SUSPICIOUS FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1893, 30 October 1913, Page 8

SUSPICIOUS FIRE.

OUTBREAK AT STEWART'S MILL. When returning to work at 6 o'clock last evening Mr. Hutchison, a member of the clerical staff of the Stewart Timber, and Hardware Company, of Courtenay Place, observed smoke issuing from the roof of tho mill, a two-storiod brick building that stands in the middle of the yard, almost wholly surrounded by stacks of timber. He at once rang up tho Fire Brigade, which turned out with great promptitude. By tho time they got to work, the smoke wad pouring out of the roof by every aperture, and it was discovered that, the whole building was filled with smoke of a suf-' focating character. Thanks to an absence of wind, and the fact that the mill's doors and windows were fast closed, thoro was 'an absence of flame, and Superintendent Tait resolved to keep tho fire in subjection by maintaining that condition, at the same time'keeping a couple of leads playing on the seat of the fire, which was judged to be in the centre of tho joinery shop on the- top floor. By this means the fire was quickly subdued, and by 7.30 p.m. all that remained of what might have been a very disastrous conflagration was a ' few. smoking mouldings, which were lying in a rack in the ; roof of tho building. Police Batons Being Manufactured. An inspection of the premises by lamp-light revealed the fact that the seat of the fire was amongst .those mouldings, which lay 1 against the roof about 10ft. above the floor, and immediately above a plaiiiiig-macliino set in the centre of the workshop. Tho circumstances are certainly suspicious. During the day men had been employed a few feot away from the seat of the fire turning batons for the' use of the Police Department, should the occasion arise. The workmen left off at 5 p.m., and the joinery shop was