the
carpet.
At five o'clock Mr.. Long left the
Dominion house and returned later in the
forenoon and found that the mattress in
the bed room had been taken out of the
room in which it was first placed and
placed in another room covered up with
sheet. Mr. Lopg asked Mr.. Niles, the
| proprietor of the house. how the fire had
fstarted. Mr.. Niles replied that he die
not know. Mr.. Niles had stated to re-
porter, however, that the fire had beer
caused by the explosion of an oil stove
Mr. Long examined the oil stove and
found that it had not exploded. Mr.
Niles admitted that he had told the re
porter that the oil stove had exploded
| but acknowledged that he was mistaken
From the time the fremen got to work
on the first fire until the fire broke out II
the room below it was fully ten minutes
| In room eight the fire had been started IN
a cabinet organ. Neither of these rooms
on the second floor were occupied that
night. The Hremen were Obliged toEex-
! tinguish the fire in the room On the
second floor before they dared to turn
their attention to the fire in the attic. Il
was plainly evident that kerosene had
| been used in at least two of these fires
An empty oil can was found in one OF
the corridors Mr.. Niles's attention was
called to this oil can and he said he had
used the oil in filling lamps. There are
about twenty rooms in the house and Mr.
Niles reported that he had fifteen board
ers None of the inmates in the house
made any effort to remove the furniture
from the house nor did they assist in any
way in extinguishing the flames.
About an hour after the fire depart
ment arrived another room was found IN
which oil had been poured on the carpet
but had not ignited. J
Each of these three fires must have
been started separately. There was $500
insurance on the furniture in the house.
That furniturel which was destroyed
might be valued at $500.
Joseph A. Mcdonald testified that he
was passing by the house on the morning
in question and discovered the tire about
three O'Clock. The first thing he saw was
the smoke and later he heard glass crack
ing. He rang the bell and kicked at the
door and waited five minutes before he
came to the door. Mr.. Niles was partly
dressed in shirt, trousers and slippers.
Mcdonald showed Mr.. Niles the fire and
then rang in the alarm. Two men were
with Mcdonald when he discovered the
fire named Malloy and Henry Donovan.
Witness saw no pieces Of furniture taken
out of7the house. Some of the boarderi
| took out their trunks, but that was all
Mr.. Niles did not ask the witness to pull
the alarm. After witness told Mr.. Nile'
abor1t the fire in the house Niles returned
indoors and locked the door and theI