The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-02
BURNED DISTRICT { BEING GUARDED BY . 25OO BLUEJACKETS
 AND U. s. MARINES One Man Killed and Score
 More Injured During
 the Day FAMOUS MONTICELLO HOTEL A MONO I'll B BUILDINGS DESTROYED Flames, After Being Un- Y der Control, Break Out Again in Early Night

N Norfolk, Va, January l. HNearly two blocks in the heart ||of Norfolk's business district, |including the Monticello hotel, Hwere destroyed, one man Twas killed and a score more Majured in series of explosions Rand fires today, which both the |fpolice and naval authorities be- |llieved were incendiary. The |bire had been checked tonight, 8but still was burning fiercely fn the ruins. The loss is roughly |5estinlated at more than $2,000,- bOO.
 N Three distinct explosions in as Ihany bp.ldings, one after the fire Pnce virtually had been brought under |fontrol, led to the general belief that Hnemy agents were at work.
 Mayor Mayo practically placed the |8ity under martial law by turning the Hituation over to naval officers, and aome 2500 marines and bluejackets 1rom nearby naval stations assisted She police and home guards in main Raining order and preventing vandal- Bm.
 FIVE MEN ARRESTED Naval patrols rounded up suspicious Hersons throughout the afternoon, while live men were arrested as suspects. Two Ef these, Hugo Schmidt and H. K. Les I1ig, said to be Germans, were turned Ever to the department of justice agents Tonight there were reports that two liermans had been shot by sailors dur 4ng the day but neither the police nor Naval authorities would confirm them
 FIRE STARTED AT DAWN M The fire started before dawn in the Md Granby theatre on Granby street Ind gained rapid headway as the fire hen were handicapped by frozen fire hy- 3rants, low water pressure and near 5ero temperature. It quickly spread to he Monticello hotel and other nearby buildings in the block. It was brought Ander control late in the day. but broke jut anew early tonight leaped across dranby street and leveled half block here before being checked.
 FIREMEN ARE KILLED Falling floors and walls took toll of Bremen and naval guards One fire han, Charles Mccoy, was killed and of pper floor of the Monticello hotel in le day and tonight two firemen and pveraf sailors were caught in fall wall of the Lenox building. Three ere brought out badly hurt but .wo hers were left in the debris.
 Bremen of Norfolk, Portsmouth and lffolk with organized sailor fire brig ies fought heroically amid ice and inding smoke and bluejackets led the escue work when the fighters were apped. Several of the Bremen caught
 the hotel were brought out alive rough the daring of d score of the ok tars.
 JMBER EXPLOSIONS UNKNOWN Reports as to the nsin1ber of explosions ny. It was first said that the fire in Granby theatre had followed an ex- osion. but Fire Chief Mclaughlin and Aval investigators announced tonight at this was not the case They said ere shad been, three separate and dis let explosions. The first was in a pak and hat shop near the Monti- llo. The second was on the sixth floor
 that hotel after the first fire was actically under control and the third
 the Lenox building. which later was stroyed.
 HOTEL GUESTS FLEE
 Guests from the Monticello. who Ire forced to flee in the biting cold
 the dawn after they had watched theatre burn, were taken care of
 nearby homes and hotels. As build after building went down, with pm an apartment house. scores were
 de homeless and the national guard nory on City Hall avenue was own open.
 At the armory during the late day
 d Cross workers and other volun-
 ITS looked after the homeless and
 70 supplied hot coffee and sand ches for the naval patrols and fire In who were forced to seek rest iron, Dir gruelling work against the
 mes
 HYDRANTS FROZEN
 when the firemen responded to She
 rm for the theatre fire they found
 lCsatl.ues .. Fare Two,