New Britain herald., 1926-12-21
SUSPECT FIREDUG
 IN S35,0O0 BLAZE
(Continueda from First PaSe)

! ing Mo- 5 company on duty at the central station. There was a delay l opening the fence gates and smash ing in the doors and when the water was turned on it was realized that the fight would be stiff, so ficrccly were the flames raging. When Chief Noble arrived, he or dered the building flooded with water to prevent spread of the fire beyond the ground floor. Through this action. the flames were confined to one floor, only one spot being reached on the second floor, where large hole was burned through. Tone of water were poured into the building and after three hours hard work the recall was sounded.
 The nature of the interior con- struction of the building is such that it offered no resistance to the flames. The floors, walls, and partitions are wooden and the nightly vanished pine crackled as the fire spread. The heaviest damage, however, was done in the north and south ends where the fire evidently started. Class rooms in the center were not burn d. This fact tends to offset the theory that the flames leaped from enc end to the other.
 Father Boinowsl1i Mystificd
 Shortly after Father Bojnowski arrivcd at the fire, he heard re- port that policeman had seen man leaving the school a short time before discovery of the fire. Ser Geant Patrick A. McAvay and Su- pernumerarv Officer William O'Day conferred with Father Bojnowski and set the rumor at rest, Officer O'Day reporting that the only per son he had seen in the vicinity of the building was man who walked along Broad street and turned into Horace street about 4:10 o'clock. That he had any connection with the fire is doubted by the authori- ties. Father Bojnowslli admitted that there is mystery about the fire but he was not prepared to state positively that it as of incendiary origin. As soon as he arrived. Faher Bojnowslli went into the basement and on finding no sign of fire about the heating plant, went through the water soaked building and satisfied himself that two places had been burning at once.
 | Gilligan Cut By Falling Glass
 Lieutenant Frank Gilligan of No. s company suffered painful in jury 10 his right hand when piece of glass, falling from a second story window, struck In such a way that it lacerated one finger and caused q slight cut on the back of the hand Dr. Frank Zwicli stitched the laccr- alton and ordered the lieutenant to remain off duty.
 The school was erected Tn 1901. It is four stories in height, and contains 22 class rooms in addition to the principals office. locker rooms dressing rooms and other school building facilities. The exterior is ot stone and red brick construction, but the interior is of wood. Had the fire made it's way beyond the second floor it would have been practically impossible to save any thing but the walls, in the opinion of Chief Noble, because of the in fammability of the construction and the desks and chairs in the class rooms.
 There are approximately 1900 children registered at the school. Several hundred others attend ses- sions in another building and in the parochial residence. Father Boj- nowski said this morning that ses- sions will be discontinued while re- pairs are being made. The school was to close this week for the Christmas holidays. The entire building will show smoke damage and the entire ground floor and the basement was covered by water that rose to depth of three or four inches in places. The loss Is covered by insurance.
 Within two hours after the fire men had returned to their stations ] Chief Noble received q check for | $50 from Father Bojnowsl1i, in ap- preciation of the work of the de- partment. It will be turned into the pension fund.
 l Ground Floor Raging Furnace
 The fire. while serious, was not ! spectacular and did not attract wide attention. For more than an hour after the arrival of the department, 1 there were but a few onlookers. i Except for the broken windows and : the smoke pouring out, the building 1 had none of the appearances of the scene of fire after the streams Of water began 10 take effect. In the early moments of the fight, how ever, the ground floor looked like a roaring furnace and Sergeant Nc Away and Deputy Chief Souney re- marked, as the work Of laying the hose lines started, that only the best Of luck could save the school. At about o'clock. Fire Con- missioner Horace B. Clark of Hart ford and Commissioner Pratt of West Hartford arrived, having learned of the fire soon after inc second alarm was sent In. They were taken through the building by Chief Noble.
 No Proof of Inccndiarism
 Throughout the day the probable cause of the fire continued to be a live topic of discussion. Rumors gained circulation that the origin was incendi9ry, but there is no proof that they are anything but rumors. Tt looks bad, there is no question about it." Chief Noble said. There is no sign of anything wrong with the heating apparatus, and the fact that there was fire in opposite ends