New Britain herald., 1917-04-17
BLAME INCENDIARY FOR FACTORY FIRE Edwin H. Hills, PlainVille, Suffers
 Loss Of About $40,O00 NO MUNITIONS MADE THERE Flames Originate i'm Part of Building in Which There Had Been No Fire Since Saturday-Watchman Ovcr- come By Smoke.
 
NO MUNITIONS MADE THERE
Especial to the Herald )

Especial to the Herald)
 Plainville, April 17.-Loss estimated at nearly $4O,O00 was sustained by Edwin H. Hills in an early morning fire. believed to be of incendiary orig in and possibly the work of the pyro, maniac whose activities have periodi- cally thrown Hartford county into a state of terror during the past few months, which totally destroyed the main plant of his factory on North Washington street, threatening other buildings and resulting in loss of em- ployment to over fifty men. The blaze, which was discovered about 2:3O this morning. completely wrecked the largest of the shop buildings, which Nr~ffIlls operates, totally destroyed large quantities of goods, which were ready for shipment, and reduced to charred embers the walls of the struc- ture. Bremen spent most of the day flooding the ruins with water to pre- vent a spread of the fire to other buildings in the neighborhood.
 Admitting that the origin of the blaze was mysterious and that there was perhaps good reason for suspect ing that the fire was caused by an in- cendiary, MT. Hills was unwilling to lay the blame to enemies of the coun- try or to a pyromaniac when seen to- day. Hardware specialties have been manufactured in the plant and ac- cording to MT. Hills orders for muni- tions have neither been solicited or ac- cepted. He couldn't understand why German or a sympathizer of the Kaiser would select this building for his nefar1ous work unless it was his object to start 8 reign of terror and frighten tine people of the United States into submission. He would not indulge in theories as to the cause of the blaze but he felt positive that the torch had been applied to the build ing. Although the place was we'll in- sured, MT. Hills stated that there was a larger amount of stock than usual in the building and he personally would sustain a substantial loss. While he could give no accurate figures con- cerning the damage he estimated that 1t would be between $30, 900 and s4O,- 900.
 Plans for new brick buildings to take the place of the wooden struc- ture consumed by the flames had been prepared two years ago and MT. Hills said today that they would probably be used for new factory. It will take several months to erect and equip 8 new building and heads of the fac tory this morning expressed the belief that operations or a normal scale can- not be, resumed before early fall.
 Starts in Blacksmith Shop.
 Starting in the blacksmith shop in the northeast corner of the building the fire quickly communicated to the main part of the plant, eating it's way through the oil soaked woodwork with such speed that the structure was a veritable seething furnace by tho time the fire department arrived. The blaze had gained such headway by the time the alarm was sounded that nothing could be done to save the attention to other property which was in danger. The heat was so intense that several buildings in the immedi- ate vicinity caught fire repeatedly but in each case the flremen succeeded in extinguishing the blaze before it as- sumed very serious proportions.
 In the blacksmith shop, where the blaze was first seen, MT. Hills declares there has not been fire since last Saturday. The men in the department gave up their time yesterday to cold forging and fire was not required. The floor of this room is of dirt and except for some split wood there was nothing of an intlamn,ablc character within its walls. There was nothing to indi- cate that spontaneous combustion could have been responsible. Neither was there a chance that defective Continued on Eleventh Page) ; ,a.ee. s.