The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-05-19

State and local authorities started
a hunt for the suspect today.
Swift Investigations we're
launched today into a three
alarm fire Of mysterious
origin in which two firemen
were injured and a vacant
veneer plant and ten houses
were destroyed early today.
Investigators were believed work.
ing on the theory that the blaze
may have been started by fire
bug" who has been active in the
vicinity several months.
AL Feeney, state fire marshal, as
signed several men to investigate
the possibility of arson.
The conflagration, which lighted
the sky for miles around Indian
apolis, drove score of persons
from their homes and caused dam
age estimated at more than $4,000
The area of the fire was bounded
by Thirteenth street on the north,
Alvord street on the east, Lewis
street on the west and the Monon
railroad yards on the south.
Mahogany Plant Destroyed
The injured are Fireman Guy
Darling of No. pumper company,
burns on the right arm, and Fire
man William Volmer, also of No. 7
pumper company, burns on the
head Both were treated at the
scene and went home.
In the costly blaze the plant and
yard of the Talge Mahogany Com
pany, Thirteenth street and Monon
were destroyed. The flames
leaped across Thirteenth street,
firing the plant of the Indiana Junk
Company yard, operated by Pete
Granowsky, Lewis and Thirteenth
streets.
Spreading rapidly, the flames
touched off row of drab houses
occupied by Negroes on Alvord
street, and spread from the junk
yard to a row of four empty houses
adjoining the Granowsky property
on Thirteenth street.
Frightened Families Routed
In the fierce light of the flames,
Negro families trapped by the blaze
made miraculous escapes to safety
The frightened cries of men, women
and children, suddenly awakened
from sleep, mingled with the crash
Of huge steel girders as the indus
trial plants and houses we're de-
A crowd. estimated at more than
10000 persons, gathered swiftly as
the sky around indianapolis was
lighted a brilliant red and yellow
by the wood pyre. Extra police de-
tails had difficulty in controlling
the crowd, which in many instances
hindered the firemen in their work.
George Phillips, Negro night
Waterman for the Cliff Meyer Coal
Company, 1919 East Fifteenth street,
was walking north on Lewis street
after visiting with Lee Dickinson, a
junk yard employe when he discov-
cred the fire.
PhOned Fire Department
Phillips said he first noticed a
queer light to the east and sud-
denly saw a great tongue of flame
rise and mount above the buildings.
So swiftly did the confagration
spread, Phillips said, that he stood
"dumbfounded" for several minutes.
Gathering his wits, he ran to a
nearby telephone and called the
fire department.
Hose Burned Crisp
The first alarm was sounded at
1888 a. m. Captain E. G.. Hinch-
man. arriving with the first appar-
tus, Immediately turned in a second
alarm. Battalion Chief Roscoe Nc
ordered third alarm to be
turned in shortly after a. m. At
ITO a. m. a call for extra COM
panies was sent in.
Firemen, arriving on the scene,
found the heat Of the fire so intense
that at first they could not lay hose
successfully Five lengths of hose
put down by No. 2 engine company,
were burned to crisp.
The wind sweeping in from the
south, carried the flames over the
roofs of the buildings on Thirtieth
street where flremen we're stationed
to prevent the fire from spreading
further north.
Against a background of blaz-
ing homes, Negro occupants of the
houses on Alvord street frantically
raced from their homes assisting
children. aged people and invalids
in attempting to carry their poor
possessions to safety.
Bedridden Woman Saved
In the house at lib East Thir-
tenth street, Mile Jackson. 80,
Metro, bedridden with tuberculosis.
screamed as the flames licked
against her bedroom window. Eliza
Kennedy, Negro, 1116 East Thirteenth
street, heard the Woman's cries and,
batleing his way through the flames,
carried her TO safety at his own
home. A few minutes later his
home caught fire.
James Brown. Is months, and Til
lie, 10 years old, children of Jesse
Brown, Negro, of 1885 Alvord street,
we're carried to safety by their ia
Their. Grover Chain, Negro, 1888
Afford street. helped his wife and
a boarder, James Miller, to the
street and stood by to see his home
and personal property destroyed.