Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-08-01
frnm the plttshurr Gazette

DISASTROUS FIre--DestructIOn Of the
Duauesme Depot of the PennSylVa-
MIA haIlr9 p. ohi Jun r. I,,s3t...i
mt SI5O,OOO.
On Tuesday afternoon, about half past
three o'clock, the fire bells pealed forth an
alarm, and presently an immense volume of
smoke and flame was seen ascending at the
Point. The report that the costly aud spa
cious freight depot of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company was in flames, spread
from mouth to mouth, and thousands of
people tlocked to the scene of the cOniin-
grafton.
The depot contained large amount of
infiammable material, and so rapidly did
the flames spread that no successful effort
could lie made TO save it. The tiremcn
were promptly on the ground, but they
wisely devoted their energies TO saving adj
Joining property herculean task nohly
performei. But, with their best efforts.
much valuable properly was destroyed be-
tween the uepot and Penn street, owing to
its close proximity-being separated only
by IL narrow alley.
The Duquesne Depot was built in 1874.
ut a cost of $4,000. 1t was $40 feet in
length on Liberty street, by ITO feet in
depth towards Penn street, and was so
constructed that large trains of cars could
be drawn into tile centre by locomotives,
for the purpose of loading and unloading
-spacious platforms being built on either
side, capable of accommodating Immense
stores OF freight. On the Liberty street
front, were q succession of arched door
ways, through which the goods were drayed.
AT the Western end of the depot, the track
communicated with the wharf, at the juno
tim of the Allegheny and Monongalia with
the Ohio river, thus connecting the great
PENNSYLVANIA Central road with the tonnage
of the Ohio and Mississippi valleys. Un-
derncath the platforms were number of
cellars, used for storing barrels, casks,
hogshends, and such like freight. Since
the DEVELOPMENT of the oil trade of West
ern Pennsylvania, this part of the depot
had been used extensively in storing all
barrels. The fire originated in this way:
The Cornplanter Oil Company had four
men in the cellar filling and arranging oil
casks. One of the hands, when in trying
to light u gas burner, let the lighter fall
accidentally into one of the open oil casks,
when the whole place was soon in blaze,
and the men barely escaped with their lives.
The flames spread with great rapidity,
consuming everything within the depot
We are informed that the loss in goods
will not exceed So, 900, as the FIRE occur
red at time when the freight was mostly
removed. There were ten freight cars in
side at the time, and all were consumed
They were valued Mt 5000 each, making a
total of $4,000. The quantity of oil in
store was large, and was owned by differ
ent parties. The company is insured upon
the building, but to what amount the Of
ficers were unable to tell at present.
The immense roof fell in piece by piece
as the flames progressed, and the wall on
Liberty street, rs well as tue gables. soon
followed. The wall on Exchange Alley
stood firm, owing TO the fact that the doors
and windows were sslnll. This was n
most fortunate circumstance, as it tended
to screen the property between Exchange
alley and Penn street. At best, however,
the destruction of property on Exchange
alley and Penn street was very great. Be-
ginning at point on Penn street, oppos-
lite the western end of the depot, we par
ticulurize as follows.
No. 26-Two story brick, occupied by j.
T. Shalanberger, clerk. No. 2S-Occupied
by james W. Mcfarland, book keeper
No. 3O-0ccupied by s. Crow, volunteer
who has lately returned from Coiro, and is
now sick with fever and ague. No. 32-
Occupied BY John B. Bell, oil refiner.-
Each of these buildings are two story
brick, and are owned by Capt. Charles
Frisbee, of Allegheny. The tenants were
Obliged to remove their furniture in great
haste, and much of it was destroyed The
buildings were badly damaged in the rear,
and the three first were unroofed and 9TH
erwise injured in front. No. 80 was not
much damaged in front. They are all unfit
for occupancy.
In the rear, on the same lot, fronting on
Exchange alley, Capt. Frisbec had two
brick tenements completely Destroyed
The occupants lost large amount of their
furniture.
Next are two Its, owned by james Stcr-
rctt, OF Allegheny, and occupied by shops
on Penn ftreet, with four two-story brick
tenements in the rear, fronting on Ex-
chunge alley. Messrs. Peak / AllcOck,
WIN. Peak and Wm. AlIeOck) wrought
nail manufacturers and blacksmilhs, occu-
pied one OF these shops, which was entire
ly destroyed. They have no Insurance.
Mr.. Lindsey, carpenter, occupied the other,
which was small. Loss triling. The ten
ements, also ownedsby Mr. Sterrett, were
occupied 10y the following parties VIM
Bnnlon, carpenter; J. Gracey, blacksmith;
John Laughrey, drayman; and John Arm
strong, moulder.
No. 4i-This large three story brick,
owned and occupied by Timothy McGraw,
carter. The house was uotmurh damaged,
but stable in the rear was destroyed.
No. 4G--Large brick, owned and occn-
4