Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-30
BURNED BUILDINGS
WILL Be REPLACED
investigating Two Explosions
in Outlet Store; Chief
Praises Men.

FIdiS0S M0n.
Fire Chief william J. I.utz had
nothing but praise today for tho Of
flcers and men In his command who
worked Mt the nro yesterday morn
Ing In tho Outlet store and he voiced
the pride he feels nj being nj tho head
OF such an efficient flre fghting Or
xsniza ton a. this city now has. Their
work yesterday morning could not be
Improved upon" said Chief Lutz to-
day. Every order Issued was obeyed
promptly and efficiently. There was no
shouting. no unnecessary noise. no
confusion ana the whole department
worked with tho precision OF well
oiled machine. I feel very proud OF
the nervices the men Of the depart
ment have given ana this IL all the
more remarkable when ws stop TO
consider the comparatively short time
tho department has been organized.
This WAS only tho second time the en-
tire department was called into ser
vice and won't into action ms unit
The men on tn. or platoon we're
quick 90 respond 90 the call Of duty
when notified after the general alarm
had been sounded and many of them
, did not even wait for "a call but rushed
from their homes 90 the scene go take
/ up their work there. Too much can
, not he said In praise OF The citys hfe-
lhnen."
Mrs, samuel greenbsun. owner OF
all tho buildings that we're damaged
; by the FIRE. stated this morning AZ heI
home that she IL fully covered by In.
sursnco ana that just ss soon az thi'
q Insurance can bs adjusted che t. 60
tng Ga have the properties rebuilt and
A restored to their original condition
. This includes the store ~ 302 ans
, a0s Market street and the apartment
a huusa ct No. East Third street. sh,
!. rhld the reconstruction work will b'
. started M promptly NJ possible an'
o hurried 20 completion.
I'll Building Inspector Ellis T. Preston
"a made survey ~ all the damages
. properties this morning and late
stated that there are several 81 tn
= walls that viii have 10 be rebuilt. IN
front wall az the Outlet store whlcl
!, huleed out over Market street whe
a the roof fell In has been removed an
). this was accomplished without FnJe
. 90 anyone. A large force Of men ~
busy today Clea ming up the debris IN
q fire was 30 complete and 80 thorough
y ly was almost everything within ~
z0ns consumed that there IL not niue
y sl.bri- % DE moved with the ezceptio
Of some charrsd timocrs.
Reports that the IRE was caused b
defective electric light wiring are on
l.,
Ia l.. H. Heacock, electrical inspector
Underwriters Association of tho Mid
| die Department with headquarters
] this city ard who was on the seen
"a few minutes after the first alari
came in. Mr.. Heacock said today N
y wiring in the Outlet store had been 81
speCted only a short time ago and wa
found 10 be in very good condition
complying with the regulations and
fact a first class certificate had bee
10 issued by the underwriters on IN
re particular equipment. He said Il
". electric wires did not cause the bla.
IL but Just fiat did waA undetermin.
ne for once the fire got going IL burnt
o. with such great rapidity that practice
III ~ JAN evidence as 10 the origin. Wi
! destroyed.
10 Fire Marshal f. Morton Ainsco
after a thorough inspection OF Il
10 premises was unable to find any ciu
ne that would have led 10 an explain
ton OF the origin. His inspectors hi
90 visited the building a short time a
" and gave orders that some rubbi
u be removed and on a later visit foul
these orders had been complied wi
TO the letter and that the property W
'" in good condition and all FIRE hazar
80 had been removed.
=. The firemen are now trying TO
49, termine the cause Of two explosio
" That occurred In the Outlet store shoi
w w after they reached the scene W
- Fterday morning. They say that a Il
minutes after the first alarm sound
, :, there was a sharp. loud report or exp
- sion Of some kind in the Outlet ste
- proper and fire minutes later the
=, was another similar report but III
-, we're unable TO determine In just WI
-. part OF the building they occurr
~, Some of the firemen described th'
: - seports like that OF a pistol shot
ia though much louder for they could
o. distinctly heard above the roaring
the flames and the noise incident
,us the arrival OF the FIRE companies. p
aid pie living in the vicinity also hes
nv these reports. After the flames
~ been subdued and the firemen W.
X. through the building they could Z
,av mo evidence OF an explosion OF d
M kind.
,an Marshal Ainscow has made an
ar, vestigation of numerou. reports c,
a., rent to the effect that the fire was
incendlary origin. but he could Il
tha nothing 10 substantiate this thee
ha He ran TO earth several .suppo'
Ne lciues ana theS all proved 10 ne Wor
less or utterly without foundation
fact. None OF them we're found
sufficient weight or importance to &
credence TO aud the cause OF the
blaze remains as much a mystery
''N day as Il was yesterday. although I
or three Investigations OF the ori
Ne are being made.
al James V. Baker of New York. rep
yer senting the National Board az
one Underwriters is here. making an
-eet vestigation OF tho fire. M. Baker
,au. said 10 he an expert in cases Of ar
thel or incendisrism and IL is underst
ker he will remain here for several d
In connection with this case. lie
With Marsha. Ainscow visited the n
son vest erday afternoon and made an
her. speotion OF the place. but because
rs the water ana debris about
premises they were unable TO acc
plish much.