Bisbee daily review., 1918-01-02
IN CITY
Of NORFOLK
THOUGHT Of
ALIEN ORIGIN
Two City Blocks Razed and
Three Men Killed. Ger
mans Are Suspected of Set
ting Off Explosions.
CBy Review Leased wirel

NORFOLK. Va. Jan. l.-Nearly
two blocks in the heart OF Norfolk's
business district. including the Month
cello hotel. were destroyed. three men
were killed and score more injured
in a series Of explosions and fires
which today both the police and naval
authorities believe were incendiary.
The fire had been checked tonight
but stin was burning fiercely in the
ruins. The loss is roughly estimated
at more than $1,000, 0Oo.
Three distinct explosions Is as many
buildings. one after fire once had vir-
tually been brought under control.
LED 70 the general bslief that enemy
sgents were at work. Mayor Mayo
practically placed the city under mil-
ilary rule by turnins the situation
over 10 the naval officers and some
s509 mSrines and blGejaekets from
nearby naval stations assisted the
police and hOneguards in maintain
/ ing order and preventing vandalism.
Suspects Rounded up.
Naval patrols rounded up suspect
ed persons thrOughout the afternoon
while five men were arrested as
suspects. Two % these. HugO Sch
msdt and n. X LeSSinS. said TO De
Germans. were turned over 10 depart
ment Of justice agents. ToniSht
thee- were reports that TWO Germans
( md been shot by sailors during the
Gsy. but neither the police nor naval
authorities would confirm them.
The fire started before dawn in the
cid CRANKY theater on CRANKY street
and gained rapid headway aS the Cire-
men were handicapped by frozen
hydrantS, low water pressure and
near zero temperature. u quickly
spread 70 the Monticello hotel and
other nearby buildings in the block.
u was brought under control late IN
the day. but broke out anew early to-
night. leaPed across CRANKY and lev
eled half the block there before be-
ing checked.
Firer,en Killed.
Falling floors and walls took toll
OF firemen and naval guards. One
firemsn. Charles Mccoy. was killed
and seven others were hurt in the
collapse OF an upper floor OF the Mon
ticenO hotel dnrins the day and to-
nisht two firemen and several sailors
were caught in a falling wall OF thu
Lencx building. Three were brought
out badly hurt. but two others were
left in the debris.
Firemen Of Norfolk. Portsmouth and
Suffolk with organized sailor tiro
hrisades fought herOically amid ice
.ud binding smoke. and bluejackets
led the rescue work when the fighters
were trapped. Several of the firemen
caught in the hotel were hrougnt out
alive through the daring Of a score
Of the jack tsrS,
Reports as 70 the number Of eNplo-
sives vary. Il was first said that the
fire in the Cranky theater had tol-
lowed an explosion but fire Chief Me
Iaushlin and naval investigators Sa-
nounced tonight that this was not the
cause. They said. however, there had
been three separate and distinct eX-
plOsionS. The fire was in a cloak AMI
hat shop near the Monticello. The
second was on the sixth floor OF that
hotel after the first fire VAS virtually
under control and the third in the
I.enox building which later was de-
siroyed.
Thousands Made Homeless,
Guests from the Monticello, who
weer forced 70 flee in the biting cold
II the dawn after they had watched
he theater burn. were taken care OF
in nearby homes and hotels. As build
ing after huilding went down with
them an apartment house, scores were
made homeless and the national guard
armory on city hall avenue was thrown
open TO them.
Throughout the late day Red Cross
workers and other volunteers looked
after the men and also supplied coz
fee and sandwiches for the naval pa
trolls and firemen who were forced "a
seek rest. from their gruelling work
against the flames,
When the firemen responded to the
alarm for the theSter fire. they found
an hvdrants in the vicinity frozen.
Fins had to be built to thaw them
ont. In the meantime the firemen
looked on helpless while the big thea
ter burned. When water finally came.
the pressure was so law that streams
would not reach to the upper stories
OF the burning building and the fire
soon was beyond control.