The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1902-09-01
BOYS FIRE SCHOOLHOUSE.
Young lncediaries Make an Effort to Burn
Public School Building.

ch'ctiF WHISTLES dilu SlOTlly
by the fire alarm rung at the hose house.
The hose cart was quickly manned and
the hose connected at the plug in front
of the Depot saloon on Railroad street,
and a large crowd of men was quickly
on hand to fight the fire, which was
found to be in a window on the first floor
of the east side of the school house. 1t
developed that the fire was of incendiary
origin, someone having thrown coal oil
on the window casing and lighted it with
a view of burning up thebuilding. The
water was shut off from all mains at
the time and messages were sent both
to the company's offices and power house
at the time the alarm was rung, but it
was twenty-eight minutes by the watch
before any water came through the hose
and the fire had been nearly e~xtinguished
by throwing sand On the blaze. This is
probably the first fire in Winnemucca
to be put out by sand The hose COM
pany was on hand very promptly and
ready to do efficient work, but If the fire
had started in a frame building the
whole town might have been in ruins
before any water could be a 1t is
a very dangerous position for the town to
be in and some arrangement should GER
tainly be made to insure a flow of wa
ter in case of fire. A patent e~xtinguisher
would have com In very handy last
night, too, but lone appeared until the fire
was out. Some of the firemen, notably
Conductor John Lewis, did heroic work
in tearing out the window castings and
preventing the flames from getting a
start.
Several young school boys have been
suspected by the authorities of having
started the fire and there is very good
evidence to show that at least three of
them took a can of coal oil from the
depot, saturated the window sill and set
fire to it. These boys evidently prefer
vacation to attending school and sought
to prolong tllir holidays indefinitely.
The officers found a kerosene can near
the scene of the fire, and from admis-
sions made by some of the boys it is
very evident that some of them were
concerned in this attempt at arson.
~ 10 6Atao9 " NC at5iCNAto that ALA1o&
boys should nave been so ~thoughtless as
to attempt such a dastardly act. No
doubt it was more of thoughtlessness
than of criminal intent and they are
very young to fully realize beforehand
the horror of such an act, but it is to be
remembered that some of them admit
having discussed this act and formed
L.. -. IT.
ago, and that 1t is not the fault of those
concerned In the attempt that the school
house is not today a heap of ashes. 1t
is a great pity that these boys, well
raised, having nearly everything they
want. and educational advantages which
hundreds of thousands of boys all over
the country would consider extraordinary
and envy them. should attempt to de-
stroy a splendid building like this. Later
in life they will probably realize these
facts and that in this great western
country where they live and where
education generally, tehir lot is. by COM
p~arison with that in foreign countries
and even in many Eastern States, a
very easy one and one full of adj
vantages.
There are many who consider that
complaint should be made against the
boys and that they should be prosecuted
to the laws fullest extent, but the dis
position of the officers seems to be not
to go that far. Under these circum-
stances. unless complaint is made against
them i'm due form and out of considera-
ton for the families to which they be-
long. the names of the boys will be with
held.
1t is very likely that they will be re-
leased from custody and the matter drop
ped, even though there is no doubt that
the administering of equal and exact JUS
tice, would land every one of them be-
hind penitentiary walls.
As far as motive is concerned none
has developed further than that the plot
to burn the schoolhouse was made while
two of those concerned in it were OF a
camping trip a few weeks ago.
1t has come to light that at least half
a dozen companions of the chief con-
spirators knew of the plot. which, all
things considered, is unparalleled in de-
pravity in the history of this town.
1t will be remembered that an attempt
was made to burn the sc~hoolhouse sew
eral years ago and that no clew to the
incendiary was ever found. Many were
disposed to connect last nights attempt
with the former one, but there is nothing
whatever to substantiate the belief.
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"a rnuutv Clerk ~