The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-06-09
EARLY MORNING
FIRE SAID TO
Be B !: !. INCEDIARY ED | y
Two Frame Buildings Provide
Spectacular Blaze at Avenue
A and Third Street
STARTED ,BY KEROSENE:
One But ling Recently Removed
Tction From Fifth
Street Site ..
STARTED IF ,BY KEROSENE:

One. frame building at the corner of
Avenue A and Third street was de-
stroyed and one was badly damaged by
a spectacular fire between l and 2
o'clock this morning.
The fire was incendiary, in the opin-
ion of fremen and Il. G. Patterson.
owner Of the burned buildings. All
empty kerosene can was found and
one fireman said the odor Of kerosene
or gasoline was very strong and un-
mistakable during the fire.
A large crowd gathered to watch the
flames, which burst from the frame
buildings high into the air. AT one
time during the fire there appeared
to be an explosion. A roar was fol.
lowed by q puff of smoke and fire.
There was q loud crash when the roof
Of one Of the buildings collapsed.
There were two fires. which f1remen
said. had separate origin. The build.
ing on Avenue A, near Third street,
burned first. IA corner building, which
had been moved by Mr.. Patterson from
fifth street following the recent down.
town fire. was not damaged. The
building on Avenue A had been burn
ing for several minutes fire broke out
In a frame building facing Third
street, next TO the corner building,
fireman said.
. Alarm Delayed. .., /
1t was several minutes after the
flames were shooting into the sky be-
fore the alarm was sounded. A bust
ness man, who saw the flames shoot
ing into the sky, drove from the out
skirts Of the city to find out where the
fire was, and then drove to the fire de-
partment and sounded the alarm. The
house of E. w. Wasche, sos Third
street, IL next one of the buildings
burned. Roomeis in the house wers
on the south side but did not see the
flames until they were called.
Mrs. May, living next door, called
out that there was a fire. Mr.. ana
Mrs. Wasche were sleeping on the
north side Of their house, away from
the flames. Guests in Mrs. Mays
house had come In from q party about
ten minutes before the flames, burst
out The fire started so quickly and
gained such headway before the neigh
b0rs saw the flames that neighb0rs
are convinced the buildings were set
on fire.
Not Occupied. So,
Neither OF the frame buildings was
occupied, but were being repaired by
the owner for occupancy. There had
been considerable complaint against
the moving of the buildings from Fifth
street to the new locations, the protest
being carried to the city commission.
Mr.. Patterson said today that the
fire unquestionably was incendiary.
Kerosene was on the ground, he said.
Asked II there were any clue to tie
person responsible he said that he only
knew that some people had complain
ed Of the buildings being moved. He
said he had intended to remodel them
into presentable dwellings,. The
house on Third street Is total ruin,
he said, the roof and walls having
fallen in. The building on Avenue A.
he said, had brick inner wall and
can be. and probably will be, repaired
Firemen were c0mplimented for
their work in keeping the fire from
spreading to the .Wasche house, which
was only Is feet from one of the burn
ing buildings. There was no wind.
Had there been. great damage might
have resulted. .,.
The state fire marshal is charged
with the duty Of investigating sus-
pected incendiary fires. He and his
deputy are out of the city.