The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-02-16
Centerville Citizens Say Dis
connection of Pipes From
Engine Prevented Eff
cient Fire Fighting.
STATE OPENS PROBE
Witnesses Tell How Second
Blaze Broke Out After
Fighters Remove GasO-
line and Explosives.

II residents Of Centerville have any
theories as to how the $4,000 fire
started early Thursday morning, they
are not revealing them.
Deputy Fire Marshal White and
Prosecuting Attorney Keller today
opened the first court of inquiry un-
deg the state fire marshal's jurisdic-
ton ever held in this county.
Summons were sent out for twenty
five men and two women and later
the sheriff was ordered to summon
ten or twelve more residents of the
town. .. - ....,.
There is strong feeling Of antag-
onism against the members of the
town board. They are Emory Hobbs.
John Nixon. Taylor McConaha, Bruce
Dunbar and John l. King. The latter
was made member OF the council two
months ago to succeed an elected
member who moved from the town.
Diseonneet Steam Pipes.
The councils rule of economy
which was popular short time ago is
now being liberaly condemned. The
citizens say the fire protection was
only virtual since the council decided
to save money by disconnecting the
steam pipes from the fire engine
Previously the engine was kept under
steam at all times sufficient to run
1t until the fire in the engine heated
the water and made it's own steam
Several Of the prominent citizens OF
Centerville expressed the belief that
this fact will bring upon the town
board a severe censure from the state
fire marshal If not more severe PEN
atty for the economy administration"
Thomas TOnnhor npnhor
Julian Dunbar, the heaviest losers BIZ
the fire. were the first called in by the
deputy fire marshal. Each of the wit
nesses was taken separately and the
inquiry was carried on in the manner
of grand jury investigation. Others
who were called were Mark Stevens
BENJAMIN Peele, owner of the thna'"n
building, members of the Civic .t-1s
-Thich lac. 1SE15s sEif.c-,e the
State bank. Grover Smith. owner cF
restaurant across the street, and oth
ers
The two women called were N-S
Grover Smith, who lives opposite III
east end of the fire district. and Ny
Flora Hertzell, whose residence was
partially destroyed
Mrs. Hertzell was cindictive in her
statements regarding the fire and It's
probable origin. She came to thu
court house this afternoon in re-nnns.
to a summons and expressed the hope
that the prosecutor would let her
speak her mind"
J. q. Meeks was called to testify
this afternoon. Before giving his tes-
timony, he explained to his townspeo-
pie that he was sleeping in the east
room in the rear of his drug store
br\Tfng. and he awakened choking
from smoke.
He called and aroused Julian Dunbar
who was sleeping in the rear room of
a house around the corner. which was
also later destroyed by fire. Dunbar.
who is a basketball PLAYER at Earlham
college. Immediately came to the res
cue after arousing other members of
the femily. A general call was sent
out and the fire was extinguished.
While partially filled gasoline tank
and an almost empty coal Oil tank
were being removed from the room.
the crowd which had gathered saw
little flames starting in the front OF
the drug store at a place where ther.
had been no fire. The flames We're
under inflammable drugs which they
reached before the fire department
members could extinguish them. After
that there was no hope of saving the
store.
The second fire. which did the dam
age. is believed to have started from
the ignition of gases and fumes from
alcohol. turpentine and other drugs.
probably caused by the heat from the
first fire. There was no explosion.
The inquiry probably will last until
tomorrow night or Thursday morning.
Not more than half of the witnesses
testified today The points upon
which the state deputy placed most
stress in his questioning were not re-
vealed, as the witnesses were sworn
to secrecy.
1t is said insurance examiners will
be called in tomorrow for consulte-
tion as they have made investigations
of a nature similar to the deputy fire
marshals inquiry.