The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-21
A Foul Murder, Arson,
Burglary.
CONTINUED From Page Nine)

and black smoke. At 2:30 o'clock
Police Captain Mart Thompson was
on his beat in that section of the CITY,
and as he approached the oil house ne
perceived flames shooting from the
office of the building, on Harrington
street. He turned in the fire alarm
directly, at 2:35 o'clock, and at z;4o
the fire department was on the scene
but the flames had caught IN the
warehouse, outside the office, and ike
q flash of lightning fiared throughout
the whole building, and caught the
large gasoline tank at the far eX-
trenity on West street. This eX-
ploded, without wreaking damage
lust as the department arrived. -Four
lines of hose were at once lald, ana
turned on the burning structure, put
to no avail as the building contained
several hundreds of barrels of gaso-
line, kerosene OIL lubricatlng OIL etc.
Fireman Shocked by Wire.
The heat was so intense that several
surrounding buildings and telephone
poles caught fire, and the water was
turned on these to prevent their lg-
milton. An uninsulated telephone
wire burned in two, and in failing fell
across the electric street arc light
wire, carrying 1000 volts, and fire
knocked down. Several persons
were overcome by the terrific heat.
There were five immense oil
tanks. with capacity of from $500 to
5000 gallons each, four containing
common oil, and the fifth gasoline.
There was said to be an oil we'll into
which the oil was let out of the
tanks, but this was not ascertained.
There was little danger of explosion,
L. nj hn q n
outlets in the top, and holes were soon
burned through them which permit
ted the oil to run tout on the ground,
where it was consumed. A reserve
fire wagon, Victor No. 2, was sent
after two extra lines of hose, and
these were laid. and the streams
poured on nearby buildings, which
were threatened.
Five Mules Burned.
Five mules were burned to death.
and one which was blind-folded and
led out backwards, was so burned
that it died a few minutes later. The
iron safe, in which was about 5000,
and also valuable papers, could
not be taken out of the building. 1t
was stated that the building carried
no insurance, and it was impossible to
estimate accurately the loss. as the
were burned to the ground.
The Watchman Missing.
There was some speculation as to
the whereabouts of the night-watch-
man, a one-armed white man, whose
name is Bud Strickland He had
been working at the oil house only a
few weeks. Some think that in an
endeavor to save the property, he was
overcome by the heat and was burned
to death. He was a young man,
about twenty-five years of age. He
was not seen during the conf1ag
ration, although several searching
parties looked for him. 1t was his
duty to make rounds at every half
hour. His salary was recently in
creased from rs cents to $1.00 per
day
The origin of the fire is not known.
There was said to have been no fire
in the office and no one is permitted
to smoke in there, and it was sug-
gested by some that its origin was
incendlary. Detectives will be here
tomorrow.
The building is now but a mass OF
charred and smoking ruin.
Mr.. w. n. Whitelaw is Superinten-
dent of this division for the Standard
Oil Company.
1t was found on examination of the
Office that the safe had been broken
nto and all the money taken, save
$25. The Safe was badly mutilated