Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-23
Waterbury, Cty Has 10
Fires in Seven Hours.
New City Hall Destroyed Loss
About 100000.
Police Search for incendiary-.Two
Arrests Are Made.

Waterbury, CT, April ga series of
Is mysterious fires in the course of
seven hours-all believed to be of in
cenoiary origin, caused a night of
anxiety and excitement in this city.
The handsome City hall, recently re-
modelled, was destroyed, with "a loss
Hof 5000. 600 The burning Of City hail.
1.-THE only one OF The fires which was
destructive, brought out a crowd of
more than 10000 spectators, and With
the continued turning in OF alarms,
Mayor Reeves called out the three mi
lftia companies to preserve order The
militiamen, with bayonets attached to
their guns, p;ltrolled the streets and
drove the crowds home. There WAS no
disorder.
SzThe pelice made Two arrests. one
man was later released and local
character. Jackie Lane, who had
been arrested many times for sending
in false alarms, is held pending an in
vestigation. The police theory is that
it is the work of one man.
The fires started each in Easements
or in clothes closets and in many in
stances oil -soaked rags We're found.
The first fire was at > O'Clock, this
afternoon. in the Platt building on
Bank street The fire started in the
janitor's closet and the damage was
slight Half an hour later. another
alarm was turned in. a fire having
been discovered in the rear OF an tn
dertaker's shop. Alarms then came
in quick and fast.
Mrs. A. +. Stewart. who conducts
a boarding house in West Main street,
saw man leaving her house shortly
before the building was found to be
on fire She described him as an ltal-
ian, about Is years old, and said his
face was poelx-mafked.
The City hall was found to be on fire
at $50 o'clock The blaze which start
ed in the basement, made great head
wav and the firemen were unable to
control it. The fire alarm system,
which was in the building. was put
out of commission and all alarms were
later sent to the yorious fire houses
by telephone.
From us O'Clock to Q O'Clock there
were six fires In most all cases the
blaze was discovered in closets under
stairways. One door was found to be
locked and the. key missing.
In view of the fact that all the fires
we're within a radius of a mile If the
City hall, the police hold to the theory
that one man is responsible.
The large manufacturing companies
and their volunteer fire companies aid
ed the city department The militia
patrolled the streets all night, but
there were few persons out after 10
O'Clock, all such being ordered to their
homes to guard property in case of
further fires.
outside of the City hall the property
loss will not exceed $4,000.
The city officials have temporary Of
fees at the court house. Except for
the assessors records. no valuable pa
pers were lost il; the City hall fire.
One of the fires was near a theatre
and in the excitement one woman
shouted "Firein causing a small panic,
in which several women tainted.
The fire has left the city without
lookup and Supt. Beach has arranged
with the county commissioners to use
the cells in the new county court house
to confine prisoners.
Ladderman J. ]. Mitchell had a mar
row escape from injury. He was
strapped to an extension ladder 90
feet from the ground when the ladder
swayed and fell. Telephone wires
stopped the fall, however, and line
men crawled out and released Mitchell
from his perileus position