Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-04
PLOT SUSPECTED IN
ORIGIN Of BIG BLAZE
VISITING NORFOLK
Seven Arrests Made as Au-
thorities Probe Evidence of
Plan to Destroy Business
District of City

NORFOLK, Va, Jan. Fire here
today. which destroyed five large build
ings and damaged several others was
brought under control shortly before
o'clock this afternoon
That the fires in Norfolk today were
the result .of a plot to burn the city,
is the opinion of the police, of the head
of the fire department Seven men have
been arrested as suspects by the de-
partment of justice and are being held
for examination.
Mayor Mayo has just ISSUED a proc
lamatiOn declaring the city to be under
martial law, under control of Major
Charles G. Kizer, chief of police; Cap.
tain John II. Dayton, OF the United
States navy. and Major 1. Wake TruX-
tun. adjutant of the Norfolk Protective
league.
The streets are roped Off and sailors
and marines are on duty in the barred
zone, assisting the firemen.
The fire is now under control and Il
is believed that no damage VIII be done
to other buildings The Lorraine hotel
was threatened for a while, but the
work of a company of sailors on the
roof Of the building prevented the
spread of the fire in that direction. The
navy Y. NJ. c. A. was also in danger
this building was on fire.
As it was five big buildings have
been destroyed and three ar more 9TH
ers were badly damaged. Those de-
stroyed were the Monticello hotel, the
structure owned by the dickson estate
and occupied by the Peacock Inn" a
Chinese restaurant; the Norfolk Sta
t!onery company, the Thomas Shoe COM
pany, and Nine. Sutton, milliner; the
-, fY,rt hn
Lenox building, occupied by the Orien-
tai cafe and four other stores,
The Tazewell apartments and the
Dickson building, one of the most i'm
posing buildings in the CITY, were bad
ly damaged.
Fire which this morning destroyed
three stores on CRANKY street and par
TALLY destroyed the Monticello hotel
half a block away with the loss of one
life and severe injury to several fire.
men, has crossed the street from the
Monticello and destroyed two additional
store buildings and at 2 o'clock was
raging IN the seven-story Dickson build
ing on CRANKY street.
Mayor Mayo called out the home
guard, and these, with the companies
OF marines fro mthe navy yard, are
harding water front property, and pa
trolling the streets.
Firemen were handicapped in fighting
the flames by the intense cold. The
fireplugs were frozen and had to be
thawed out before water was available.
Two explosions preceded the first Are
this morning, and authorities believe
the flames were of incendiary origin.
While lighting the flames on the sixth
floor of the hotel, Charles Mccoy, OF
truck No. 2, was killed, and Lieutenant
w. H. Bailey; Hosemen w. H. Nelson
T. p. Smith, w. j. Monroe and David
Matthews were badly burned. Assistant
Chief Bunting was slightly injured. All
of the men burned and otherwise hurt
were sent to the hospital. 1t was the
falling of the roof over Cne dining room
that caused the death Of Ladderman
Mccoy and the injuries to the others
The men were caught under the burn
ing timbers and were rescued from Gre
nation by their comrades. Assistant
Chief Bunting had a very narrow es-
cape.
Buildings destroyed were the Month
cello hotel the structure owned by the
Dickson estate and occupied by the
: Peacock Inn" a Chinese restaurant
the Norfolk Stationery company, the
Thomas Shoe company, and a millinery
establishment: the ID. Carpenter build
ing, furniture: the LenoX building, oc
cupied by the Oriental cafe and -four
other stores.