The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-08
SAY IT WAS SET ON FIRE
MORE ON THE sCHAUER
BLOCK BLAZE

Investigation Shows That the In
cendtary Match Was Applied in
Two Places Nothing to Cast
Suspicion on the Guilty PARTIES
The fire in the Schauer block Yesterday
morning at o'clock, as told in The
G b e, was the work of incendiaries.
Positive proof has been gathered show,
ing that the building was set on fire in
the hrst instance by a gallon can of kero-
sene, which was placed in the attic
above the third story. There is yet no
clue to the authors of the deed, and the
matter is in the hands Of the police.
When the fire department first arrived
smoke was issuing from the third story
and the roof of the building, and though
no flames were visible it appeared from
the outside that the fire was located i'm
mediately under the roof Pipe lines
were carried into the third story and I'D
on the roof and streams directed into
the attic. With the aid of ladders a
hole was torn in the ceiling of the third
story and chemical line used to sweep
the roof and attic. 1t was not until
hfteen minutes had passed that flames
were discovered in an Office occupied by
Prof. L. A. Harding, and when the door
was broken down the place was all
ablaze.
The residents OF the building were
closely questioned regarding the ORIGIN
OF the fire, but were unable to give more
definite information than that thew had
heard an explosion and had opened their
doors to find the halls full of smoke.
No flames We're visible anywhere. From
the facts of there being an explosion
and that Prof. Harding's Office was full
of drugs and chemicals used in ANALYSIS.
it was accepted as fact that an acct
dental mixing Of compounds had resulted
In an explosion causing the fire The
fact that the first flames discovered
seemed to come from the chemists Office
appeared conclusive proof of this theory
AFTER the department had ceased work
and the engines left the scene, Chief
COOK climbed into the attic of the build
ing and began an Investigation He
found evidences that there had been two
distinct fires, one of them about twelve
1eet from the other. Not long after an
empty Kerosene can was found living
where the first blaze appeared to have
started. 1t was still smoking and gave
OF an cdor which decided at once the
previous contents of the can A further
- sSSeA6elIiOll SllOWcu that the can had
been placed near an old mattress and a
quantity of bedding, with the evident
intention of starting fire which should
gain sufficient Roadway before the ar
rival of the firemen to make its extinc-
ton impossible.
Supt. Whitmore, of the fire insurance
patrol, who is familiar with the details
OF the find. said yesterday when cues
toned:
There is no doubt but that the fire
was incendiary work. The oil can found
In the attic had been on fire and would
never have been found there had It not
been placed there for a purpose. The
fact Of there being inflammable materials
near by bears out the facts and proves
the intention of the parties who set the
fire.
There was scuttle hole In the roof
of the building through which a person
might enter, climbing to the top of the
building from adjacent roofs It would
have been impossible to gain access to
the attic from the inside without a
ladder"
Supt. Whitmore estimated the loss on
the building at $3.50, and on the contents
at 5000.