The daily banner., 1919-07-17
IA MYSTERIOUS FIRE AT
HIGH SCHOOL LAST NIGHT
Fire Broke Out in Basement Under
The Stairway of The Main Floor
Many Suspicious Circumstances
Attached to The Blaze.

Cambridge had it's third fire OF
the week last night, when about
half-past nine o'clock it was discov,
cred that the Cambridge High School
Building was on fire. The origin OF
this fire, like that of all the others
that have occurred recently. is a
mystery, but judging from the re-
ports which are current upon the
streets today, it does not seem as II
it should remain a mystery much
longer, for there are said to be nu-
merous clues which, if properly fol
lowed, should lead to complete ex-
posure of the manner in which the
fire was started.
There have been various rumors
afoat to the effect that the doors OF
the High School Building have been
left open, and that anyone who de-
sired could gain entrance to the
building. Such reports, however,
seem TO be completely at variance
with the facts, as the building has
been securely fastened since the
close of school, except upon such oc-
casions as when someone having bust
ness in the building secured the keys
or had the doors opened for them,
the last time this occurred being
about two weeks ago, when employees
of the Telephone Company were ad-
mitted on business.
Two or three days ago Superin-
tendent Noble and Assistant Supt.
Meredith, Prof. Seitz, and a gentle
man looking the premises over about
some painting, were there, and all
of them were positive this morning
as to the condition of the building
at that time
Yesterday evening four men were
seen to enter the basement of the
building, about nine o'clock, or few
minutes before that time, by more
than one person An attempt was
made at first to force an entrance in
the rear of the building, and, it is
alleged by some, that window pane
was removed, SO that one of the
number could get through and open
a door, but the four entered by, a
door in the rear. on the creek side
of the building. In about half an
hour after their entrance, the fire
was discovered Whether the fire
was started as the result of an ac-
cident remains TO be ascertained, but
there seems to be no question of the
fact that the fire started a short time
after these men were seen TO enter
the building.
A most thorough investigation
should be made, not only of this, but
of the other fires which have occur
red recently. Instead of Offering a
reward of a paltry fifty dollars, the
Commissioners should make their re-
ward not less than Five Hundred
Dollars. If anyone is starting fires,
reward of $500 would be an incen-
tive to hunt them down., but no one
would think of tackling the job for
$50. Why, the Commissioners might
as well try to set laborers on the
streets for so cents a day. If the
reward should lead to the arrest and
conviction of anyone, it would be
money we'll expended; if no one is
convicted, the money would not be
expended, but it is unfair to Cam
bridge, unfair to it's business men,
and it's citizens generally, to permit
the suspicion to be harbored that
there is a fire-bug operating here,
and it is doubly unfair to the fire.
men to expect them to be giving as
much of their time as they are to
fighting fires, without making every
effort to ascertain if someone is
starting them.
The fire last night was caught in
time to prevent it's doing very much
damage, although a portion of the
main floor was burned through and
several of the sills were partially
burned. The loss probably will not
exceed a few hundred dollars, and is
covered by insurance.