Evening journal., 1912-12-31
PLANT is
PREY OF FIRE, OWNER
CHARGES INCENDIARISM
RaffaeIe Julian; Threatened by Backhsnders, Loses
$4,000 When Prosperous Business Goes Up in
Flames---Firemen Have Trouble Fighting
Early Morning Blaze.

Fire, neneyed TO be OF incendlsry
origin, this morning gutted the big
plant of the Union Macaroni Com
7Vany, operated By Raffaele Julian, at
the northwest corner Of Fifth and
Walnut streets. The loss may reach
$4,000 on both stock and building,
with but $4,000 insurance. local iD-
Rsurancc agency having recently can
celled insurance on the building, fol-
loving a second fire within a year,
todays blaze being the third and the
rnnost serious Of all.
Mr. Julian, who lives at No 5l9
Walnut street. charges that the fire
was of incendiary origin and says
whoever set the plant on fire. was
tiprobably jealous of him because of
his success in life He says he is
convinced beyond a doubt that this
is true because of the suspicious
circumstances surrounding the fire.
N Mr.. Julian said that about ll30
o'clock last night he was working on
! his books in the office on the first
floor Of the building when he heard
csOme one walking on the floors above.
I. Knowing the plant had been closed
for the night and none of his cm-
ployes were at work he called his
son Charles. and they made an ex-
Namination of the premises. Mr.
Julian says he found open the door
of Fifth street leading to the upper
floors of the building and he closed it.
It was then that he went to call his
son When they returned Mr. Julian
again found the door open. Both
went up stairs and explored one
floor after the other. the building be-
IHNI| faarnfs
intruder had gone. There were sew
eral ways he could escape. but Mr.
Julian believes that he entered and
left by the Fifth street door
q Mr. Julian has reported the cir
umstances to the police and an in
rtstigatiou will be made. This fire
coming as the climax of several ser
Gus blazes Of late. all Of which have
~ tint o. suspicion surrounding them
although the Julian fire may not be-
ciassed in the same connection, has
caused considerable talk.
A. Several years ago Mr Julian re
a 7 ceived several black-hand letters
ihreatenng to blow up his home un'
his family with dynamite il he die
not place $4,000 at a certain place. Ill
4, was much exercised over the TIN ca
at the time and really feared ina
harm would come to him and his fam
ily The "Blackhander" was arrested
y however. dccoy package having bee
laid out for hi-i.
Tho reporter asked Mr. Julian
De had any enemies or had receive
any more ouch letters. He reptile
u that he had received no letters an
that Dc knew OF 10 enemies, but eN
pressed the opinion that his macaror
plant had been set on fire by som
one Jealous of him. because he wa
succeeding i'm business.
The blaze was discovered shOrtl
Il before > O'Clock by Patrolman Micha'
IN McGinion, who notified the DelawaI
~ Fire Company When this compan
Z responded a few moments later, th
entire back portion of the upper pai
/ of the building was seething furnac
.1Elias c. Windsor, OF No 519 Frenc
istreet. a member of the DelaWai
company, sent in an alarm from %
No. 13, at Fifth and French sire u
This brought out the Reliance, Wasl
inington, Liberty Fame Hose al
Phoenix companies, and they got mi
service I'm remarkably quick TIM
Upon the arrival of the officers OF q
4 Fire Department the fire had gaine