Amador ledger., 1905-04-14
TWO FIRES THIS WEEK.
Jackson Has Narrow Escape From a Ser
ious Conhagration.

ious Conhagration.
About IL O'Clock Monday night the
people on Main street we're alarmed
by the cry of fire on the street. When
the alarm was given the fire had made
considerable headway, the flames as
cending from the rear of the east side
of Main street. 1t proved to be the
woodshed in the rear of the Mace
building, occupied by V. Talenti as
saloon, and the shed in the rear of
E. W. KelIy's dry goods store. The
neighborhood was densely crowded
with frame shanties, used for wood
sheds, and it was feared that dis
astrous contiagration could hardly be
avoided. The night was calm, no
wind whatever, and the flames and
sparks shot straight upward. For
tunately, also, there was full head
of water running. The fire men had
two or three streams from a two inch
hose playing Oh the burning build
ings. The control of the fire was
not IN doubt for moment after the
streams were turned on. Beyond
the woodshed of the Teller building,
occupied by Kelly's store, and the
two story building of F. Mace, also
used as a woodshed, the woodshed
in the rear of McMillan's photograph
gallery was likewise partially burned.
Had the fire caught the photograph
gallery, destructive fire would al
most inevitably have resulted. While
the main buildings fronting Main
street are all insured, the outbuild-
ings destroyed we're not. The loss
will not exceed S40O. 1t is hoped for
the safety of the business part of
town that less inflammable material
will be used in their reconstruction.
Early Wednesday morning about 8
clock the alarm of fire was given
by shooting pistols and other demon
strations. 1t proved to be in the
same locality as the previous night.
The flames we're jumping twenty feet
high over the Mcmillan Photographic
gallery, in the northeast end of
which the fire had been started on
the top floor. used for the gallery
proper Again circumstances favored
the town. The night was still-stiller
even than the preceding night. The
whole roof of the gallery was ablaze
before any help could reach the
scene. The building was two story
frame, in the rear of the two story
lace Kay and F. Mace, the gallery be-
ing Oh the south side of the hallway,
and owned exclusively by Mr.. Kay.
In it we're the cameras and other
costly apparatus and stock used in
the Photographic business. On either
side we're shingle roofs, and mas of
other inflammable material. With an
ample supply of water, thrown under
heavy pressure from twoinch hose,
the flames we're subdued in a short
time. The gallery was completely
Quilted on the upper floor, and the
ground floor was seriously damaged
by water. The root of the room in
the main building, occupied as
sleeping apartment by B. E. Letang
was burned off and the ceiling ruined.
The basement of the main huil1ing,
occupied by H, Goldner as Justice
office, was also damaged by water.
Considerable stock in the rear part of
th stationery and variety store of E.
g. Freeman Co. was spoiled by water.
A fire in the same spot tMo nights in
succession at once suggested lncend-
iarism. This was suspicipped by the
first fire, but the second blaze has
deepened this suspicion into a uni
versal conviction. Scarcely anyone
can be found who thiuks otherise
than that these fires were the work of
firebug. An examination Of the
premises show that the door OF the
Ohui anu was 1OlOCu OpcA Iu0 uISC
one at the fire found this door wide
open. Investigation showed that it
had been forced open while locked,
the bolt of the lock still being out.
Furthermore the outside of the door
was burned to cinder, while the in
ner side was untouched. This is ac-
counted for by the fact that the stair
way to the upper part where the fire
was raging was close to the door, and
the door being thrown open, a strong
drapght was thereby created, scorch-
ing the outside of the door, leaving
the inner side comparatively un-
touched. Whether this door was
forced by the tire6ghters, or by the
incendiary, Is open to doubt. Some
of those who we're quickly on the
scene are inclined to believe that it
was broken open for the purpose of
getting the hose to play upon the
flames. This is confirmed by j. S.
Gar barini, who says that he used an
AK in breaking in this door,
| The property consumed and dam
aged by this second fire was partially
covered by insurance. The gallery
building, owned by W. Kay, was in
sured in the Firemans Fund for $3.50.
This will not half cover the loss. The