Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-12-19
A MYSTERIOUS FIRE.
Daniel Melarkey and His Wife and Nice,
Have Il Narrow Escape.

Daniel Melarkey and His Wife and Niece
Have "a Narrow Escape.
Fire broke out simultaneously in four
rooms in the second story OF Daniel
Melarkey's residences, at the southwest
corner of Reed and Adams streets,
about o'clock Saturday morning,
and the occupants, .dr. and Mrs. Me-
larkey and their young nsce, had q
narrow escape with their lives. The
origin of the fire is mystery, but Mr..
Mearkey is of the opinion that some
person broke into the house., either
with intent to steal or for some other
reaeoD, and deliberately set fire to the
place. When Mr.. Melarkey was seen
Saturday he could not tel whether
he had been robhed, as everything was
upset and he had not had chance to
make an examination.
The night man at Andrew j. Travis
stable, on Lancaster avenue between
Monroe aud Adams streets, heard a
woman shouting fire" about o clock
and be at ouoe sent telephone message
to the Weccacoe engiuehouse. The
company responded quickly, with its
chemical engine, and lost no time in
getting to work. Policeman Robert
McGarvey also discovered the fire soon
after il broke out and turned in an
alarm from box No. %, at Second and
jackson streets, which called out the
district companies. The blaze was ex-
tinguished by the chemical apparatus
of the Wecoacoc, Delaware, Fame and
Washington companies, and thu good
work OF the fremen coptinsd it to the
portions of the house in which it
started.
When the members OF the Weccacoe
Go. arrived they found fire in four rooms
in the second story but there was no
blaze ON the ground floor. A bureau in
the front room was burning savagely.
There was 10 fire in the next room.
Mr.. and Mrs. Mearkey and their neice
had been sleeping there. In the bath
room, which is the thIrd from the front,
paper was burning; there was fire on
the floor in one Of the back rooms,
which adinins the bathroom, and cloth
ing in closet in the other rear room,
was afire. Each blaze was independent
OF all of the others, and it was apparent
that the fire had not spread nom one
room to another. In fact, there was a
whole room between the front room,
where The principal blaze was found,
and the bathroom, which contained the
nearest fire to the emo in the front.
AJOutC ul bh6 "6lC VI
that they smelled coal oil, but when a
reE orter asked MIR. Melarkey about
that matter he said he did not know
whether oi had been used or not, He
has not been well for some time and
ths fire bias so unnerved him that he
has not had ap opportunity to learn just
what happened,
MY wife and I and our niece we're
sleeping in the middle room, Nj.
Melargey said. in speaking Of the
matter, and | knew nothing about the
fire until ] was aroused by my wife,
who had been awakened by The smoke.
The house was then filled with smoke
and we got out as quickly as we could
and went to a neighbours. was not
feeling we'll and remained at the
| neiehbors, not going back to the house
at the time to make an investigation,
as l knew | conld not do any good.
| When | made an Investigation this
morning it was impossible to tell
whether We were robbed or not. have
no idea how the fire started, but it was
| probably the work Of thief.
He could not say where the fire
started first, but it was plain that it
was burning in four separate places at
the same time. The only fire in the
house was in the kitchen, which is
under the rear room, while the most
serious fire was in the front room, No
lamps were burning, except the one in
the room in which they slept, where
there was no fire. Mr. Melarkey said
he and his wife and niece retired about
10 clock last night and be noticed
nothing suspicious then, neither did he
| hear any strange noises during the
night,
| MIR. MsiarlSey is the owner Of the
| house. 1t is insured with the Royal
1 insurance Co for 81 600, and ths fur
niture is insured for $500. The insur-
ance men were at the house Satur-
| day. 1t is thought that the damage to
the building will not exceed 500,
whilo probably 800 worth of furniture
was destroyed.
Mr.. Melarkey formerly kept cigar
store in the front part OF the building,
| but. ewing to Ill health, he has not been
| abe to do any work since last July and
| the store has been closed since then
When he heoame sick in July he went
| South to viait relative. hut has been
recovering. lie is able to get about hut
is not strong and the fire has been a
shock to him.
Shortly after o'clock Saturday
lamp exploded at the residence Of
Mary MeRary, at the northwest corner
OF B and Buttonwood streets, causing a
slight fire. a message was sent e. the
Liberty enginehouse and tine company
responded, out iU was not necessary TO
place the apparatus in service.