Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-05-22
ARTHUR SELLE IS
AGAIN VICTIM OF
DISASTROUS FIRE
Gainesville Plant Burns
Shortly After Mid
night
|NC|D|AR|SM SUSPECTED
Persons Living Nearby
Saw Men Running
From Place
Especial to The News.)

Gainesville, May 22-Flames, be-
lieved to have been started by un-
known parties at 1916 last night,
completely destroyed the plant Of the
Gainesville Moss Ginning company,
the Rex garage, a small warehouse
used for storing moss, and for time
threatened all Of the buildings in.
Florida Court nearby and the entire
business block along University ave-
nue.. The total damage could not be
estimated last night but, it is believed
that the loss will run between $15,0 900
and $4,000, none of which is believed
to be covered by insurance.
Daniel Reed, negro night watchman
employed by the moss plant, stated to
Officer Storey last night, he was held
up at the point of revolver by two
white men and a negro as he was
starting to make his rounds at 1900
o'clock. He said that he was COM
manded to leave the place at once and
that several shots were fired while he
was running away. He went to the
home Of an employe of the plant
nearby and tried to arouse him. A
few minutes later, Mrs. Jessie Burtz,
who lives directly opposite the plant,
stated that she saw fire break out in
| four places at once and the entire
plant was soon a mass of flames.
The fire had made considerable
headway before the alarm was turned
in and the entire plant of the moss
factory was in blaze when the fire
department arrived. The flames
quickly spread to the Rex garage
just north Of the plant, and before
they could be checked the building and
equipment were a total loss. Accord
ing to Jack Thornton, owner of the
garage, there were no new cars stored
but the damage done will approach
S., 900, and is not covered by insur-
ance.
Sparks from the fire were carried
several blocks west, setting fire to
roofs in Florida Court, but were ex-
inguished before any damage was
done.
Flames from the fire lighted up the
entire city and attracted a large
crowd Of spectators who assisted the
firemen in keeping down the spread of
the fire.
The Gainesville Moss Ginning COM
pany was one of the city's prominent
industries. A fifty horsepower motor
had just been installed and other new
machinery placed in operation, it
was stated last night. This firm was
wiped out by fire previous to their
moving here some months ago from
Palatla. Mr.. Selle, formerly of the
Vego Hair Manufacturing company, of
Palatka is the owner of the plant.
The building was the property of W.
r. Thomas.
Arthur Selle, president of the Vego
Hair Manufacturing Co., received a
telephone message shortly after 2
o'clock this morning that the plant of
the company at Gainesville was on fire
and at that hour was practically
toll loss. Mr.. Selle left at once by
automobile for Gainesville. He was
here spending the week end with his
family, and to advertise his home and
former plant site here for sale, pre-
paratory to going to Gainesville to
make his future home.
This is the second fire this concern
has suffered within a year, the plant
here burning several months ago, its
origin never having been determined.
Mr.. Seile indicated this morning be-
fore leaving that he was of the opin-
ion that it was of incendiary origin.
It was only partly covered by insu-
rance, the building belonging TO the
- r