Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-03
FIRES STARTED
by BURGLARS
THEORY REGARDING
lNCENDIARY BLAZES
Phelps Lumber Yards and Clarke
Feed Yards Burned-PoIice on
Track of Two Men Seen
Acting Suspiciousy

Fire of an incendiary origin de-
stroyed the Phelps lumber yards and
the Clarke feed barns at Pico and
South Figueroa streets last night
causing a loss of more than $4,000,
only part Of which was covered by in
surance.
Within an hour after the fire was
discovered twenty police officers were
patrolling the neighborhood and every
suspicious looking character was Or
dered to leave. Detectives were hurried
to the spot and the work of hunting
for the gang of firebugs who have been
terrorizing the city for the past two
weeks was Immediately begun.
At Sis o'clock an officer noticed a
small blaze coming from the rear of
the lumber yard and planning mill
owned by w. r. Phelps, contractor
He turned in a double alarm, but be-
fore the engines could reach the place
the flames had spread in every direc-
ton, and the only thing that could be
done was to save the surrounding
buildings.
On Trail of Suspects
According to the statements of the
neighbors, two men were noticed loaf
ing around the place during the even
ing. Both were plainly dressed and
were seen going into a "blind alley"
to the east of the planning mill. 1t was
from that section that the fire was
discovered, and about ten minutes be-
fore the first alarm several residents
of the section saw the men leave the
place hurriedly and start toward the
Pico street car line.
Chief Lips arrived with the first hose
cart and took command of the fire
line. At 8 o'clock the fire had gained
strong headway, and the wind carried
the flames into the feed yard where
hundreds of tons of hay were de-
stroyed.
Within an hour after the fire
started former Chief, of Detectives
Bradish arrived on the scene and made
careful investigation but refused to
make any statement.
Detectives Rico and Talamantes
were detailed from the central station
and received the reports of the officers
on the beat of the fire. These reports
contained the assertions of the various
residents who had seen the men leav-
ing the yards short time before the
discovery of the fire, and as they tally
in every respect to descriptions of men
seen prowling around other buildings
recently burned, the theory of the po-
lice is that an organized gang is at
work in the city. firing buildings with
the hope of robbing people during the
excitement.
Methods of the Gang
1t is thought that two members of
the gang fire the buildings and the4
leave the neighborhood, while their
partners arrive from stations in the
territory and begin work
in picking pockets.
The fire was under control at mid
night, after the entire corner had been
destroyed. The Pico Chambers, directly |
next to the planning mill, escaped dam
age, although many of the occupants
began to collect their belongings pre-
paratory to flight.
Following the fire at Pico and Fig |
ueroa streets, a second alarm was
turned in from Alvarado and PicO, but |
only slight damage resulted there.
A small blaze of incendiary origin
broke out at 7;15 o'clock in a barn in
the rear of Marchessault street, near
the Plaza, and caused loss of sew
eral nuIldred collars.
j. r. Cate, the tenant of the
premises. said that the blaze started
in the center of the barn and that
there was evidence of somebody hav-
ing set fire to the place
Because of the wide district COW
cred by the firebugs, a general order
was issued to patrolmen last night to
question every person seen lettering
around buildings in the evening. An
immediate report from employees of a
in the neighborhood of the Pico
street fire was to the effect that a small
blaze had been started at the mill night
before last, but had been discovered
and extnguished without damage.
The planning mill has been ON fire
-hree times, but on the two previous
occasions it was only partly burned.
Theory of Police
According to a report from police
headquarters last night. it is the opin-
on of the detectives that the recent
fires of incendiary origin have been
started to cover up intended robberies
md to afford opportunities for pocket
picking.
No stock is taken in the theory that
| single pyromaniac is starting the
Tres for his or her own amusement. A
ire that breaks out in a residence dis
rict generally affords an opportunity
or petty thieving and the looting of
'esidences near the scene of. the blaze
md serves to divert the attention of
he police department to a fire in one
section of the city, while burglars are
operating in another part.
Between z and o'clock last night
here were three alarms, and at the
,olice station tie reports that were
eceived tended to confirm the theory
hat campaign of crime is under way
With numerous fires to cover up traces
f the work of well organized gang,
which is making its headquarters in
4os Angeles.
At the fire department headquarters
t was impossible to get any detailed
eport of the fires, the men there evil
emily acting under orders to refuse
o give out any information.
Fire in Two. Story Brick .