The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-11
MORAN BLOCK AT LAST BURNS DOWN Fourth Incendiary Effort Sue
 cessful Last Night BUILDINGS A TOTAL LOSS The Old Wooden Structure at the Northwest Corner of Twentieth
 Street and Fourth Avenue
 Made Big Blaze.
BUILDINGS A TOTAL LOSS

The fourth attempt to burn the Moran block which faces on Twentieth street and runs from Fourth avenue to the al- ley, was successful. Nothing remains of the row except few blackened uprights, and at places a wall that Is ready to fall
 The fire was discovered at 12;35 o'clock this morning, and at 2:30 the firemen were still playing on it with a dozen streams of water The buildings are a total loss. Nothing was saved except few personal effects of some of the people who roomed in the buildings and some of the equipment, of one or two of the stores.
 The entire loss will amount to about $6O0O with hardly any insurance. All the risks were cancelled on last Friday by the companies on account of the three recent attempts to burn the property, and the only person with any insurance at all was Mrs. A. M. Johnson, who con duets boarding house at 40 Twentieth street. Her insurance will probably cover her loss.
 Burned Out.
 The people burned out were Jim Moran, owner of the block, who roomed on the second floor on the corner of Twentieth street and Fourth avenue. His loss will be about 5000. with no insurance The furnishings of his room alone were said to be worth about 5000 and nothing was saved.
 The corner store, 400 Twentieth street, was vacant. Up stairs roomed J. D. Head, J. T. Head, James Hasley and J. B. Hin George Nichols, Greek, had fruit stand and restaurant at 402. He saved much of his stuff. The store at 4o4 was occupied by Robert Stubbs, bicycle reparer, whose loss was almost com- plete. The Special Messenger service and the McNatt Printing company occupied 4O6 Twentieth street, as well as F. w. McInturff. a cigar maker J. B. Fergu- son, a dyer, and George Roth tailor. Their losses were complete. Charles F. Stueckler a barber, occupied 408. and Mrs. Johnson's boarding house 40.
 This is the third time within the past week that the fire department has been { was every indication that 1t had been set on fire. Kerosene in large quantities could be smelled last night. The fire is supposed to have started in the rear portion of 4o6 or 4Os Twentieth street, the same place it has always been found before.
 Smoke Was Thick.
 The smoke was so thick last night and | tbo e,,au x.,oo oo offapciyo that the fira- men were unable to enter the building. Chief Mullin and Captain Walton went in- side once to see if there was any one asleep there. and they barely got back out. the smoke was so bad.
 At one time it looked as If the firemen had the flames under control but the wind blew up from the west, and 1t was all off. Chief Mullin telephoned for the Southside engine and wagon, and then 10 North and South Highlands. The wind was so brisk that the sparks ere carried up into the next block. and he wished to be prepared for any emergency. l MT. Moran, when seen this morning. said that he had no idea who had a grudge against him, but that evidently | some one had, as they were continually attempting to burn his property. Chief Mulin said that there was no doubt that the origin was incendiary, as there was every Indication of it.
 rather peculiar fact occurred in connection with the fire Yesterday after noon Captain Walton was speaking about the other attempt to burn the place, and stated that it would not be many days before the place was burned down, for | if the fire ever got started nothing could stop it.
 | The building burned like finder when 1t was once well underway. It made the most peculiar fire in Birmingham in a 1 long time, as the flames leaped high in the air, sparks were carried hundreds of 1 feet up and eastward Although it was very late several hundred people gathered | and watched the progress of the flames | LETTER FROM MIR. LOWE.
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