Evening journal., 1904-03-30
No Arrests Have Yet
Been Made But State
and City Officers Are
Making Investigation
Fiends Enlist Aid of
Fire to Aid Them to
Destroy Three Build
iu9s Owned by DuPonts

Incendiaries failed in an attempt to
burn the powder mills of the Dupont
Powder Company on the Brandywine
near this city last evening.
Three buildings belonging to the Du-
Points We're destroyed. however. despite
the hard work of two Wilmington fire
and fire brigades formed of
Of the great powder company.
The fire bugs started their fire brands
in three parts of the settlement and at
any hour it was expected that the big
mills would go up.
The blaze was first discovered IN
Flemings barn. While all the men I'm
the settlement were devot'ng their time
to fighting this fire the stables used by
James Braden and Robert Blakeley at
Squirrel Run about one-fourth of a mile
from Hagley yard. was found to be
burning. The latter properties are
about three quarters Of a mile from
the Fleming barn and it is impossible
for them to have caught fire from iy-
ing embers.
Guards Around Mills.
After the second fires were discov-
cred a chain Of armed guards were
thrown around the powder mills.
When asked for a statement, T. Cole
man DUPONT. president Of the powder
company, made this significant re-
mark:
"Omcially I can say that we do not
hire men to set fire to our own build
ings. That is all 1 can say at this
time"
Not Work of Strangers.
Detective Francis and Patro.man Cor
nish are here investigating the fire. SO
far no arrests have been made.
The fire is the sole topic Of conversation
in and around Henry Clay today. Indig-
nation Is on every tongue.
Every one believes that the fire was OF
incendiary origin Had the blaze in the
B akely and Braden caught FIRE from the
Blakely and Braden stables caught from
roofs there would have been a reasonable
doubt about the work being that Of in.
cendiaries. In both instances the fir,
started In the centre of the buildings. Ir
Bradens stable there were 5000 shingle.
and about 1000 feet of lumber. All wa.
destroyed.
Squirrel Run is a small settlement and
had any strangers been around there yes
terday or last night they would have been
noticed. Residents today said they had
seen no strangers yesterday. 1t is the
belief That more than two men were con-
cerned in the fire and that they were well
acquainted with the place.
Discovery Of Fire.
Fire was discovered in the barn by
William ]. Hunter. He Immediately
gave the alarm, but in a remarkably
short time the building burst into
flames with a great roar.
Livestock Saved.
Hunter. Andrew Godfrey. John Gil
son, James Clark and Ross Fetters
dashed into the burning structure and
led out the live stock. They also sue
ceeded in wheeling out three. wagons
before they were compelled to desist by
the intense heat.
DuPonts First Arrivals.
Among the first persons to reach the
scene of the fire were T. Coleman Du-
Pont. president of the powder COM
pany, and Pierre s., Alfred l., and
| Francis C. DUPONT, who could advance
no reason for the fire.
The barn faced the Montchanin road
and Immediately surrounding the site
upon 1t stood several frame dwellings
Attention was at once paid to saving
these houses and by heroic efforts this
was accomplished.
While this fire was about out and the
people were losing interest sufficiently
to go home. the startling shout weni
up: There's another fire."
Sure enough the glare of a fire wa.
seen at Squirrel Run about three-quar.
ters of mile away, and with a shout
the excited crowd started in the direc.
tion of the new blaze.
While all this was going on, Thoma.
Frizzell. at Henry Clay. sent in an
alarm, OF fire from box No. 226, and tn,
Friendship and Water Witch Compan
les responded.
Fire Chief Michael Conway and Firs
Assistant Chief Robert G. Porter wen
out to the fire. although il was out
side the city limits by two miles, an,
did what they could. T. Coleman Du
Pont frequently conferred with the fire
men from this city and the volunteers
William J. Hunters family furnishe,
hot coffee for the firement about Flem
ing's barn.
Continued on Fifth Page.)