The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-04
STRONG SUSPICION THAT sCovILL
HOUSE Ate WATERBURY,
WAS SET ON FIRE
THIS BLAZE STARTED A PANIC
Loss Given in Earlier Reports Is Not
Reduced, but Rather Increased,
by the Latest Estimates
of Experts.
NO LIVES LOST. FEW INJURED

WATERBURY, Conn, Feb. 3.-Tlle sun
rose today on blackened and smolder-
ing mass of ruins that marked the main
business section Of the city.
There is a very strong suspicion that
the fire. which completely destroyed the
Seovill house, burning thousands Of dol
lars worth of furniture, appointments and
personal effects, and importing many
lives, was the work Of an incendiary.
The fire originated in the pool and bill
lard room in the basement of the house
on the further side from the burned dis
trict. The room was locked and no enc
was supposed to be there No fire was
kept in the room. all heat being supplied
from boiler in another part Of the build
ing.
Manager Truman said ct the police sta
ton, while the fire was still raging, that
he had not the slightest doubt it was Of
incendiary origin. No one could be found
to explain the cause, and the authorities
have been quietly Investigating.
Panic Threw OF Suspicion.
The fire came SO close on the heels Of
the big con1lagration that the thousands
of spectators who witnessed it were
thrown into a more complete panic than
the original fire caused. The flames had
only begun to die out along Bank, Grand
and South Main streets at o'clock when
flames leaped upward, as by magic, and
people feared the city was doomed after
all. The call was runs in promptly and
the engines that hurried to the scene
turned their attention mainly to prevent
ing the spread of the flames. 1t was evil
dent that the hotel was doomed, and If
the fire had reached the adjacent build
ings there would have been very little
hope of saving the center of the city
The fire burned far into the day, and
was not eXtinguished entirely until even
ing.
The scene about the city was only little
less remarkable than that of the preyi-
Gus evening. Thousands of people STUN
bled around the icy streets, and with the
greatest difficulty were restrained by the
militia and police from venturing within
the danger lines. A tangled network of
wires on Bank and South Main streets
greatly hindered the work Of extingIlish-
ing tho last flames and clearing away the
Wreckage.
The Connecticut Railway and Lighting
company has men on the streets all day
removing, repairing and replacing the
wires The city's telephone communica-
ton, lighting facilities and electric power
were restored before nightfall.
Loss Not OvereStfmated.
A revised list Of losses and insurance
is very difficult to obtain at this time
Few know just what the loss was on
their buildings and stock. 1t is believed
that when the truth is known the figures
telegraphed this morning will not be rar
from the correct estimate.
The remarkable feature CT the fire was
undoubtedly the absence so far as
known, Of loss of life. Two men who
were asleep in the ~Scoville house, Charles
Y. Kent, of the Holmes, Booth 6, Hay
dens company, and members of the board
of education, and the second cook, Ger
man, were reported missing, but boln
have been located.
Inc rebuilding Of ruined structures Is
only a question Of time. Temporary
quarters have been secured by all the
firms. Many have already telegraphed
for new stock, and will resume business
Immediately.
American Still Issues.
The American Publishing company is
among the heaviest losers, the building
being entirely ruined but the paper was
issued In an abbreviated form tonight
The walls of the mechanical department
are still standing and 1t Is said that it
will be rooted in Immediately The press
and machines are believed to be not
seriously damaged, though buried under
water and debris The plans of the COM
pany have not been formulated.
There has been more or less disorder
about the streets today, but the police
have been very active and the militia
has been of great service in handling the
crowds. The streets were piled with
household goods and strewn with small
articles thrown from the windows. Some
of this pOrperty was confscated by
passers-by, but the amount of thieving
was small compared with the opportuni-
ties offered by the, confusion.
The number Of injured was very small,
and in all but one or two cases the in
juries were slight The streets are rapid
ly being cleared.
Estimates by experts tonight places the
total loss at close to $2,500,000.