The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-06-20

completely destroyed. This beautiful
establishment was located at Locust
Naiiey' Few miles TO the south OF
the lawson place. No one knows
now the fire started. although. as Is
usual In such cases. Il was attributed
10 defective insulation.
The very same day the country es-
tate OF Raymond +. Baylis. at Hale
site. Huntington. "A few miles from
the Cravath place. was nearly de-
stroyed by another mysterious FIRE
and the following day the mansion OF
stephen r. Burgoyne. al Elm Point,
Great Neck. and the colonial cottage
Of Mrs. Peter r. Collier. at SOuthamp-
ton. l.. J.. we're reduced to ashes
through fires occasioned no one
knows how.
Add TO these disasters the four
hres OF April 3 to 10. which were dis
covered successfully on the place Of
r. X Chapman, at Great Neck. l.. l.,
the IRE OF April 2. which completely
Quilted the $500. 900 mansion OF Mrs
Jessica Taylor. daughter OF the late
James II. Keene. at Cedarhurst. the
IRE OF February IS. which DESTROYED
Mrs. W. X. Vanderbilt. Jr's estsb lish-
ment between Jericho and wcstbury.
ana the IRE OF January 20. which
started In the Port Washington shin
yards and destroyed 5000 900 worth
OF pleasure yachts owned by million
aire residents.
In the case OF the Chapman fres.
there is no doubt at all that the fires
we're OF incendiary origin -Four dis
unct efforts in two days 90 burn
down the place were made in two
days, but the Identity OF the hrebug
has not yet been ascertained. Mr.
Chapman IS president OF the Hudson
Trust Company.
The theory that an anarchistic con.
spirator Is responsible for the fires Is
based upon the fact that En- every
case the victims were millionaires.
There have been no fires az all in
the Affected area among the homes OF
people OF average means
The possibility that the fires are
the work OF a 'pyrOmaniac' Is held
by some persons. but no tangible
evidence has yet been secured 10 sup
port this view. The typical pyrO-
maniac Is one who g. instigatpd prin.
cipally by a desire 10 see the FIRE ap-
paratus and firemen az work. but In
these out OF the way country places.
which boast OF no elaborate FIRE dc.
partments. this motive could hardly
have been present
While the turning out OF a big
array Of ere fghtinE apparatus r. not
a Characteristic feature Of these
country fires. however. they do occa-
sion a form Of excitement OF their
own. and 70 r. quite possible that
some degenerate mind might derive
a peculiar pleasure Ia starting fires
OF this eharacter Just for the sake Of
watching the frantic efforts OF the
neiEhbors put them out.
A more Ingenious theory is that OF
an Insurance man Who believes the
Long Island fires are the work OF
some interruptions builder or ma.
terial man. who not having shared I'm
the previous contracts hopes o. profit
by the rebuilding ~ the houses
which he destroys
In the same was some ambitions
architect who had not shared In the
giving out 81 plans might figure that
N the houses had o. Do rebuilt he
might this time be- more lucky 80
evidence az an has been secured thus
far % support this theory. but tho in.
vestiEafors are keeping 10 in mind
That the fires may be- due 90 will
fully careless building on tho part Of
owners is the suggestion II a well
knoWn technical publication.