New-York tribune., 1918-01-02
Big Norfolk Fire
Is Blamed On
Agents of Kaiser
Continued from page 1

in falling wall Of the Lenox Build
ing. Three were brought out badly
hurt, but two others were left in the
debris.
Firemen of Norfolk, Portsmouth and
Suffolk. with organized sailor FIRE bri-
gades, fought heroicallv amid ice and
binding smoke, and bluei Jackets led
the rescue work when the fighters were
trapped Several of the iiremen caught
in the hotel were brought out aliv"
through the daring OF a score Of Jack
tars.
The combined departments appar-
emily were making good headwaN
against the flames when the explosion
occurred in the cloak shop. and another
blaze started. Suffolk then was asked
for aid, and rushed apparatus 20 the
city by train In .he mean time the
naval authorities at the navy yard and
naval base offered aid. and fire brigades
we're soon on the scene.
Navy Takes Charge
When the second explosion occurred.
this time in the Monticello. Mayor
Mavo put the naval authorities il,
charge They placed patrols through,
out the business district. threw COZ.
don of marines and uejackets arou III
the fire district and began picking up
persons unable to account for them
selves.
Department of Justice agents joined
with the city detective force in seeking
to unravel the mystery of the ex-
rlosions. Three of the men arrested
were placed in the city Jail ard Fed
eral agents took charge Of the other
two, Schmidt and Lessng.
Fire tugs from the navy yard early IN
the day took up positions on the water.
front, three blocks away, and assisted
the fire engines and pumped tons oi
the block on CRANKY Street from C;rs
Hall Avenue TO Tazewel Street vi:tu
ally was destroyed, only two buildings
the Dixon and Commercial structures
both new, escaping destruction. The.
were badly damaged.
Breaks Out Afrcsh
Just at dusk the fire in the Monti
cello broke out afresh and despite th'
heroic work of the fremen and sailor
the Lenox. Carpenter and Tazewel
buildings, s.X-,vory structures acros
TIE street, were wrecked. For tim
the naval Y. NJ. C.. A. was threatened
but the wide lane separating it from tn
burning buildings enabled the tiremel
to save X and other large building
nearby.
Although the fire still was burnin
in The ruins late Tonight the fir
chief announced that the danger wa
over f the naval patrols could "chec
! the work OF incendiaries."
The sre-swept district IS but thre
blocks from the Elizabeth River water
front on the north and FIVE on th
west II is more than mile fro.
the Norfolk Navy Yard, which is IL
Gated up Che Elizabeth River in til
western section Of Portsmouth. Til
nearby waterfront is used by bay an
river steamers and trucking vessels
Reports as to the number Of explt
sions vary 1t was first said tia. tt
fire in the Cranky Theatre had 10
lowed an explosion, but Fire Chief NJ
Laughlin and naval Investigators a,
nounced tonight that this was rot Il
case. They said, however. that thel
had been three separate and distln
explosions. The first was in clos
and hat shop near the Montlceilo; II
second was on the sixth floor Of tn
hotel after the first rre was practical
under control, and the third in Il
Lenox Building, which later was d
stroyed.
Guests from the Monticello. W.
were forced 70 fee in the biting co
OF the dawn after they had watchs
rhe theatre barn, were taken care
in nearby homes and hotels. AS bull
ing after building went down scor
were made homeless. and the Nation
Guard armory on City Hall Aven,
was thrown open.
There during the late day Red Gro
workers and other volunteers look
after them and also supplied coff
and sandwiches for the naval patro
and firernen who were forced TO Sc,
, rest
When the tiremcn responded to u
alarm for the theatre fire, they foul
all hydrGnts in the vicinity froze
Fires had 70 be built to thaw them o,
In the mean time the fremen looked
helpless while the big theatre buildil
burned. When water finally came, t
pressure was so low that streams wcu
not reach TO the upper stories Of t
burning building and the fire soon W
beyond control.
Portsmouth,, across TIE Elixabe
River, was called upon for aid, and t
FIRE was checked until falling spar
fired the Monticello, where many Of t
guests had gone back to bed In the b
lief that the fre was controlled. Tn
were soon forced to turn out again.