Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-08
Police Engaged in Effort to
Break Up an Active Gang.
REWARDS FOR INFORMATION
Torch Applied to Sheds at Rear CT
Dwellings in Northeast.
OTHER SECTIONS ALSO VISITED
Band Of Juveniles Causing Trouble
and Expense to District Fire
Department.

A bright blaze in rear of ao3 East ap-
itol street last night about $40 O'Clock
claimed wide attention and prompt
response on part Of the .fircmen prevents
the flames from spreading 10 q nearby
grocery store and dwellings. although the
store building was scorched The 20
lice officials say they have reason to he
lieve that the fire was the work of
incendiary, being one of many similar
blazes that have occurred in the eastern
section Of the city during recent weeks.
and the fire department chiefs share this
view.
Boys are undoubtedly responsible Tor
most of the fres,' said Fire Marshal
Nicholson to a Star reporter today. Not
only have boys set fire to sheds and out
buildings in the eastern section OF the
city. but they have started a number OF
brush fires.
For a time the fire marshal added.
boys turned in false alarms OF fire to
see the engines run, but lately they have
applied the torch"
After the Firebugs.
Capt. Mulhall, in command of the fifth
police precinct. has had members OF his
command doing duty in civil an clothes
for some time in order to apprehend the
have managed to prevent capture.
1t has been common talk about some
of the East Washington schools of late
that boys were setting fire To sheds. but
their Identity has not yet been establish
ed. In several instances burned paper
and rags were found, but al the fire last
night the destruct on was so oomplct'
that nothing was left to tell the tale
One of the shed fires. Fire Marshal
| Nicholson stated. resulted from chilGreI
vvala - rfs tzh4 h. Ant
| suited accidentally. but in the other in
stances. he stated. he was convinced that
the fires had been started intentionally.
Such fires. when discovered in time. are
easily ext nguished, although there Is
always danger of a serious confiagra-
| ton.
Brush Fires Numerous
| While most of the shed fires have been
| confined to the eastern section of the
city. the brush fires have occurred in diff
ferent parts of the District. Last Sun
| day, the fire marshal stated, boys started
a blaze in brush near University Heights.
and it extended over several hundred
| acres of land.
| "Firemen saw the boys and tried 10
oveftake them" Marshal Nicholson said.
| but they did not succeed. as it WAS
necessary for them to give almost their
entire attention to the fire
Last Friday boys started blaze on a
lot near saith and Q streets northwest,
and the same day the firemen We're
called to AlbemarS street east of Con-
necticut avenue, Fort Stanton and PEN
cole woods. The latter part of February
brush fires in Cox's woods, Thompson's
| woods and on property on the Mheele;'
and Tunlaw roads. near Good Hope. and
! at LIST and N streets northeast claimed
attention.
More serious attention is being given
the fires in sheds in East Washington.
however. and the police will pay rewards
for information leading to the arrest and
| conviction Of the perpetrators of them.
discovered in sheds In the rear of lolI
and 1913 North Carolina avenue south
east, and last month burned paper was
found under the rear gate of 10l1.
Deliberate Attempt to Start Blaze.
| The paper was put there for the pur.
pose of setting fire to the shed and
fence suggested the fire marshal, ''but
it burned itself out before it came in
contact with the timber
| A similar effort was made to set fire to
the automobile shed in the rear of III
18th street southeast last month, while
the shed in the rear Of liz 10th street,
across the alley from the automobile
Hay in the stable on premises No. 324
Sth street southeast was fired February
25. and the police and firemen were sat-
| isfied that the blaze was the work OF a
juvenile incendiary. Burned rags were
found in the shed in the rear of 211 sth
street southeast the oath of February,
while the same day burned paper was
found Oh premises at the rear OF 1901
Massachusetts, avenue northeast, where
slight fire occurred.
February % fires back OF SO2 ID aid 81
sth street southeast claimed the atten-
ton of the police and firemen of the Dis
trict while blaze in the shed at 100
southeast
fire marshal says. was accidentally started
by children who were playing in the shed.
So frequent have the fires become that
residents of the eastern section of the
city have become greatly alarmed be
cause Of the danger that some OF the
fires started for the purpose of burning
sheds and fences may spread to dwell
ings.