Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-10-14
THREE ATTEMPTS
To FIRE BUILDING

1t was very clearly demonstrated
Saturday, that we have tirebugs in
Danville. Four different attempts
were made to burn buildings and that
one or more of the structures did not
go up in smoke is owing solely to the
fact that the fires were discovered i'll
the nick of time.
The spot selected for their operations
by the would-be incendiaries was
along the alley at the rare of Mill
street next TO Mahoning creek. Along
this alley, especially near the northern
end, next to the d. L. & W. tracks,
there are a large number of wooden
buildings grouped together, consisting
of stables, wagon sheds, henneries,
coalhouses and the like The build
ings are all old and, especially at the
present time, as dry as tinder. To
make the conditions still more favor
able for the starting of fire, at many
places in the alley as we'll as in the rear
of the buildings bordering on Mahon-
ing creek, the ground is Uttered with
paper, excelsior, and other trash.
The alley, which is IA private one and
is enclosed by gate at the ID. L. &
| w. right of way, is seldom visited dur
ing the day and under cover of the
numerous buildings fire bug could
operate unobserved.
The first attempt to fire the build
ings was made about O'Clock in the
morning. The smoke led to the dis
coyery of the fire, which was located
in small frame building at the rear
| end of the lot connected with Ruckle's 5
jewelry store. \ quantity of paper
had been piled up against the side of
! the building and this was set on fire
When the fire was discovered the
! flames had already eaten into the side
of the building and had gained quite a
headway. y few buckets of water ex-
| tinguished the flames. An inexplic-
able circumstance connected with the
affair is that a second attempt was
made to set fire to the same building
during the forenoon.
Later in the day IA small building on
| the rear end of p. p. Swentek's lot
| was set on fire in the same way 1t
was discovered in time to prevent
damage
The boldest attempt of all, however,
| to start a fire occurred about O'Clock
/ -, tho nvanip,r w hon s1,,,, ,,,,.,,, ,,r
persons working in the open set fire to
! the rear of the barn situated on the
/ west side of the alley, belonging to the
| LaubaCh estate. Here where their
movements must have been plainly in
view from the big mill and from the
/ ID. /. d w. tracks they stuffed lot
of paper into an opening caused by the
removal of a stone from the founda-
| tion wall Immediately below the wood
en sill forming part of the bottom
/ frame, and set the mass on fire. The
/ flames came i'll immediate contact
with the floor of the building and had
already seized firm hold of the wood
work when they were discovered by
some small boys. Like the other fires
it was easily extinguished.
In each instance, it seems, the fire
was discovered by boys living ON that
street. They observed nothing, how
ever, during the day that would serve
as clew to the would-be incendiar-
! les.
| The affair has caused much anxiety
among the owners of property nearby.
That the officers are on the alert to
p revent the recurrence of the attempt
goes without saying. Meanwhile it
would be a good thing to give the
place thorough cleaning up at the
rear of the buildings along Mahoning
creek as we'll as in the alley.