Omaha daily bee., 1911-07-06
FTRECRGCKERS START FIRES
Ladies' Have a Busy Day with BlaEes
Everywhere. -
NO GREAT DAMAGE Is DONE
Most OF Fires Come FROM Crackers
Thrown In Rubbish Heaps and
Excitement L. only
Result.


easy Fourth OF July. While there were a
dozen incipient blszes started and extin-
guished before s o'clock In the evening
the damage was trifling in all instances
except one
Firecrackers were the cause OF all the
fires. except one In a fre-t-,. car near the
Nancy Milling company's plant ut Thr.
tieth and Walnut streets. .-hS alarm from
that section OF the city put every official
on edge as all remembered the disastrous
eonfiagraton which did over slOoo.Ooo dam
age less than two years ago. Excitement
subsidized when II was learned that the
blaze was nothing more serious than an
empty boxcar which rested on the tracks
between the Independent elevator and the
Nancy mills. The car was supposed to
have caught fire through the carelessness
Of a band OF hoboes who had been drink
ing alcohol and smoking cigarettes there
during the warm hours OF the forenooDeA
Captain Henderson. with his company from
No. 10, were first on the scene and had
the blaze practically out when several
other companies arrived. There was no
loss except that entailed by the destruction
Of the car.
Horses Are Burned in Stables.
The worst fire Of the afternoon. figuring
loss OF live stock, started In the stables
owned by William II. Patton, In the rear
OF 2906 Sherman avenue. Two horses
owned by Al Watson and the ashland,
Young q Hederson company were burned.
One horse belonging TO a laundry company
was saved. The loss will amount to $500
The first fire OF the day was directly
up against the fire department when As
sistant Chief Pete McGuire's home at 1878
Clark street was discovered to be burning.
Firecrackers shot off by a bunch OF
patriotic youths started a blaze on the roof.
which was put out by No. C hose company
without any noticeable loss.
Fireworks was also blamed for fire
number two. which started in a shed In the
rear of ls45 North Sixteenth street The
loss was insignificant.
There was all manner of excitement in
the neighborhood OF Third and Pierce
streets when the roof of coal shed IN
the rear began smoking. A lot Of boys
had been setting off firecrackers and the
sparks are supposed to have started the
blaze. There was no loss.
The members of company No. were
just getting warmed up to the game when
they were called to spill water on a pile
Of rubbish in the rear OF 15ta Sherman
avenue. A crowd of boys seemed TO have
a dislike to the rubbish and they turned
direction.
The nelEhborhood Of Seventh and Pierce
streets was remarkably quiet all day until
the cry OF fire" was sent up by a num-
Der OF children who had been burning up
fireworks too close to the cottage ofh
Charles Troby. s2S Pierce street. Cannon
crackers had been making themselves
heard and when the porch OF Troby's
house was seen to be on fire all the kids
scattered. The loss was slight.
riremea stick to IL.
Tired, but willing, the members OF three
fire companies started at 1855 In the after
noon TO put out a fire that was burning
up a wheat field behind the Krug brewery
at Twenty-sixth and Krug avenue Tho
golden grain looked 80 good TO the youth
in the neighborhood that they directed
their fiery shafts over the wide expanse OF
wheat The entire plot was scorched, but
as It was planted more for an experiment
than anything else the loss is not among
the Fourth of July calculations.
Company No. was called to entingush
prairie fire in the underbrush at Twen-
ty-sixth and Center streets at O'Clock
As usual firecrackers were blamed for the.f
blaze which was generally conceded q
have done more good than harm TO the
place.
There was sure enough aggregation OF
frenS!ed Cinnamon when the rear stairway
OF the building. 6os-c08 North Sixteenth
street. part Of which is coupled by CHI
nese restaurant. was found to be ablaze
late In the afternoon. Boys. who like to
make fun OF the ''chinks." are said TO
have shot off their crackers in the rear Of
the place just TO see the Cinnamon jumn
The loss was about s26
frame cottage, occupied by Frank
Pozderka, i21s South Second street, caught
fire from the usual cause, firecracksrs,
and burned IS worth Of shingles Off the
roof before the fire department turned the
water on.
The grocery store owned by John Kill
casky, 1870 Military avenue, was set
ablaze at o'clock by a pin wheel which
was accidently ignited within the store.
A small quantity OF firecrackers were de-
stroyed and the blaze which followed did
only few dollars damage
The roof OF residence at 8e1G Dodee
street was slightly burned when q rocket
descended upon II at o'clock. The IRE
department extinguished the flame before
any great damage was done