Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-03-15

possibly was Of incendiary origin,
was the statement OF Shirley r.
High, city fire marshal. who carly
today announced the arrest of an
unnamed man on information
supplied by HI. T. Shift. president
of the Confectionery Specially
company at 521 West jackson
Blvd, where the fire started.
Mr.. High refused to divulge the
name of the man arrested but
said that he was being questioned
regarding the threatening letters
Mr.. Shift said the man. q former
emplOye, had sent to him. Mr.
Shift told Mr.. High the man was
discharged and within the past
two months had made a series of
threats. Mr.. Shift placed his per.
sonal loss at $4,000.
Mr.. High SUNNI oned several Of his
aides while the fire was at it's height
and said an investigation would be
begun mmediately. He placed the to-
tai loss at from $10,000.0O0 to SIS
000, 900.
IL Service Hampcred.
Traversing the main burned area.
the Metropolitan west side elevated
line today was seriously handicapued
in delivering its thousands of patrons
to the downtown district as was the
Aurora and Elgin Electric interurban
line. which also used the four track
structure which was caught in the
midst of the fire
The huge Burlington office build
ing. called fire proof structure, held
the fire from spreading westward.
while progress of the flames toward
the south was ended by the access the
n Aa
two to six stories-which bega
south of Van Ruren street. The Chi
cago river runs block east of the
burned district and would have af-
forded but little protection had the
wind vcered the sweep of the flames
toward the main business section.
vacant lot, the site of the new
Union depot. kept the fire from
spreading northward.
James McGovern of Insurance Pa
troll No. /. was the fireman killed. He
was caught under a falling wall and
died at a hospital.
Lieut.. William Everett Of Enigma
Company No. s5 was injured probably
fatally when he was struck by fall
ing piece of tile, knocked to the
ground and then hit again by another
piece of tile which inflicted internal
injuries.
Pipeman Alfred samuelson OF the
same com pany also was hit by tile
and injured
Release Prisoner.
After being questioned for seyera,
hours, the man arrested in connec-
ton with the incendiary theory was
released. The police said he appar-
emily was not implicated in starting
the fire.
$4,000 Lose Jobs.
It is estimated that more than
$4,000 persons were made jobless
through the fire.
Heat from the burning buildings
across the street cracked out the win
dows of the Mercantile Trust and
Savings bank before the Burlington
building itself was afire. A heavy DO.
lice guard was thrown about the bank
bat WIS driven away quickly when
the building caught fire.
The Burlington building caught fire
at about the, eighth story and burned
up and down. No streams of water
in the upper stories.G K
The flames from the burning dis-
.trict leaping high and puffed BY the
gusts of wind. were visible for more
than 20 miles.
The Mercantile Trust and Savings
bank later announced that the cash
and securities In its vaults was am
ply protected by heavy steel, cement
and asbestos walls and that II was
quite safe. Arrangements were made
to have another bank take care Of its
business until new quarters could be
obtained. y