Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-08-03
100000 GERMAN TROOPS IN DRIVE
TO CUT RAILWAY FROM WARSAW
AND SURROUND RUSSIAN ARMIES
INCENDIAR|SM
IS CHARGED IN
MARKET ST. FIRE
Strong odor of Kerosene About
Factory Loft Arouses Sus-
picion of Inspector.

plcIon OF Inspector.
That the fire at BAT Market street
last night was an incendiary one was
the report made to the police today
by Captain c. Albert Gasser, of the
bureau of combustibles and fire risks.
This statement followed a close in
spection of the three-story dilapi-
dated brick structure in which the
fire occurred A strong odor of kero-
sene oil permeated the place when
the fremen arrived in answer to the
alarm. The investigation followed.
"rhis is a case for the police, with
out a doubt" said Captain Gassef
after he had completed his search OF
the building. The Flash Electric
Sign Company, occupying the second
floor of the building. was the only
tenant The first and third floors are
vacant. According to the police, the
fire started in a pile of rubbish in the
basement.
Christopher Dracop, of 500 Mulberry
street, is the owner of the sign COM
pany He estimated mis- damage at
$4,000. Draeop was in the same bust
ness at 122 Murray street, and his
place there caught fire about two ana
a half months ago. According To
Dracop, the MURRAY street blaze was
caused by the explosion of an alcohol
flash igniting with gasoline torch
He estimated his damage then at 5000
but settled with an insurance com
pany for $5J.
81 settled for $50 for the Murray
street fire because | didn't want &c
go into court about il, explained
Dracop today. IF the matter wen
to court | would have to hire
lawyer. and | wouldn't get muef
more out of it when the thing was
finally settled"
Dracop declared he is married ant
lives with his family at the Mnlberr,
street address He said that he Is Al
electrician. Before coming 10 New
ark eighteen months ago he worked
in Pitts6eld. Mass. Ten days ago IN
moved from the Murray street shoI
to the loft at S47 Market street.
When Dracop reached his place o
business this morning he found the
battered entrance guarded by mem-
Der of the Salvage Corps, Accord
ing to the latter Dracop wanted to
know what had happened. and when
informed the place caught fire last
night Immediately began telling about
his valuable stock. Dracop, said tho
fireman, made various estimates of
the damage he would be able to re-
-a.a. man
CAPTAIN Gasser and the police say
that although the fire was undoubted-
" of incendiary origin they have
nothing to connect Dracop, the pro-
prietor of the electric concern. with
the fire The latter accompanied Cap
tain Gasser and DETECTIVES DAILY and
Donnelly to police headquarters to-
day and made a statement of his
knowledge of the fire. The detectives
say that Dracop is not under arrest,
but is at headquarters to assist them
in clearing up the case.
Gasser Examines Place.
Captain Gasser took Dracop to the
eharred rooms on the second floor,
where the Flash Electrical Sign Com
pany did business. Questioned by the
captain. Dracop indicated TIE rem
nants of his possessions which went
to make up the estimate of $4,000
damage. The owner said he had seN-
eral hundred electric globes, but only
few sockets could be found among
the ruins.
Two half gallon cans were found
among the ruined fixtures. Dracor
said one of these contained turpen-
tine and the other gasoline, These
fluids. he said, were used in his bust
ness, although the gasoline had not
been used since the fire department
officials had warned him not to. This
warning was given at the time of the
Murray street blaze.
The lott building i'm which the fire
occurred is situated in the center OF
"murderers' row" This sobriquet was
given to the row of antiquated build
ings opposite the Pennsylvania depot
Many of the buildings are used as
lodging-houses, where beds are fur
rished to men for a night from ten
cents up"
If the fire had no, Deen controlled
shortly after the firemen arrived II
is probable the entire row of old
buildings would have been included
i'm the blaze. Firemen said If the ad-
joining buildings had caught fire II
would have called out the entire fire
hghting force OF the city to prevent
il from spreading.
Find Oil-Soaked Waste.
Kerosene oil was the first odor
which attracted the attention of the
firemen as soon as they entered the
building. Deputy Fire Chief John j.
Towey instructed the men TO WORK
hard so as to prevent the otl-soaked
floors and fixtures on the upper floors
from catching fire.
Deputy Chief Towey made a tour
of the building as soon as the blaze
was under control In one place he
found a small pile of oil-soaked
waste Other parts of the buildings
interior smelled so strongly of the
oil that Towey stated he would rec
ommend a strict investigation be
made.
According to several firemen the
blaze, which started in the basement
no sooner reached the first floor than
it leaped with great rapidity to the
loft occupied by the Flash Electrical
Sign Company. The flames enveloped
the entire stairway, but fremen on
the third floor prevented the blaze